A Chronic Inflammatory Inductive Condition in the Nursing Profession: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Literature focuses on the well-being of patients and little on the well-being of nurses who, in turn, should be educated about well-being. The latter, on the other hand, very often have to work under serious pressure with inadequate resources and shift organization exposing them to health risk factors. Objective: To highlight which relationships exist between: diet, physical activity, body mass index (BMI) and mental health in the nursing profession. Methods: Author searched Medline (PubMed) database for medical subheadings terms and free full text referred to “Diet”, “Mental Health”, “Physical Activity”, “Nurses”, before 31st December 2020. Results: A total of 11 studies were included in this perspective review which better defined the relationships existing between diet, physical activity, mental health and nursing profession. Conclusion: From the studies present in literature it emerges that the nursing profession has an inherent imbalance in the regular circadian activity of human nature, as nursing assistance is provided 24 hours a day, therefore also during the night. Numerous studies have already highlighted significant differences between levels of mental and eating disorders among nurses who also work at night versus those who only work during the day. Therefore, it is possible to speak of the nursing profession as an “inductive inflammatory-chronic” activity on the basis of the extensive scientific evidence provided by literature.