does working as a nurse count as exercise?

Nurses Stress 101

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I was curious, are there any studies showing hospital nursing improves health due to physical activity (minus effects of stress!)? i.e. does it count for weight bearing for bones? collateral circulation due to moving around enough? general cardio health from all the walking and activity?

I haven't been able to find anything from searching. everything yields nurses talking about exercise.

Specializes in med-surg.

I definitly think so. I used to wear a pedometer to work and in a course of a 12 hr shift I would walk a mile and a half. I have been out of work for 4 months and have gained 15 pounds!!! So, I would consider nursing exercise.

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Specializes in CTICU.

I'm still fat, so it's not enough!

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Specializes in ICU.

I wish it would count!!

I have a pedometer on my phone, usually at work I will walk 7 to 9 miles a day. And those are just average days. I have walked up to 11. I just wish it was all at once!

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

I don't think it's a workout. a lot of people gain weight when they start working as a nurse. To get a good workout, you need to get a sustained heart rate. While we may feel like we're running around all day in the hospital, we really aren't in the zone of calorie burning/weight loss.

Zman

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I've actually gained weight since I've entered nursing.

If this counts as exercise, it is certainly not a good workout.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Unless you are walking up and down some long hallways, then no I don't think it can count as exercise. In fact, I think your body gets used to all the walking that it doesn't make you burn any more calories than you would with regular exercise.

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It would make a facinating study! AND, if it's proven that nsg makes you lose weight, then the nsg shortage will soon be over!!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Exercise is supposed to alleviate stress and make you feel better. I don't know when the last time work did that for me!

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I was a nurse for 13 years working very busy long halls with heavy assignments; yet I was very overweight and completely out of shape (like getting chest pain from climbing 2-3 flights of stairs at age 35). None of those conditions changed until I changed my diet and starting an aerobic work-out program. I now have very toned legs and very high cardiovascular endurance. Those things were not achievable for me working nursing shifts. And I was (am) one of those nurses that stayed very busy, catered to my patients, answered practically all my call lights myself and so on.

My own experience was that I did move a lot, and even occasionally sweated, but you don't get the kind of work-out that tones your muscles, increases your cardiovascular endurance and burns fat. Most new nurses to the field tend to put on weight. I attribute this to many many factors: change in schedule, stress, bizarre eating times, junky food, poor sleeping habits. . .

Some people lose weight when they get into nursing but some people's response to any stress is to eat less, it's not my response. It is a more physically demanding job than most office work, but it really is start and stop (aerobic-wise).

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do hospitals have gyms in them? seems like it would make sense for there to be exercise equipment staff could use for free. my last job (at a hotel, which sounds a lot like everything bad about a hospital and none of the actual life-saving) had a gym we could use if we wanted to.

I wonder if you could do a lot of yoga or something and keep from having back problems...be nice to have a work-related reason to get into that, since "meaning to start" for years hasn't helped me.

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Specializes in ICU, Education.

Hmmm,

I get loads of exercise at work. Howver, I may be thin, but I look and feel 45 years older than I really am :nuke:. Yeah, I get physical exercise at work. I run run run at work. I have shin splints, aching feet, aching back, and varicose veins to prove it. In addition,my job is filled with stress over my patients and my liability, my personal time has periods of stress over work and what my profession is becoming, I suffer sleep deprivation due to shift work. I eat at strange hours, and what is often the most convenient choices for food are the most unhealthy. I sometimes don't void for an entire shift (just realized I did this last night).

Wow, I'll probably die before I am 50!!!!!

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