Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSNurses must act as 'role models' for healthy living
Nurses must take personal responsibility for their own health, acknowledging that they are public role models for healthy living, according to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
The commission’s final report, called Front Line Care, sets out a range of recommendations on how the nursing and midwifery professions should influence health and wellbeing.
It says nurses and midwives “must recognise” their important role in improving public health and wellbeing, preventing ill health and reducing health inequalities.
The profession should be involved in the “design, monitoring and delivery” of services to achieve this, while nurses should also be encouraged to use every patient contact as an opportunity to promote these aims.
The report states: “All nurses and midwives should think and act ‘health’ whenever and wherever they provide care, and be ever alert for health promotion and illness prevention opportunities – making wellness everyone’s business.”
The report also says: “Nurses and midwives must also acknowledge that they are seen as role models for healthy living, and take personal responsibility for their own health.”
Additionally it says every pregnant woman should have a named midwife, recognising the contribution of midwifery to enhance health and wellbeing, and reduce inequality.
In particular, specialist community public health nurses should take the lead in developing and delivering health promotion and illness prevention strategies, it the report recommends.
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Readers' comments (6)
Anonymous | 2-Mar-2010 10:28 pm
What tosh ......Dont you know we have HIGH STRESS jobs, no lunch breaks and work shifts with families to support?
Who writes all of this?
Get real will you - we are just doing a job, the best we can. Role models - yes as far as being loving, and caring and holding a patients hand while they die so that they're not alone or frightened. Sitting with a mother while she watches her baby die in her arms. Feeding a 90 year old mush while you sing songs from the 50's to her because nobody else cares.
But dont ask us to be perfect - we are NEVER going to live up to that one.
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Anonymous | 2-Mar-2010 10:31 pm
The report also says: “Nurses and midwives must also acknowledge that they are seen as role models for healthy living, and take personal responsibility for their own health.”
I'd love to but as a someone with a long term conditions it would be nice if the professionals I see would listen to what I am telling them and not just focus on my condition. Its my body I know when it's not right.
The report states: “All nurses and midwives should think and act ‘health’ whenever and wherever they provide care, and be ever alert for health promotion and illness prevention opportunities – making wellness everyone’s business.”
Then the Government should practice what they preach in banning GM foods, growth hormones and antibiotics in livestock as well as pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers producing lethal cocktails in our foods which over time will prove to major causes of ill health much like the now discredited Global warming evidence.
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Anonymous | 3-Mar-2010 8:50 am
I am a 3rd year student nurse with a family and commitments(one child is learning disabled). As well as keeping up with all the coursework, placements, nursing policies and politics, I dont have the time or money to spend healthy eating. The bursary I have is very low, and I cant get a job due to the placements being unpredictable with their hours. I have tried to get several jobs but have met with the same reply, unless you can guarantee to be available at all times, just in case, we cannot employ you.
In essence I dont have the money or the time genuinely to be super fit and healthy. I am obviously capable to function as a nurse or I would be unable to keep up with the demands of life and the course. The government should provide a higher bursary, and if they want healthy nurses why not give us free gym memberships or time off placement to shop and exercise.
I am aware I have just started in nursing, but the suggestions from the government seem to get more ridiculous each time I read my email.
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marilyn edwards | 3-Mar-2010 5:32 pm
so say the fat cats in Whitehall, who are often overfed and over expensed. Role models for society - I think not!
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Anonymous | 3-Mar-2010 5:57 pm
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaheeheeheeheeheeheehahahahahahaheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehahahahahahaheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehahahahahahaheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehahahahahahaheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehahahahahahaheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehahahahahahaheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehahahahahahaheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehahahahahahaheehee...very good!!!! ;)
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Anonymous | 4-Mar-2010 8:10 pm
Yes - then make the job low stress, with proper meal breaks, a good support network etc - errrr but shouldn't doctors have to make this pledge too? and managers, dieticians, radiographers, pharmacists, and list goes on... I am more than commited when at work but my private life is unpaid and I will continue ruling it - if we are to be responsible for our own health, then every living soul should be too - NO EXCUSES! You monkeys in Whitehall are supposed to work for the PEOPLE and not people minus nurses - &$%"£ off!
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