ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1878-592X
Year
2026
Season
Summer
Paper Type
Doctoral Dissertation
College
Brooks College of Health
Degree Name
Doctor of Clinical Nutrition (DCN)
Department
Nutrition & Dietetics
Committee Chairperson
Dr. Andrea Arikawa
Second Advisor
Dr. Jenifer M. Ross
Third Advisor
Dr. Paul Fuglestad
Department Chair
Dr. Andrea Arikawa
College Dean
Dr. Mei Zhao
Abstract
Background: Registered nurses experience high rates of occupational stress, burnout, circadian disruption, and poor dietary behaviors that may negatively affect personal health and patient care outcomes. Few wellness interventions have examined theory-informed, Registered Dietitian (RD)-led programs delivered through flexible digital formats specifically for nurses.
Purpose: This study evaluated the impact of a six-week, fully asynchronous, RD-led digital wellness program on dietary, anthropometric, and psychosocial outcomes among registered nurses while exploring the influence of Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT)-based motivational framing.
Methods: A stratified randomized pretest–posttest longitudinal design was used. Registered nurses working at least 12 hours weekly were recruited through social media and online nursing communities across the United States. A final sample of 39 participants completed the intervention and post-intervention assessments. Participants completed measures assessing dietary behaviors, perceived stress, burnout, job satisfaction, regulatory focus orientation, weight, and waist circumference. Participants were stratified by shift type and randomly assigned to promotion-, prevention-, or neutral-framed learning management system sections. All groups received identical asynchronous microlearning content focused on nutrition, sleep hygiene, stress management, and self-care, with introductory videos differing only by motivational framing.
Results: Significant improvements were observed across multiple dietary, anthropometric, and psychosocial outcomes following the intervention. Regulatory fit analyses demonstrated little evidence that matched framing enhanced intervention outcomes; however, exploratory analyses suggested that continuous regulatory focus orientation was associated with the magnitude of psychosocial change. The asynchronous microlearning structure and nature-themed module design appeared to support feasibility, accessibility, and engagement among shift-working nurses.
Conclusions: Findings support the potential effectiveness of scalable, RD-led digital wellness programming tailored to the unique occupational demands of nurses.
Suggested Citation
Nodarse, Reniel R., "Impact of a registered dietitian–led, asynchronous digital wellness program on anthropometric, dietary, and psychosocial outcomes in nurses: A stratified randomized pretest–posttest longitudinal study" (2026). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1458.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/1458
Included in
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Human and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Interprofessional Education Commons, Other Nutrition Commons
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