‘New Year and New Beginnings’
It’s that time where many of us look back on the past year, as well as looking forward to the coming one. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want, or need, to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. Some people choose to give more to charity or to change some part of their character, but more commonly these resolutions are related to physical wellbeing.
Popular goals include losing weight, exercising more, eating better, drinking less alcohol and quitting smoking. Are you guilty of any of the above traits, and more importantly, if you are – how do they affect you as a healthcare professional?
The role of nurses in health promotion has taken various dimensions over the years from a ‘medical’ model to a ‘health’ model approach, however, we at #NurChat want to discuss if healthcare workers should set an example to patients by being a healthy weight, not smoking and exercising regularly?
NICE is conducting a partial update of the ‘brief advice’ recommendations in NICE public health guidance 2 (2006) in order to incorporate physical activity into primary care at a greater level than it is currently. The delivery of advice at a local level and with a local infrastructure is a key part of this update.
In 2009 The Dept. of Health released a report Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: One Year On, in which it states that the NHS ‘should lead’ the way in employee health and wellbeing and that ‘the credibility of health messages is also supported by the behaviour of health professionals’. There were also promises of ‘bespoke programmes to support achieving and maintaining a healthy weight for key frontline staff who advise and interact with children and families on obesity, such as maternity staff, midwives, health visitors and school nurses’.
Did anyone experience these bespoke programmes and see any evidence of incentives for losing weight? We also want to ask, does it make you a better nurse if you have experienced the very condition or situation you’re giving advice on? Have you ever been offered health promotion advice by a professional who appears not to take their own advice? Should healthcare workers be targeted with health promotion advice? Do you feel hypocritical when offering advice to patients?
Come and share your thoughts on 8th January at 8pm GMT. Just tweet using #NurChat and you’re in!
Have a read of these links beforehand to get an idea of some of the issues.
Pulse Today: GPs should screen all adults for exercise habits – 29 November 2012
Dept of Health: Healthy Weight, Health Lives – one year on – 6 April 2009
Nursing Times: Obese NHS staff criticised in Lords – 13 November 2012
Nursing Times: Are obese nurses poor role models for patients? – 19 November 2012
Journal of Advanced Nursing: Nurses as role models and health educators
RCN: Clearing the Air 2 – Smoking and tobacco control, a updated guide for nurses
Nursing Times: Trust bosses urged to promote staff wellbeing – 28 November 2012
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