Exploring Resilience in Intensive Care Nurses in New Zealand

Abstract

Background: Resilience is important in supporting nurse retention, but it is unclear whether resilience is associated with nurses’ personal or work-related factors. Limited studies have previously used accelerometry to explore nurses’ occupational and leisure time physical activity, activity patterns, activity profiles, and associations with resilience within the context of the physical activity health paradox (the different impacts of occupational versus leisure time physical activity on health). Aim: This study aimed to explore intensive care nurses’ (1) resilience levels and associations with personal factors and physical activity behaviours, (2) physical work activity behavioural patterns during a 12-hour shift, and (3) clustered physical activity profiles and associations with resilience. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with intensive care nurses from four units at three hospitals in Auckland, New Zealand. Accelerometry was used to measure participants’ physical activity over four days (two workdays followed by two nonworkdays). The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25 was utilised to measure resilience levels. Findings: The overall mean resilience level was low in the 93 participants. Being married or religious was positively associated with resilience (p = .011; p < .001). Resilient nurses had higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical work activity and lower sleep duration at leisure time (p = .021; p = .013). A large amount of standing and dynamic standing was involved in nurses’ physical activity during a 12-hour shift. The overall physical activity (standing, dynamic standing, walking, sitting, and lying) during a 12-hour day shift was higher than that during a 12-hour night shift (p = .008; p < .001; p = .005; p = .002; p < .001). The study sample (N = 93) was classified as low actives (n1 = 19), standers (n2 = 36), sitters (n3 = 31), and movers (n4 = 7). Movers had optimal activity profiles with high resilience; thus, they were less likely to show the negative health effects of occupational physical activity. Resilience was not associated with clustered physical activity profiles. Conclusions: Resilience is essential for nurse well-being and to support workforce retention yet was generally low in intensive care nurses participating in this research. Physical activity is essential for well-being, and this research identified a lower number of intensive care nurses with optimal activity profiles. It is imperative that initiatives to enhance nurse resilience and promote leisure time physical activity are implemented to build a healthy workplace under intensive care clinical settings. Workplace strategies, such as resilience training programmes, physical activity interventions, and health checks, are recommended for nursing practice and policymaking.