Implementing Physical Activity Recommendations in Clinical Practice: A Survey of Oncology Nurses' Perspectives.

Abstract

Problem statement: Better understanding of oncology nurses' perspectives about how interventions should be designed can promote physical activity (PA) in clinical settings.

Design: 75 oncology nurses completed online surveys.

Data sources: A published survey, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, was used to assess multilevel factors that influence implementation of evidence-based interventions.

Analysis: Descriptive statistics were applied to quantitative data; directed content analyses were applied to qualitative data.

Findings: Participants believed it was important to discuss PA with patients; however, they had limited self-efficacy and resources to provide PA counseling. Barriers to providing counseling included competing clinical demands and a lack of education about PA for cancer survivors and resources.

Implications for practice: Findings inform how interventions can be designed for implementation and sustained practice change in clinical settings. Integration of PA education in routine clinical practice will lead to increased PA and, ultimately, improved quality of life among cancer survivors.