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Harrison, Catherine (2011) Student nurse’s health behaviours and attitudes towards being a role model. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Objective: To assess a range of health behaviours in pre-registration student nurses including physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake and nutrition and to investigate attitudes towards being a role model for their patients. Comparison took place between pre-registration nurses who are overweight and those who are normal weight to see if this affected both their health behaviours and their attitudes towards being a role model.

Design: The study involved a quantitative design using a cross- sectional questionnaire survey. A convenience sample was used involving pre- registration nurses from all three courses including MNursSci, Diploma and BSC courses.

Setting: The study was located at the University of Nottingham, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy.

Method: Questionnaires were handed out at the end of lectures as approved by lecturers and course leaders. Students later returned the questionnaires and results were transferred into SPSS 18 for further data analysis.

Results: The results showed that just under a quarter of participants were overweight or obese. The results also showed an association between weight and whether students felt that they should be role models to their patients, with participants in the normal category believing that being a role model was more important. Results also showed that student nurses were more physically active than previous statistics for the general public and also the percentage of smokers was considerable less. Nutrition and alcohol intake in the sample of student nurses were comparable with that of the results found for similar age groups. Finally, the majority of students felt that learning on the course had not influenced them to change their health behaviours despite knowing the consequences.

Conclusion: Although the proportion of smokers is reduced compared with the general population, almost one-fifth may benefit from smoking cessation intervention. A significant proportion of student nurses are overweight or obese. Although their dietary habits were comparable with general population levels, many would benefit from intervention to improve dietary behaviours and increase physical activity, especially since these factors are known to be associated with the importance that student nurses place on being role models for health.

Item Type:	Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Depositing User:	EP, Services
Date Deposited:	04 Aug 2011 10:45
Last Modified:	28 Dec 2017 14:25
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/24781

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