Incentivising physical activity for nurses: protocol for a quasi-experimental trial

The participants in the Intervention hospital will be given a Yamax SW 200 pedometer and weekly log sheets. Participants will be requested to wear the pedometer every day during all waking hours, and record their daily step counts on the log sheets that will be collected each week, by research staff. Each participant will recieve a bi-weekly text message encouraging them to increase their steps per day. Nurses will receive a monetary incentive at the end of the 10-week intervention. The value of the incentive will be scaled, based on the percentage increase in accelerometer measured step counts. For example, if a nurse has increased his/her daily steps counts by 3000 steps or more since baseline, he/she will receive $120. Nurses who increase their steps counts by 2000 and 1000 steps per day will receive $60 and $30, respectively. The nurses will then be invited to keep the pedometer for a further 10-weeks. They will not receive any text messages or incentive during this period, and will not be required to record their weekly pedometer counts. Bi-weekly text messages: Week 1: Well done on starting the nurse’s intervention! Your daily average steps were **** and your 10-week goal is *** steps per day Week 3: We hope that you are keeping track of your daily steps. Why not aim for a weekend walk? A 30-minute walk is about 3500 steps! :) Week 5: Meeting goal: You should aim to achieve at least [insert goal steps] steps per day to meet your goal and receive the $110! Your average step count last week was [insert week 4 steps] which shows that you are already achieving this goal. Keep it up Close to goal: You should aim to achieve at least [insert goal steps] steps per day to meet your goal and receive the $110! Your average step count last week was [insert week 4 steps] showing that you are making good progress. Keep it up Far from goal You should aim to achieve at least [insert goal steps] steps per day to meet your goal and receive the $110! Your average step count last week was [insert week 4 steps] Every step counts, so try to walk an extra 10 minutes every day this week. Week 7: We've passed the halfway mark! Every step counts. You average steps per day over the last two weeks were [insert week 5 and 6 steps]. Keep looking for opportunities to be active. Take the stairs instead of the escalator; go for a lunchtime walk; aim for a longer week end walk over the next two weeks. Week 9: One more week to go! Keeping on clocking up those steps. Remember your goal is to walk an average of [insert goal steps] steps per day. Its getting light earlier and earlier, how about an early morning walk? On track: One more week to go! Keeping on clocking up those steps. You are on track for achieving your goal of [insert goal steps] steps per day! How about adding an early morning or evening walk to your day? Close to goal: One more week to go! Keeping on clocking up those steps. You are close to achieving your goal of [insert goal steps] steps per day! How about adding an early morning or evening walk to your day? Far from goal: One more week to go! Keeping on clocking up those steps. Every step counts so keep on aiming to get as close to your goal of [insert goal steps] steps per day as possible. How about adding an early morning or evening walk to your day?