Healthy Lifestyles

Nurses work in an industry in which their role is to encourage their patients to live healthy lifestyles. Nurses must promote healthy eating, active lifestyles and giving up unhealthy substances such as cigarettes and alcohol. “Nurses are selling a product, and that product is health. The best salespersons are those who are genuinely committed to their product and model its benefits.” (Connolly, 1997 261). In order to be role models for their patients, nurses must demonstrate that they are living by their standards. Therefore nurses must not smoke especially in front of their hospitals where patients may see them. Nurses must also demonstrate that they are eating healthy and have an active lifestyle by maintaining a healthy weight. However, these can be unrealistic standards to live up to as nurses are regular people as well as healthcare professionals.

Studies have demonstrated that nurses are aware of the role model status of their profession despite their ability to realistically be role models. “Nurses perceived that society expected them as role models to be informational resources and to practice what they preached” (Rush, 2005 166). Nurses have high-stress jobs which require them to work long hours. This might make it difficult for nurses to have healthy lifestyles. The stressful nature of the job might lead them to resort to smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol to relieve stress. Long hours make it difficult to have time to exercise or live active lifestyles. The nursing profession is also not one of the most highly paid professions which might make it difficult to eat healthy foods which are often more expensive than cheap fast food choices. Nurses can continue to advocate for healthy lifestyles for their patients as they are aware of how difficult it can be to maintain these lifestyles. Developing a nursing plan for health promotion is recommended. This insight allows nurses to be better role models as they can not only provide information but they are also able to speak from their experiences on how difficult it can be to be healthy. 

References

Connolly, M. A., Gulanick, M., Keough, V., & Holm, K. (1997). Health practices of critical care nurses: are these nurses good role models for patients?. American Journal of Critical Care, 6(4), 261-266.

Rush, K. L., Kee, C. C., & Rice, M. (2005). Nurses as imperfect role models for health promotion. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 27(2), 166-183.