INTEGRATIVE NURSING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROMOTION

Abstract

Research demonstrates that physical activity is a cornerstone of health and disease prevention, individuals experience key barriers to physical activity engagement, and alleviating or eliminating these barriers successfully promotes physical activity. Specifically, a successful physical activity program incorporates meaningful relationships, the engagement of intrinsic motivators, and a positive external environment. There is clear alignment between these requirements and the principles of integrative nursing. A weekly, student-led group exercise class designed according to integrative nursing principles was implemented at the University of Arizona College of Nursing. Participants were recruited via convenience sampling to participate in a qualitative descriptive study. Interviews were conducted between the primary investigator and five class participants. Interviews were analyzed and three themes identified: pleasure, environmental comfort and interpersonal connections. Participants stated these factors to be strong motivational drivers. This qualitative study suggests that exercise promotion interventions that are nurse- directed and designed according to integrative nursing principles produce participants highly motivated to engage in physical activity. Specifically, interventions need to incorporate pleasure, environmental comfort and meaningful relationships. This study provides a basis to further examine the efficacy of holistically-based exercise programs. Future studies should include quantitative designs and larger sample sets.