Effect of a virtual exercise-based educational program on reducing occupational fatigue among female nurses: A randomized controlled trial

This study examined the effect of a virtual exercise education program on occupational fatigue in nurses. This randomized controlled trial with 60 nurses was randomly divided into intervention and control groups with 30 participants each. Data were gathered through the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. Descriptive statistics (tables, mean, and standard deviation [SD]) and inferential statistics (Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon test) were used, with a significance level set at 0.05. In the intervention group, the mean occupational fatigue score before the intervention was 92.83 (SD=31.04), which decreased to 66.32 (SD=28.31) after the intervention. The Wilcoxon test indicated a significant difference (P<0.01). In the control group, the pre-test fatigue score was 96.17 (SD=31.16), while the post-test score was 95.37 (SD=29.37), showing no significant difference (P=0.357). The Mann-Whitney U test showed no significant difference in fatigue levels between the two groups before the intervention (P=0.682). However, a significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups after the intervention (P<0.01). The virtual exercise training program as an alternative and practical intervention can significantly decrease occupational fatigue in nurses. Thus, virtual exercise can promote nurses' physical and psychological health and reduce occupational fatigue.