The differences between normal and obese patient handling: re- structural analysis of two questionnaires

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Nursing Research
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Musculoskeletal complaints are prevalent among nurses, often linked to manual patient handling.
• Accurate data on patient handling requires reliable subjective judgment and decision-making.
• Existing tools for assessing patient handling may require adaptation and validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and validity of two specific tools designed for patient handling tasks.
• To adapt and restructure existing instruments for use in the Iranian nursing context.
• To provide validated tools for assessing risks associated with manual patient handling.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 249 nurses.
• Cultural adaptation using forward/backward translation.
• Reliability assessed via Cronbach's alpha; validity tested using content validity index/ratio and Exploratory Factor Analysis.

Main Results:

• Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's Alpha) exceeded 0.7 for all subscales.
• Validity testing resulted in refined questionnaires with 14 and 15 questions respectively.
• The adapted instruments showed good psychometric properties.

Conclusions:

• The evaluated instruments for manual handling of patients (normal and obese) possess acceptable validity and reliability within the Iranian nursing context.
• These validated tools are recommended for future research involving similar populations and cultural settings.
• The study contributes to improving the assessment of manual patient handling risks in nursing.