Effect of workplace health promotion program on nurses' health behaviors

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of the program of workplace health promotion planned on the basis of the Health Promotion Model to increase the healthy lifestyle behaviors of nurses and reduce the cardiovascular risk. Method: The study was conducted in two stages. The first stage is a qualitative study to determine the barriers to healthy lifestyle behaviors perceived by hospital nurses. Five focus group interviews were conducted and a total of 31 nurses were interviewed. The interview data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. The second stage is a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest control group design. The study was completed with 32 nurses in the experimental group and 40 nurses in the control group. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Previous Behaviors Information Form, Eating Follow-up Record, Cardiovascular Risk Recognition Form, Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale II, The Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Knowledge Level Scale and Generalized Self-efficacy Scale. In the data analysis 2 × 3 repeated measures analysis of variance was used. Results: The barriers that nurses perceive for their healthy lifestyle behaviors had three main themes and their sub-themes: work, individual and social. After the nursing interventions implemented within the scope of the workplace health promotion program, the mean scores of healthy lifestyle behaviors, physical activity and nutrition of the nurses in the experimental group increased significantly and the nurses had a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressures and to decrease the cardiovascular risk. Conclusion: In line with the results of this study, it is recommended to implement a workplace health promotion program based on the Health Promotion Model in cardiovascular risk management of hospital nurses. Key Words: Cardiovascular risk, healthy lifestyle behaviors, health promotion model.