Physical activity in nursing curricula: a multicenter cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37914/riis.v8i2.520Keywords:
physical activity, health promotion , nursing students, curriculumAbstract
Background: regular physical activity is essential for health promotion, disease prevention, and individual rehabilitation. As health professionals involved in combating physical inactivity, nurses benefit from academic curricula enriched with content on physical activity and exercise in order to enhance the population’s physical literacy. Objective: to map course units and programmatic content related to physical activity and exercise in nursing curricula in Portugal. Methodology: a multicentre cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 15 schools (8 public; 7 private), analyzing 2023–2024 study plans and extracting data using peer-validated grids. Results: no course units exclusively dedicated to physical activity or exercise were identified, except for elective modules offered in master’s programmes in Rehabilitation Nursing (n = 4; 14.8%). A scattered integration of these topics was observed throughout the study cycles, with greater emphasis in the second cycle compared to the first (52.5%). Conclusion: these findings highlight the need to update curricula (mandatory modules on physical activity and exercise), strengthen pedagogical development for faculty, and promote research and continuing education to improve the assessment, counselling, and effective prescription of physical activity in healthcare practice.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Arménio Cruz, André Novo, Carmen Queirós, Maria Clara Viana, Cristina Verissimo, Fernando Petronilho, Germano Couto, Luis Sousa, Maria Salomé Ferreira, Nisa Souto, Paulo Azevedo, Paulo Alexandre, Sandra Queiroz, Rodrigo Gonçalves, Vanda Pinto
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