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ANA launches Healthy Nurse program

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Registered nurses educate patients and the public on good health and wellness practices. But many times, nurses themselves are unable to take their own advice due to exposure to occupational hazards, such as infectious diseases, heavy lifting, violence, stress, compassion fatigue, and more. A nurse may spend many hours on his or her feet assisting others, which can leave him or her with little time or energy for exercise, nutritional meal planning, and management of their own health.

The big question is whether nurses, who comprise 1% of the U.S. population, can be more effective role models of wellness and good health to the other 99%. The answer, of course, is yes. To that end, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has built a Healthy Nurse program and website dedicated to helping nurses improve their own health and wellness as well as that of those they influence.

As part of the Healthy Nurse program, in October ANA hosted a national conference entitled Nurses as Models of Wellness in Action*. Nurses came from as far as Washington State to the ANA home office in Silver Spring, Maryland, to discuss and learn about healthy nurse practices and wellness strategies to help nurses be effective role models for their patients and community at large. “Influence, motivate, and model” were the watchwords for the meeting.

Participants received an overview of healthy nurse concepts, including ANA resources, related research, and health policies and services that are available to registered nurses. Additionally, attendees learned about such healthy practices as the following:

ANA believes in and supports the healthy nurse and a healthy work environment. Visit ANA’s Healthy Nurse website to find more useful resources at http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/WorkplaceSafety/Healthy-Nurse.

Holly Carpenter is a senior staff specialist at ANA.

*Funding for this activity was made possible in part by the HHS, Office on Women’s Health. The views expressed in written materials or publications and by speakers and moderators at HHS-sponsored conferences do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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