Enhancing Ergonomics Practices Using Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle in Clinical Laboratories

Musculoskeletal injuries may be directly caused by workplace practices such as poor posture, high frequency static muscle work, repetitive motion and forced exertion. Healthcare professionals are more likely to be exposed to common risk factors related to the nature of their work requiring repetitive tasks, insufficient breaks and long stressful working hours. They are predisposed to musculoskeletal injuries.

The plan, do, check, act cycle (PDCA) was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. The team was assigned with the roles and responsibilities of disseminating accurate information and supervision of relevant ergonomic activities. The goals were enacted upon using videos, songs, and posters as a means of raising awareness of ergonomic practices. Pre and post activity assessment related to knowledge and practice of ergonomics were evaluated.

After conducting micro-lectures and sharing informative videos, flyers and recordings of all micro-lectures via a WhatsApp group, awareness about posture-related musculoskeletal disorders increased from 85% (n=35) pre-audit to 100% post-audit. Knowledge of the 20-20-20 rule was initially 49% (n=33) before the audit and reached 100% (n=41) after awareness and training. Understanding of exercises to strengthen the back, shoulders, and hands improved from 80% (n=33) pre-audit to 100% post-audit. Following these awareness activities, which included multimedia photos and videos, 88% of participants adopted ergonomic practices, up from the previous 34%.

The implementation of a structured training program using the PDCA cycle will significantly enhance ergonomic practices. By integrating multimedia tools such as videos, and posters, a single training intervention led to a marked improvement in participants' ergonomic practices. To sustain and further enhance this progress, ongoing education at regular intervals is essential, as it is likely to continue improving ergonomic knowledge and practices, thereby reducing the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders.