Comparison of classroom instruction and independent study in body mechanics

This study was designed to determine which method of instruction in body mechanics results in the higher subsequent use of the techniques taught. Two groups were formed from nursing personnel at a rural general medical-surgical hospital in the southwestern United States. Subjects from the direct care nursing staff were randomly assigned to one of the two groups. One group attended two hours of classroom instruction in body mechanics, while the other completed an independent study module. Subjects were pre- and posttested using the Work-Related Body Mechanics Evaluation (Carlton, 1987) while performing a standardized lifting task in the clinical setting. Using analysis of covariance, no significant differences were found in the posttest scores of the two groups.