Home > Your Personal Side > HealthWise: Healer, Heal Thyself: Wellness Programs in the Workplace

Healer, Heal Thyself: Wellness Programs in the Workplace

Today’s critical shortage of nurses is an ongoing concern to those who care about the quality of patient care. But what about the nurses themselves? These already stressed healthcare professionals face additional pressure when they must work overtime and on their days off, as well as carrying higher patient loads to make up for the lack of qualified staff.

According to the London Times, a study on the effects of stress on more than 21,000 female American nurses indicates a serious health threat—these women are about 20 percent more likely to suffer from poor health than those in less demanding jobs. A study by the UK’s Nursing Standard reveals a fact long suspected: “Nurses work when they are ill and [they] invariably feel guilty when they are off sick.”

The U.S. Congress has recognized the importance of guarding the health of our nation’s nurses. In February 2003, it introduced legislation that would limit the number of hours a nurse may work to no more than 12 hours per day, or 80 hours every two weeks. Additionally, the United Nurses Association of Southern California is currently involved in a lawsuit to ensure that nurses get regular lunch breaks and 15-minute rest periods during their workday.

Brenda Astor, an RN and former director of the Center for the Healing Arts at Imperial Point Medical Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL., suggests that nurses tend to focus on how they can help somebody else. She adds, “We [nurses] don’t pay much attention to our own health and well-being.”

Wellness at the workplace

Since the 1980s, wellness programs have slowly but surely found a home in the workplace. Wellness, as defined by the National Wellness Institute, is “an active process of becoming aware of, and making choices toward, a more successful existence.” It has physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, and even occupational/vocational dimensions.

Wellness programs in healthcare facilities seek to transform the workplace into a healthy community for employees. And for good reason. A healthier and happier workforce reduces healthcare costs and improves employee productivity and morale.

Bon Secours Richmond Health Systems in Richmond, VA is one of many medical employers that embrace a wellness program. Bon Secours Richmond offers free health screenings, annual flu shots, reduced membership fees at local health clubs, and free classes in stress reduction and good nutrition. Baptist Health of Southeast Florida, another wellness-program advocate, offers annual TB tests and flu shots, an on-site fitness facility, and classes in quitting smoking, nutrition, and weight and stress reduction. Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville is running a “Take Your Break” campaign, which encourages nurses to take work breaks in order to prevent burnout. And employees who participate in the wellness program at Integris Health in Oklahoma City earn credits to offset the costs of their benefits plan, proving that it pays to be healthy.

Don’t stress for success

According to the London Evening Standard, people who regularly experience stress in the workplace are five times more likely to become ill than those in non-stressful jobs. The World Health Organization describes stress as a “worldwide epidemic,” noting that 72 percent of Americans experience frequent stress.

Wellness programs offer a variety of seminars and classes to help combat stress, including lessons in relaxation techniques, meditation, tai chi, and yoga. Providence Health Systems, a Seattle-based wellness company, recognizes that laughter really is the best medicine and offers a wide array of humor workshops and juggling classes to keep employees light-hearted.

Manage your health
Many wellness programs provide opportunities for employees to manage their health more effectively. Employers may offer free cholesterol screenings, blood pressure analysis, fitness evaluations, health fairs, or medical self-care books or newsletters.

Another frequent offering is injury prevention education. Workshops may focus on topics such as taking care of your aching back or making your workspace ergonomically friendly. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, an ergonomically conscious environment can reduce costs for Workers Compensation, decrease lost workdays by injured employees, and generally improve morale and productivity.

Eat right

To feel well, you need to eat well. Licensed nutritionist Nikki Goldbeck, author of such groundbreaking books as American Whole Foods Cuisine and The Healthiest Diet in the World, says, “Nurses don’t get much time to eat. Often they wind up with the same unappetizing meals that appear on patients’ trays. While some hospital cafeterias are good, others can be dismal, so nurses have few choices. In addition, patients often thank the staff by bringing in chocolates, cakes, or candy baskets. [Eating right] is a real challenge because of the lack of time to get healthy food and the availability of less nutritious options.”

One solution Goldbeck recommends is to pressure your employer to install vending machines that disperse healthier foods. She also suggests starting a “food pool,” where nurses rotate the responsibility of bringing nutritious snacks to work, like fruit or cheese. It’s also a good idea to stock workplace refrigerators with healthy treats like yogurt, cottage cheese, and fruit that can easily be grabbed on the run.

Exercise: from fat to fit

The most common offering in corporate wellness programs is some type of fitness program. Many healthcare institutions have on-site gyms offer aerobics classes, or give discounts for health-club memberships. Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, recognizes that exercise improves fitness, helps speed weight loss, and reduces stress. Its fitness center is open 24/7, so all shifts are covered.

All’s well that ends in wellness

If your work environment offers a wellness program, use it. Support other nurses in enjoying the benefits as well. And if your organization doesn’t have a program, it’s especially important to develop and follow a personal wellness plan: Eat right, get enough sleep, and take time to nurture yourself, exercise regularly, and learn ways to relax. As American Nursing Association President Beverly L. Malone has said, “If we [nurses] don’t care for ourselves, we can’t care for our patients.” More to the point, if we don’t care for ourselves, we might become patients ourselves.