Effects of Art from the Heart on Nurse Satisfaction and Patient Well-Being

Introduction. Art programs have been shown to positively affect unit culture, quality of care, and nursing practices. Art interventions improve well-being, reduce stress, and enhance nurse-patient communication. Art from the Heart (AFTH) is an art program that provides art supplies, visual art, and patient About Me pages to patients, families and employees at University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC).Objective. Assess the efficacy of AFTH through nursing staff perceptions, understanding, and attitudes toward the program.Methods. Structured interviews were conducted on Baird 4, an adult inpatient ward, at UVMMC. A 19-question survey using Likert scales and short answer formats was administered to nursing staff. Questions assessed perceptions of effects of art on patient anxiety and pain, communication, and job satisfaction. Surveys were analyzed to extract major and minor themes.Results. Twenty-eight interviews were obtained and two major themes emerged: nurse satisfaction and patient well-being. Nursing staff satisfaction minor themes included improved productivity, promoting conversation, and creating a positive influence on the unit. Respondents reported that AFTH helped initiate conversations with patients (100% of respondents) and reduced workday stress (68%). The second major theme, patient well-being, included benefits to patients with dementia, providing comfort, and serving as an outlet or distraction. Utilizing AFTH improved perceived patient mood (100%), health (78.5%), and reduced patient anxiety (89.3%).Conclusions. AFTH provides positive benefits by reducing nursing staff stress and perceived patient anxiety; improving communication, perceived patient mood and health; and creating a sense of community. AFTH should be expanded to the entire 6 Community Agency: Burlington City Arts, Art from the Hearthttps://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1240/thumbnail.jp

Exercise Adherence 12 Months After Completion of Phase 2 Cardiac Rehabilitation in Older Adults.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) kills approximately 7.2 million people per year (1.) High BMI and low physical activity are both in the top 5 risk factors for CHD (7.) The United States Department of Health and Human services recommends adults exercise for at least 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week, but most adults fail to meet these goals (4). There have not been studies focusing on physical activity maintenance in older adult populations (1). We examine physical activity adherence after phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation and define significant differences between older adults and their younger peers. A one time survey was administered via telephone to subjects from the cardiac rehabilitation facility, with interviews based partially off of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Statistical analysis was performed on general data and separated into cohorts of \u3e65 years old andold. The study of 154 participants was characterized by a mean age of 66.8+/-10.9 years (range 35-90 years.) Participants were 79% men (n=121). 52% of young cohort achieved a combination of moderate and vigorous physical activity 75 minutes or greater per week, while 32% of the old cohort reported this (p=.009) (table 2.) Of subjects who reported at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week, 55% of the young cohort reported moderate physical activity of at least 150 minutes or vigorous physical exercise of at least 75 minutes per week compared to 37% of the old cohort (p=0.082) (Table 2.) Compared to sedentary or low activity individuals, those who engage in as little as 75 minutes of exercise once per week have decreased all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality (10.) Less than half of of all subjects were meeting this goal, and there was a significantly lower amount of older adults meeting this goal. These data also demonstrate a significant intermediate term improvement in adherence to the US Department of Health and Human Services physical activity guidelines in phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation graduates compared to the general population’s adherence rate of 12.7% for elderly people in the 2014 survey (5.) Older cardiac rehabilitation phase 2 graduates will potentially need different interventions to support their continued adherence to physical activity guidelines