Effects of a hospital-based leisure activities programme on nurses' stress, self-perceived anxiety and depression: A mixed methods study

Aims: To determine the effects of a hospital-based leisure activities programme on nurses' stress, self-perceived anxiety and depression. Background: Nursing work in clinical settings is highly stressful and may result in an increase in nurses' turnover rate, which threatens the quality of nursing care and patient safety. Methods: We used a mixed methods design and a three-month intervention (January to April, 2019) involving a convenience sample of 176 nurses working at a Chinese tertiary hospital. We conducted 12 semi-structured interviews and performed a content analysis. The pre- and post-intervention comparisons of nurses' stress, selfperceived anxiety and depression were performed using a paired t test. Results: The 3-month leisure activities programme significantly decreased nurses' job stress (t = 3.80, p <.01), perceived personal stress (t = 3.30, p <.01), self-perceived anxiety (t = 3.76, p <.01) and depression (t = 2.73, p <.01). The qualitative findings revealed five mechanisms linking leisure activities to subjective well-being: detachment recovery, autonomy, mastery, meaning and affiliation. Conclusions: A hospital-based leisure activities programme had a positive effect on job stress, self-perceived anxiety and depression, thus improving nurses' well-being. Implications for Nursing Management: A hospital-based leisure activities programme provides a beneficial strategy for ameliorating nurses' psychosocial issues. Interventions aimed at facilitating or increasing nurses' participation in leisure activities are greatly needed.

Automated summary

The hospital-based leisure activities programme significantly decreased nurses' job stress, perceived personal stress, self-perceived anxiety, and depression, improving nurses' well-being. Qualitative findings revealed five mechanisms linking leisure activities to subjective well-being: detachment recovery, autonomy, mastery, meaning, and affiliation.