Prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among haemodialysis nurses - a comparison between Danish and Swedish samples

Objective. The repetitiveness of priming and dismantling disposables for haemodialysis treatments might be an important contributor to musculoskeletal complaints. The objective was therefore to compare the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among haemodialysis nurses in Denmark and Sweden. Methods. For this cross-sectional study, nurses were recruited from haemodialysis centres in Denmark (n = 194) and Sweden (n = 351). Prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints was evaluated using the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. Results. The percentage of nurses reporting musculoskeletal complaints from at least one part of their body was 90.2% in the Danish sample and 88.9% in the Swedish sample. The anatomical locations with the most complaints were the neck, lower back and hands. Except for the proportion of complaints concerning the neck, there were no differences between the countries. Absenteeism from work was mostly due to complaints regarding the hands. Conclusion. The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints seems to be higher among haemodialysis nurses than among nurses in general. Because complaints concerning the hands are common, and also related to absenteeism from work, it is of particular importance that manufacturers of dialysis equipment and nurse managers acknowledge these occupational health and safety hazards in their efforts to create a good work environment.