Low Back Pain in Student Nurses: Literature Review and Prospective Cohort Study
Summary
Nursing students experience frequent back pain, with prevalence not significantly changing during their studies. Educational programs must prioritize teaching safe patient handling techniques to prevent future injuries in this high-risk profession.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Occupational Health
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
Background:
- Registered nurses globally report high rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, especially affecting the back.
- Patient handling tasks, including lifting, pose the greatest injury risk and are encountered early in nursing education.
- Existing literature shows varied prevalence rates of back pain among nursing students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and changes in low back pain among nursing students over a 16-month period.
- To assess the impact of early clinical exposure on the incidence of back pain in nursing students.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 119 nursing students in a US baccalaureate program.
- Utilized the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire administered at the beginning of the upper division major and one year later.
- Tracked changes in low back pain prevalence over the study duration.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant change in the prevalence of low back pain was observed among nursing students over the 16-month study period.
- The study highlights that nursing students experience intermittent and brief exposure to high-risk patient handling activities.
Conclusions:
- Nursing schools must proactively protect students from musculoskeletal injuries.
- Implementing evidence-based safe patient handling techniques and empowering students to refuse unsafe practices are crucial.
- Ensuring availability of adequate mechanical lifting equipment in clinical settings is essential for student and future nurse safety.
