Tasks and responsibilities in physical activity promotion of older patients during hospitalization: A nurse perspective.

Kira Scheerman,Jay Noël Borger,Joram Willem Mesters,Carel Gerardus Maria Meskers,Andrea Britta Maier

doi:10.1002/nop2.588

Abstract

AimTo investigate how nurses perceive tasks and responsibilities in physical activity promotion of hospitalized older patients and which factors are of influence.DesignMixed methods sequential explanatory design.MethodsOne hundred and eight nurses participated in a questionnaire survey and 51 nurses in a subsequent in‐depth interview. Data were collected on tasks and responsibilities in physical activity promotion and their influencing factors as perceived by nurses. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a deductive approach with directed content analysis was used for the data from the interviews.ResultsNurses perceived to have a dominant role in physical activity promotion of older patients during hospitalization. Ninety per cent of the nurses stated to be responsible for physical activity promotion and 32% stated to be satisfied with the actual level of physical activity of their patients. Nurses have specified to be responsible for signalling and performing physical activity promotion tasks and had final responsibility for transfers from bed to chair and promotion of daily activities. Influencing factors were low patient motivation, high workload causing priority shifts of tasks and the role of physicians.

Highlights

More than one third of all hospital discharges in the United States affects patients of 65 years or older (Data from Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project database 2013)
Nurses and nurse supervisors were included as distinct groups in the questionnaire component to explore possible differences in their perception on physical activity promotion
This study indicated that nurses must adopt various roles in physical activity promotion during older patients’ hospital admissions

Summary

Introduction

More than one third of all hospital discharges in the United States affects patients of 65 years or older (Data from Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project database 2013). Previous studies have developed mapping guides addressing factors for implementing in hospital physical activity interventions including knowledge, attitudes and barriers as perceived by various healthcare providers and patients (Moore et al, 2014; Zisberg et al, 2018). Nurses were included in both studies, the perception of nurses on barriers in physical activity promotion was not extensively addressed Both quantitative (Dermody & Kovach, 2017; Elo, Saarnio, Routasalo, & Isola, 2012) and qualitative (Boltz et al, 2011; Chan, Hong, Tan, & Chua, 2019) approaches have been used to explore the nurses’ perspective on physical activity and strategies to increase physical activity levels of hospitalized patients. The central research question of our study is as follows: How do nurses perceive tasks and responsibilities in promoting physical activity and what factors are of influence on their physical activity promotion in older patients during hospitalization?

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion