Psychosocial risks and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD's) nurses face in the hospital working environment

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate and correlate psychosocial risks and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) faced by nurses in the hospital work environment..

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 90 nurses (response rate: 56%) working in a General Hospital of Central Greece, from January to March 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection, which included demographic information, characteristics of the nursing unit, the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire Version III (COPSOQ III), and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.

Results: No statistically significant differences were found between individual factors and the COPSOQ scales under examination, except for gender. Professional characteristics, however, were associated with psychosocial risks. For example, an increase in the number of nurses was positively associated with work demands. Conversely, night shifts were negatively associated with freedom of movement, as was the length of employment with opportunities for career development and the assessment of leadership quality. No statistically significant differences were found between MSDs and individual factors. Regarding the correlation between psychosocial risks and MSDs, the study revealed several associations among COPSOQ scales, such as work demands, work-life balance, freedom of movement, social support from colleagues and supervisors, job insecurity and satisfaction, interactions with others, health assessment, and mental exhaustion, with the occurrence of MSDs in body areas such as the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, upper back, and ankles.

Conclusions: The hospital work environment entails numerous psychosocial risk factors, and ensuring its safety requires their identification and evaluation. Interventions such as ergonomics training, acquiring ergonomic equipment, avoiding manual lifting, and training on the use of patient handling devices can increase risk awareness, reducing the frequency and intensity of musculoskeletal pain.