Improving the physical activity of the nurse through fitness tracking and gamification

Background: Increasing physical activity may be a protective factor for the health of the nurse. Methods: This study utilized gamification and fitness tracking to promote increased physical activity among registered nurses in a private urban hospital. Participants were assigned to teams, and teams competed in a four-week competition. Teams’ performances were ranked based on total step and minutes spent exercising. Results/ outcomes: Participants demonstrated a significant overall increase in mean steps between week 1 and week 4 (Z= -2.130, p < 0.05). Approximately 52 percent of participants (n = 15) exercised more when comparing week 4 to week 1. Participants were assessed for sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), perceived stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and lifestyle behaviors using the Health Promoting Lifestyle Behaviors – II (HPLP-II). Participants were moderately stressed before and after the study and showed slight stress reduction following the competition. Participants demonstrated significantly decreased sleep quality before and after the study and showed slight sleep quality improvement following the competition. Participants that worked the night shift showed a significant difference in sleep quality scores compared to those who worked the day shift U (N nightshift= 7, N dayshift = 8) = 12.500, z = -1.990, p = .048. Participants demonstrated slight improvement in lifestyle behaviors following the competition. Two themes, “awareness” and “motivation,” were noted in the post competition qualitative interview. Implication of practice: This study offers a framework for encouraging increased physical activity in and outside the workplace, and considers how physical activity affects stress, sleep quality, and health promoting lifestyle behaviors within a four-week period.DNPIncludes bibliographical reference