Evaluation of The Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders In Nurses

Year 2017, Volume 2, Issue 1(4), 46 - 46, 01.11.2017

Pınar Soylar Ali Özer

Abstract

AIM:
Nurses exposure many risk factors in the hospital setting. Musculoskeletal
disorders (MSDs) is a common health problem between work related disabilities
and injuries in nurses.

METHODS:
An electronic search was conducted in Pub Med in January, 2017. Publications in
the last ten years were researched using the key words: “Work Related
Musculoskeletal Disorders” and “Nurses”. The initial electronic search
identified 111 papers.  Some articles
were excluded since they were not related to our study topic (7 articles were
review, 15 of them were related to the roles of nurses in some musculoskeletal
disorders, 14 articles were about nurses who working outside the hospital or
new graduated/student,  28 articles were
addressed work related other health problems, 3 of them were related to
hospital ergonomics and risk factors and 7 articles were interventions studies).
Three papers were not reached to full text or abstract. The total number of
remaining articles was 34 and all of them were included the study.

RESULTS:
It was considered that reported musculoskeletal disorders in nurses were
limited to the past 12 months. It had been found that the prevalence of MSDs
varied between 33% and 88%. The most commonly affected body regions were lower
back, shoulder, neck, knees, wrists/hands. Lower back pain complaints were
found to vary between 49% and 84%. The findings indicated that the work related
musculoskeletal disorders associated with cumulative trauma and repetitive
tasks included: lifting, transferring or repositioning, prolonged standing and
also awkward postures (stooping, bending and reaching). These work related
health problems in nurses were significantly associated with age, gender, body
mass index, ward, shift working and working in a hospital. Studies showed that
musculoskeletal disorders were most seen among the operation room nurses and
intensive care nurses. Also, MSDs were found to be the main causes of
absenteeism, demanding a change of duty or job and visiting a physician.

CONCLUSION:
Ergonomics interventions could improve the working environment in the hospital.
Training program about regular physical activity and good way of
sitting-standing posture also might decrease prevalence of MSDs.

Keywords

Evaluation of The Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders In Nurses

References

• Pınar Soylar1, Ali Özer2 1Fırat University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Elazığ 2İnönü University, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health Department, Malatya