How much walking do you have to do every day?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

A nurse told me that she wore a pedometer and discovered that she had to walk eight miles every day. At three miles an hour, that would come to 2.67 hours out of every eight that she works.

Henry Ford said that pedestrianism is not a highly paying line of work, so he designed the Henry and Clara Ford Hospital to minimize the walking that nurses have to do. In the case shown above, the nurse is effectively paid for 5.33 hours of every eight that she works. If this could be corrected, we would not have a nursing shortage because nursing salaries could be increased 40 percent or more without higher costs for patients or insurers.

Can anyone provide some information on how much walking he or she has to do every day?

sugarroo

6 Posts

Specializes in Cardiology / Acute Medicine.

when i wore a pedometer and worked on a ward, i averaged about 7 miles a day

PurpleLVN

244 Posts

Specializes in AA&I, research,peds, radiation oncology.

Not enough!!! Very sedentary job-I sit behind a computer all day!! If I walk a mile that would be miracle!!:anbd:

i dont drive yet and i take the bus. i walked atleast 30 minutes going to work, not to mention the walking i do when at work.

where can i buy that pedometer? i wanna know how long i walk!

Specializes in Med-Surg.

I don't even want to know. I know it's enough that since I am pregnant, once I sit down after a shift is over, my husband has to help me off the couch b/c of my back and leg pain :p

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

wore a pedometer once and got 4 miles but do not know if that was my average or a fluke.

RNperdiem, RN

4,592 Posts

My ICU is compact and well laid out, so there is more standing than walking.

I do work on a large university campus. The walk to the car can be 15 minutes each way.

soulofme

317 Posts

Specializes in dialysis (mostly) some L&D, Rehab/LTC.

With my Zcoils...It hasn't mattered anymore... If I walk all day or sit... Im doing fine! And Im out lasting all the youngNs

On one 16 hour shift I racked up 13 miles. Used a pedometer just to see. However, I think it's about a half mile to reach our break room and back - I went just once.

flightnurse2b, LPN

1 Article; 1,496 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

i wore a pedometer one night at work (12 hour shift 7p-7a) and i walked 14.3 miles.

allnurses Guide

JBudd, MSN

3,836 Posts

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

In the old smaller ER, my pedometer showed 5-8 miles a night. In the new big one, ouch! 15 times around the new ER is one mile.

As for nonproductive time spent walking, doesn't fly. I am carrying meds to them, pushing them to the floor, taking people to Xray (if needs to be on a monitor and have nurse with them), bringing people to rooms (lets me get in my intial general survey and assess gaits) etc.

Katnip, RN

2,904 Posts

In my old ED we all wore pedometers and averaged 13-16 miles each shift, each person. Needless to say we were tired.

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