All of us at In the Know have boundless respect for nursing assistants. Every day, they dedicate themselves to caring for people who are elderly, ill and/or disabled. There aren’t enough words to thank them for all they do!
However, so many of us in the nursing field tend to take better care of others than we do of ourselves! We are conditioned to put the needs of our patients/clients/residents first. If that means only stopping for one bathroom break all day, so be it. Or, if it means gobbling down a soda and candy bar for lunch, it’s just the price we have to pay. But is it? Shouldn’t we follow the same healthy advice we give our patients? You bet we should!
During the month of December, In the Know will be focusing on steps that nurses and nurse aides can take to nurture themselves and improve their health and well being. And, what better way to start than with the subject most of us dread around the holidays…our weight!
Recent studies found that more than half of all nursing employees in the U.S. are overweight. And, it’s not just Americans. Our neighbors to the north in Canada share similar statistics for people in nursing: 45% of them are overweight and 14% are obese. Stress at work, lack of sleep, poor eating habits and no time for exercise are all factors that can affect weight.
If you (or your employees) struggle with weight issues, here are some resources that may help:
Do you wonder whether your weight falls in the healthy range? Visit this site and plug in your height and weight to find out.
How about exercise? You’ve probably heard that to maintain a healthy weight, people should take at least 10,000 steps daily. Ever wonder how many steps you take in one day? If you (or your employees) have a smart phone, it can count them for you…for free! Whether your phone is an Apple or Android, look for an app called Argus. It will track your steps, your weight, your heart rate and more! And, for a wealth of information about exercise and healthy living, check out a great website: Shape Up America. In addition to information, the site offers motivational support for people struggling to control their weight.
What about stress? Is it affecting the lives and health of your caregivers? Share this online quiz with your employees to give them some insight into their stress levels.
As we all know, information is power. By sharing these free resources with your employees, you may help empower them to make healthy choices for themselves–today, through the holidays and every day to come!
