Incidence, prevalence, and variables associated with low back pain in staff nurses

The morbidity, lost work time, and interference with effective work due to low back pain are markedly underestimated when only employee health service data are used. Injured subjects averaged more years of generic, orthopedic, and rehabilitation nursing experience than the non-injured group. Of the studied nurses who experienced work related low back pain within the past 6 months, 78% did not report it to management. More attention should be given to adequate staff availability for shared lifting activities, better design and use of mechanical lifting aids, and further research in how to safely perform tasks from the side of the bed.