Purpose: Mechanisms leading to burnout, associated with high turnover in nursing, may start as early as in nursing school. Given health habits (e.g., diet, physical activity, and sleep) can exacerbate or lessen the impact of burnout, this study examined current barriers and facilitators to healthy diet, physical activity levels, and sleep among nursing undergraduates (UGs) and early-career nurses (ECNs).
Research design: Qualitative descriptive study.
Sample: 25 nursing UGs and 25 ECNs (within 3 years of graduation) from a Southeastern college of nursing.
Data collection and analysis: After development of theory-informed interview guides, participants conducted interviews either in-person or by phone, which were audio-recorded and transcribed. Braun and Clarke's six-step thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts.
Results: All but one (aged 54) UG was in their early 20s and ECNs were in their early to mid-20s. Most participants were white, females. Time and stress were the strongest barriers among UGs and ECNs for adherence to healthy diet, physical activity, although stress did act as a facilitator for physical activity in a subset of both UGs and ECNs. Shiftwork was a common barrier to healthy behaviors among ECNs.
Conclusion: The fact that the more common and stronger barriers to healthier behaviors among UGs and ECNs were the same give credence to the idea that processes associated with burnout begin during or before nursing education and are persistent.
Keywords: diet; nurses; physical activity; shiftwork; sleep; students.