Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners’ Perceptions of Physical Activity Monitors in Patient Care

Purpose Nurses engage in a substantial amount of patient contact and can be a source of healthy lifestyle advice. Wearable activity monitors may serve as valuable tools for promoting physical activity. We assessed the perceptions of registered nurses and nurse practitioners regarding the barriers and facilitators influencing the integration of activity monitors into clinical care. Methods A cross-sectional survey was completed by 47 registered nurses (mean age 36.4 ± 11.7 years; 44 female) and 17 nurse practitioners (mean age 36.8 ± 6.7 years; 17 female). The survey included Likert-scale items assessing perceived barriers, facilitators, and willingness to use activity monitors with patients. Descriptive statistics were calculated and comparisons between registered nurses and nurse practitioners were conducted. Results Almost all registered nurses (98%) and nurse practitioners (94%) reported an interest in incorporating activity monitors into routine care. Nurse practitioners rated cost, lack of departmental support, and difficulty for patients as greater barriers to using activity monitors compared to registered nurses (all p < 0.05, d = 0.50–0.80). Nurse practitioners reported less workplace support, fewer training opportunities, and less technological support (all p < 0.05, d = 0.75–1.87) than registered nurses. Conclusion Nurses reported a strong interest in incorporating wearable activity monitors into patient care. Registered nurses reported low barriers, but strategies to help nurse practitioners address concerns of patient cost and difficulty for patients are needed. Nurses are an underutilised resource for physical activity promotion, and integrating wearable technology into practice may help more patients lead physically active lifestyles.