Author/Authors :
Ghasemi Mohammad نويسنده Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Gholami Fesharaki Mohammad نويسنده Biostatistics Department, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, IR Iran , akbari hamed نويسنده , BAGHERI HOSSEIN ABADI MAJID نويسنده Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Occupational and Environmental Health Research Center, School of Public Health, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran BAGHERI HOSSEIN ABADI MAJID , Akbari Hesam نويسنده Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical
Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
Abstract :
Background Manual handling of patients without using proper
devices built for this purpose is the most important risk factor causing
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among nursing staff. Objectives The aim
of the present study was to determine the prevalence of MSDs, assess the
risk of manual handling of patients, and identify the risk factors
related to the development of such disorders among nursing staff.
Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015 and included
220 nurses from 24 wards who were working in Baqiyatallah hospital,
Tehran, Iran; their duties mainly involved patient handling. The
participants were selected based on the random stratified sampling
method. In this study, the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire,
demographic questionnaire, movimentazione and assistenza di pazienti
ospedalizzati (MAPO), and patient transfer assessment instrument (PTAI)
methods were applied as data collection tools. In addition, Spearman
correlation coefficients and binary and multiple logistic regressions
were used to determine the possible relationships between the variables.
Results The prevalence of MSDs among the participants over the past 12
months was found to be 79.5%. The results for the risk factors showed
that the lower back, neck, shoulders, and upper back were the most
affected areas of the body. According to the MAPO and PTAI, 60% and 40%
of the wards, respectively, are at risk of MSDs. A significant
relationship between MAPO and PTAI was found, with a coefficient
correlation of 0.252. Based on the statistical analysis, positively
significant relationships were found between body mass index, gender,
nurse-to-bed ratio, final PTAI and MAPO indices, and MSDs. Conclusions
The prevalence of MSDs among the nurses was high, and the occurrence of
such disorders was found to be related to the scores of MAPO and PTAI
indices. Based on the results, these two indices can be used as
appropriate tools to assess the risk of MSDs in patient handling by
nursing staff. The risk of developing MSDs can be lowered through
interventional programs, such as providing and equipping hospitals with
the tools required for patient handling and educating staff on how to
properly use such devices. In addition, increasing the nurse-to-bed
ratio will lower the burden for the nurses in patient handling.
