Low back problems and possible improvements in nursing jobs

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Nursing Research
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Low back injuries are a prevalent issue among nursing professionals.
• Existing intervention programs require enhancement to effectively address this problem.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the workload and identify contributing factors to high rates of work-related low back injuries in hospital nurses.
• To gather insights from nurses regarding desired workplace improvements.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of hospital injury records was conducted.
• A validated questionnaire was administered to 47 nurses (orthopaedic and intensive care) to assess workload, injury history, and perceived exertion.

Main Results:

• Lifetime incidence of low back pain was 65% in orthopaedic nurses and 58% in intensive care nurses.
• Nurses reported significant physical exertion and high levels of body-part discomfort in the low back region.
• Correlations were found between perceived exertion scores and objective measures of job effort.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology is effective for job evaluation and designing participatory ergonomic interventions.
• Workload variations exist between different nursing specialities.
• Recommended improvements include lifting devices, biomechanical training, and enhanced workplace setups.