Prioritizing back injury risk in hospital employees: application and comparison of different injury rates

Validity and reliability of the HEMPA method for patient handling assessment

Specific methods currently exist to assess occupational hazards resulting from patient handling in the healthcare sector, according to ISO/TR 12296. They are all similar in nature, but with a different analysis perspective; for that reason a comparison of the most relevant methods was performed in a previous research. As a result, a basis of a new tool that integrates the complementary aspects of those methods was proposed. To verify the validity and reliability of that method, a study within a hospital setting was carried out in five medical and surgical units of a public health institution. Based on the obtained results, the analysed method (called HEMPA) proved to be valid and reliable. Also, this method reflects a positive correlation between risk and damage and correctly quantifies risks regarding patient's dependence.

Repositioning a passive patient in bed: Choosing an ergonomically advantageous assistive device

Repositioning of passive patients in bed creates health risks to the nursing personnel. Therefore, appropriate assistive devices should be used. Our aim was to find the optimal assistive device for reducing musculoskeletal load while moving a passive patient in bed. Torso kinematic inputs evaluated by the Lumbar Motion Monitor (LMM) and perceived load (Borg scale) were measured in female nurses performing 27 patient transfers [represented by a mannequin weighing 55 (12 nurses), 65 (24 nurses) and 75 kg (12 nurses) in bed] using a regular sheet, a sliding sheet and a carrier. The lowest rates of perceived exertion were found when the sliding sheet and/or carrier were used, for all tasks (p ≤ 0.009). According to the predicted risk for Low Back Disorder (LBD) based on the LMM inputs, negligible differences between assistive devices were found. In a 75 kg mannequin, the participants were able to perform all tasks only by using a sliding sheet. Utilizing sliding sheets is an advantageous technique in comparison to traditional cotton sheets and even carriers.

Costs of Occupational Injury and Illness within the Health Services Sector

Knowledge of costs is essential to allocate medical resources efficiently. The authors' goal was to estimate and compare costs across occupations, industries, gender, race, and types of nonfatal injuries and illnesses. This is an incidence study of nationwide data, 1993. Nonfatal incidence data were drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Annual Survey. Medical costs were from the Detailed Claims Information data set. Productivity (wage) costs were calculated using the Current Population Survey. Pain and suffering costs were estimated from data on jury verdicts. Injuries and illnesses to nursing aides and orderlies cost $2,200 million; costs were $900 million for registered nurses and $40 million for licensed practical nurses. The ranking of health services industries in terms of costs was: hospitals (52 percent of all costs), nursing care facilities (38 percent), home care services (6 percent), physicians' offices (4 percent), and laboratories (<1 percent). Types of injuries (sprains, strains, fractures) were similar across occupations and industries, but types of illness (carpal tunnel syndrome, respiratory diseases) varied. The most costly injured body parts were: back, shoulder, knee, wrist, and neck. Injuries and illnesses comprised roughly 90 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of total costs. The hospital industry was the third most expensive of 313 U.S. industries. Costs of occupational injury and illness in the health services industry were high and varied across occupation, industry, disease, race, and gender.

Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders for Nurses in Hospitals, Long-Term Care Facilities, and Home Health Care: A Comprehensive Review

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and reported injuries for nurses and nursing aides.

BACKGROUND

Nurses and nursing aides suffer from work-related pain and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Although there have been a plethora of studies on MSDs, an overall understanding of the prevalence of MSDs and pain can lead to better prioritization of research needs with respect to the health care industry.

METHOD

A total of 132 articles on prevalence of MSD pain and injuries were included in the review. All articles were published in peer-reviewed English-speaking journals and subjected to a quality review.

RESULTS

Reported prevalence of MSD pain for nurses and nursing aides was highest in the low back, followed by shoulders and neck. However, the majority of the studies have been concentrated on 12-month pain in the low back and predominantly in hospitals. Few researchers have investigated pain in the upper and lower extremities (less than 27% of the studies). Even fewer researchers have evaluated reported injuries or even subjective lost-time injuries (less than 15% of the studies).

CONCLUSION

MSD pain in the nursing profession has been widely investigated worldwide, with a major focus on low-back pain. Given new directions in health care, such as patients who live longer with more chronic diseases, bariatric patients, early mobility requirements, and those who want to be at home during sickness, higher prevalence levels may shift to different populations--home health care workers, long-term care workers, and physical therapists--as well as shift to different body regions, such as shoulders and upper extremities.

Prevention of Nurses’ Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Resulting From Repositioning Patients in Bed

Repositioning patients in bed to promote comfort and prevent impairments caused by continuously lying in a prone position is a task frequently performed by nurses and nursing assistants. Repositioning is a high-risk activity, frequently causing occupational injuries. These occupational injuries are attributed to excessive physical demands on nurses due to patients’ weight and awkward nurse postures. During repositioning, risk of injury can be lowered by reducing friction between the patient and the bed. Hence, certain friction-reducing devices have been developed to reduce the manual force required to move patients. Nevertheless, further research is needed to evaluate the potential effectiveness of these devices. Therefore, the aim of this review was to present current research about the risk factors, prevention strategies, and assistive devices that could reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders caused by repositioning patients in bed.

Transformational leadership and workplace injury and absenteeism: analysis of a National Nursing Assistant Survey

BACKGROUND

Transformational leadership (TL) has long been popular among management scholars and health services researchers, but no research studies have empirically tested the association of TL with workplace injuries and absenteeism among nursing assistants (NAs).

PURPOSE

This cross-sectional study seeks to explore whether TL is associated with workplace injuries and absenteeism among NAs.

METHODOLOGY

We analyzed the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey data (n = 2,882). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to test the role of TL in the context of workplace performances.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Results reveal that the TL model was positively linked to workplace injury in the level of NAs. Injury-related absenteeism was also associated with the TL style, indicating that TL behaviors may help address workplace absence among NAs.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Findings suggest that introducing TL practices may benefit NAs in improving workplace performances.

Objective measures of adoption of patient lift and transfer devices to reduce nursing staff injuries in the hospital setting

BACKGROUND

Interventions to reduce patient-handling injuries in the hospital setting are often evaluated based on their effect on outcomes such as injury rates. Measuring intervention adoption could address how and why observed trends in the outcome occurred.

METHODS

Unit-level data related to adoption of patient lift equipment were systematically collected at several points in time over 5 years on nursing units at two hospitals, including hours of lift equipment use, equipment accessibility, and supply purchases and availability.

RESULTS

Various measures of adoption highlighted the adoption process' gradual nature and variability by hospital and between units. No single measure adequately assessed adoption. Certain measures appear well-correlated.

CONCLUSION

Future evaluation of primary preventive efforts designed to prevent patient-handling injuries would be strengthened by objective data on intermediate measures that reflect intervention implementation and adoption.

Factors associated with safe patient handling behaviors among critical care nurses

BACKGROUND

Patient handling is a major risk factor for musculoskeletal (MS) injury among nurses. The aims of the study were to describe nurses' work behaviors related to safe patient handling and identify factors influencing their safe work behaviors, including the use of lifting equipment.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study using a mailed questionnaire with a nationwide random sample of 361 critical care nurses. Nurses reported on the physical, psychosocial, and organizational characteristics of their jobs and on their MS symptoms, risk perception, work behaviors, and demographics. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were used to identify significant factors.

RESULTS

More than half of participants had no lifting equipment on their unit, and 74% reported that they performed all patient lift or transfer tasks manually. Significant factors for safer work behavior included better safety climate, higher effort-reward imbalance, less overcommitment, greater social support, and day shift work. Physical workload, personal risk perception, or MS symptom experiences were not associated with safe work behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Safe work behaviors are best understood as socio-cultural phenomena influenced by organizational, psychosocial, and job factors but, counter to extant theories of health behaviors, do not appear to be related to personal risk perception. Management efforts to improve working conditions and enhance safety culture in hospitals could prove to be crucial in promoting nurses' safe work behavior and reducing risk of MS injury.

Risks and causes of musculoskeletal injuries among health care workers

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) persist as the leading category of occupational injury in health care. Limited evidence exists regarding MSIs for occupations other than direct patient care providers. An evaluation of the risks, causes and activities associated with MSIs that includes non-patient care health care occupations is warranted.

AIMS

To examine the risks and causes of time-loss MSIs for all occupations in health care.

METHODS

Workers employed by a health region in British Columbia were followed from April 2007 to March 2008 using payroll data; injuries were followed using an incidence surveillance database. Frequency and rates were calculated for all occupational injuries and MSIs and relative risks (RRs) were computed using Poisson regression. Causes and occupational activities leading to MSIs were tabulated for direct care occupations and non-patient care occupations.

RESULTS

A total of 944 injuries resulting in time-loss from work were reported by 23 742 workers. Overall, 83% injuries were musculoskeletal. The two occupations showing highest RR of MSIs relative to registered nurses were facility support service workers [RR = 3.16 (2.38-4.18), respectively] and care aides [RR=3.76 (3.09-4.59)]. For direct patient care occupations, the leading causes of MSIs were awkward posture (25%) and force (23%); for non-patient care occupations were force (25%) and slip/fall (24%). Patient handling activities accounted for 60% of all MSIs for direct care occupations. For non-patient care occupations, 55% of MSIs were due to material/equipment handling activities.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevention efforts for MSIs should be directed to non-patient care occupations as well and consider their occupation-specific causes and activities.

Occupational injuries among aides and nurses in acute care

BACKGROUND

Occupational injuries are common among nursing personnel. Most epidemiologic research on nursing aides comes from long-term care settings. Reports from acute care settings often combine data on nurses and aides even though their job requirements and personal characteristics are quite different. Our objective was to assess risk of work-related injuries in an acute care setting while contrasting injuries of aides and nurses.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of aides (n = 1,689) and nurses (n = 5,082) working in acute care at a large healthcare system between 1997 and 2004 were identified via personnel records. Workers' compensation filings were used to ascertain occupational injuries. Poisson regression was used to estimate rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

RESULTS

Aides had higher overall injury rates than nurses for no-lost work time (RR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3) and lost work time (RR = 2.8, 95% CI: 2.1-3.8) injuries. The risk of an injury due to lifting was greater among aides compared to nurses for both non-lost work time and lost work time injuries. Injury rates among aides were particularly high in rehabilitation and orthopedics units. Most of the injuries requiring time away from work for both groups were related to the process of delivering direct patient care.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings illustrate the importance of evaluating work-related injuries separately for aides and nurses, given differences in injury risk profiles and injury outcomes. It is particularly important that occupational safety needs of aides be addressed as this occupation experiences significant job growth.

Understanding the role of sex differences in work injuries: Implications for primary care practice

PURPOSE

Primary care physicians care for work-injured women and men, yet there is little information on sex differences in outcomes and factors contributing to post-injury outcomes to guide their evaluation and recommendations.

METHODS

Two self-administered questionnaires were sent to a large sample of women and men with work injuries reported to the New Hampshire (USA) Department of Labour between November 2000 and March 2002. Factors associated with the work injury and outcomes were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 3001 persons (1448 women and 1553 men) completed the first questionnaire and 67% completed the second questionnaire. Work-injured women were significantly younger, more educated, more likely to be single, had more pre-injury comorbidities, and worked in less physically demanding occupations as compared to work-injured men. Women's injuries were more often a result of routine job tasks and of gradual onset. Women had worse long-term outcomes including job stability and post-injury income. In multivariate analyses, being female was independently associated with a negative employer response and greater future work concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

Women and men differ in terms of work injury circumstances and factors contributing to post-injury outcomes. Primary care providers should consider sex when evaluating and treating work-injured adults.

Ergonomic and socioeconomic risk factors for hospital workers' compensation injury claims

BACKGROUND

Hospital workers are a diverse population with high rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The risk of MSD leading to workers' compensation (WC) claims is likely to show a gradient by socioeconomic status (SES) that may be partly explained by working conditions.

METHODS

A single community hospital provided workforce demographics and WC claim records for 2003-2005. An ergonomic job exposure matrix (JEM) was developed for these healthcare jobs from direct observation of physical workload and extraction of physical and psychosocial job requirements from the O*NET online database. Occupational exposures and SES categories were assigned to workers through their O*NET job titles. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses were performed to estimate the propensity to file an injury claim in relation to individual factors, occupational exposures, and SES.

RESULTS

The jobs with the highest injury rates were nurses, semi-professionals, and semi-skilled. Increased physical work and psychological demands along with low job tenure were associated with an increase in risk, while risk decreased with psychosocial rewards and supervisor support. Both occupational and individual factors mediated the relationship between SES and rate of injury claims.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical and organizational features of these hospital jobs along with low job tenure predicted WC injury claim risk and explained a substantial proportion of the effects of SES. Further studies that include lifestyle risk factors and control for prior injuries and co-morbidities are warranted to strengthen the current study findings.

Hospital injury rates in relation to socioeconomic status and working conditions

OBJECTIVES

To describe the risk of work injury by socioeconomic status (SES) in hospital workers, and to assess whether SES gradient in injury risk is explained by differences in psychosocial, ergonomic or organisational factors at work.

METHODS

Workforce rosters and Occupational Safety and Health Administration injury logs for a 5-year period were obtained from two hospitals in Massachusetts. Job titles were classified into five SES strata on the basis of educational requirements and responsibilities: administrators, professionals, semiprofessionals, skilled and semiskilled workers. 13 selected psychosocial, ergonomic and organisational exposures were assigned to the hospital jobs through the national O*NET database. Rates of injury were analysed as frequency records using the Poisson regression, with job title as the unit of analysis. The risk of injury was modelled using SES alone, each exposure variable alone and then each exposure variable in combination with SES.

RESULTS

An overall annual injury rate of 7.2 per 100 full-time workers was estimated for the two hospitals combined. All SES strata except professionals showed a significant excess risk of injury compared with the highest SES category (administrators); the risk was highest among semiskilled workers (RR 5.3, p<0.001), followed by nurses (RR 3.7, p<0.001), semiprofessionals (RR 2.9, p = 0.006) and skilled workers (RR 2.6, p = 0.01). The risk of injury was significantly associated with each exposure considered except pause frequency. When workplace exposures were introduced in the regression model together with SES, four remained significant predictors of the risk of injury (decision latitude, supervisor support, force exertion and temperature extremes), whereas the RR related to SES was strongly reduced in all strata, except professionals.

CONCLUSIONS

A strong gradient in the risk of injury by SES was reported in a sample population of hospital workers, which was greatly attenuated by adjusting for psychosocial and ergonomic workplace exposures, indicating that a large proportion of that gradient can be explained by differences in working conditions.

Prioritizing safe patient handling: The American Nurses Association's Handle With Care Campaign

Nurses continue to suffer debilitating injuries secondary to manual patient handling. Patient care ergonomics has emerged to redesign patient care with reduced exposure to physical hazards. Safe patient handling programs are being increasingly accepted by healthcare organizations to prevent occupational injury and to enhance patient safety. The authors discuss national-level efforts to promote patient care ergonomics principles and safe patient handling programs and their impact on nursing shortages and quality patient care.

Medical reports recommending work restrictions at a teaching hospital in Brazil

This non-experimental and cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to evaluate medical reports recommending work restrictions for workers at a teaching hospital in Brazil. A form was used for data collection, characterizing the medical reports and work restrictions, with its content previously validated. A total of 176 medical reports was analyzed, containing 337 work restrictions, recommended from January 2001 to January 2004. The results demonstrated a high rate of work restrictions in the study hospital. The most restrictions frequent were ergonomic (78.6%), and the most often prescribed were: no weight lifting or carrying and no repetitive movements. There was an average of two restrictions per medical report, 79.5% of which were definitive and the mean restriction period was 13 months.

Low back pain and occupation among Irish health service workers

BACKGROUND

The health services sector has been identified as a high-risk work sector for low back pain (LBP) and related absenteeism.

AIMS

To establish levels and predictors of LBP prevalence and associated sick leave among health service workers. To identify if levels of LBP or related absenteeism differ between occupational groups.

METHODS

A postal survey using a standardized questionnaire and disproportionate random sampling of occupational groups was conducted at a single Dublin hospital. Overall hospital LBP prevalence and sickness absence were calculated using weighted analysis methods. Univariate analysis included the use of Chi-square, Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney tests. Multivariate logistic regression techniques were used to explore for independent predictors of lifetime LBP prevalence and LBP-related sickness absence.

RESULTS

An overall response rate of 62% (n = 246) was achieved. Lifetime, annual and point prevalence rates for the hospital employees were calculated at 46, 30 and 15.5%, respectively. No significant difference in prevalence was found between occupational groups but sick leave did differ with the highest level among general support and nursing staff. Multivariate analysis confirmed that occupation was an independent predictor for LBP-related sick leave (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

LBP prevalence rates did not differ significantly between occupational groups but occupation was found to be an independent predictor of LBP-related sick leave. Involvement in manual handling did not predict either LBP or related sick leave.

Predictors of exercise participation in female hospital nurses

AIM

This paper presents a study to ascertain the relationship between exercise participation and selected personal factors, perceived benefits of and barriers to exercise, perceived self-efficacy, perceived social support, job demands and motivation. Factors that were the best predictors of exercise participation among Thai female hospital nurses were examined.

BACKGROUND

Although current evidence demonstrates positive outcomes from participation in exercise, most individuals do not engage in regular exercise. Perceptions of benefits have been shown to facilitate adoption of exercise. If individuals do not perceive their health to be threatened, they may not see the need to exercise, even though they may believe that exercise improves health. Perceived barriers to exercise, including work, lack of social support, inaccessibility of exercise facilities, the cost of exercise, lack of energy and health reasons also have been shown to affect participation in exercise. Most studies have found that perceived self-efficacy and social support were statistically significant predictors of exercise participation, especially social support from family and friends.

METHODS

A correlational cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital located in Thailand. Social cognitive theory and the Health Promotion Model guided this study. Thai language translations of the questionnaire were distributed to all Thai female nurses. The data were collected in 2002.

RESULTS

The response was 87% and resulted in 970 completed questionnaires. There was a statistically significant relationship between exercise participation and the set of selected personal factors, perceived benefits of and barriers to exercise, perceived self-efficacy, and perceived social support (r(2) = 0.17, P < 0.0001). The addition of job demands and its interactions did not contribute statistically significantly to the prediction of exercise participation. The addition of motivation contributed statistically significantly to the prediction of exercise participation, t(947, 0.975) = 2.81, P < 0.01 (two-tailed). Not all variables included in the models were statistically significant independent predictors of exercise participation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that increased exercise participation is dependent on the nurses' perceptions of exercise, self-efficacy and social support as well as their motivation to participate in exercise. Occupational variables, such as occupational stress and work assignment, should be investigated in future studies, to examine their influence on nurses' participation in exercise.

Effectiveness of overhead lifting devices in reducing the risk of injury to care staff in extended care facilities

Patient and/or resident handling is a major cause of injury to healthcare workers. The effectiveness of an overhead ceiling lift programme at mitigating the risk of injury from resident handling was evaluated by comparing injury data and staff perceptions before and after implementation of the programme, and by comparison with a similar unit that did not implement an overhead ceiling lift programme. A questionnaire was used to assess perceived risk of injury and discomfort, preferred resident handling methods, frequency of performing designated resident handling tasks, perceived physical demands, work organization, and staff satisfaction. Staff preferred overhead ceiling lifts to other methods of transfer (manual or floor lifts) when lifting or transferring residents. A significant reduction was observed in the perceived risk of injury and discomfort to the neck, shoulders, back, hands, and arms of care staff. Compensation costs due to lifting and transferring tasks were reduced by 68% for the intervention unit and increased by 68% for the comparison unit. Overhead ceiling lifts were not beneficial in reducing the perceived risk of injury, pain or discomfort, or compensation costs when used to reposition residents. The study demonstrated an overall cost-savings associated with the installation of the overhead lifts, and highlighted areas for further improvement.

Validation of an instrument for patient handling assessment

Nursing personnel are at high risk from work-related musculoskeletal disorders, especially back symptoms. Handling patients has been established as one of the factors playing an important role in the etiology of occupational low back pain. The aim of this study was to develop an instrument for patient handling assessment and to determine its validity and reliability. Instrument validity was established based on content and construct validity. Reliability was estimated through homogeneity, stability (test-retest) and equivalence (interrater) tests. Reliability estimated by internal consistency reached a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.81. Pearson's correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was r = 0.92. There was an excellent agreement between observers, according to the k values (Kappa = 0.92). Interobserver (interrater) reliability was assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficient, reaching an r value of 0.84. The agreement between both observers was also fairly good (Kappa = 0.84). The results of the current study show that the instrument seems to be reliable and valid for patient handling assessment.

Nurses’ clinical experiences of the inverse bed position on a neurointensive care unit—a phenomenographic study

Our knowledge of unstable critically ill patients placed in an inverse bed position on the neurointensive care unit (NICU) is fairly limited. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the variation in nurses' conceptions of the impact of clinical experiences on the care and working environments among patients with the head towards the centre of the room on an NICU. An important research question was: how is the nursing care of patients facing inwards on an NICU perceived? Interviews were conducted and analysed with 15 nurses, using the method of phenomenography. From a nursing perspective, four descriptive categories were found, which partly distinguished the nursing psychosocial environment from the physical environment. These were safety and security of mobile computer tomography (CT) on the NICU, availability and overview, integrated holistic view in an open nursing psychosocial environment and adaptation of practical equipment. In conclusion, inverse bed position is important for more individualised neurointensive nursing care among unstable patients subjected to frequent CT scans on the unit. More stable patients should be turned back to the traditional bed position in order to promote their recovery process. This new knowledge is important for the development of quality assurance, with regard to, amongst other things, the patient's dignity.

Prevalência de sintomas músculo-esqueléticos em trabalhadoras de enfermagem

Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar sintomas músculo-esqueléticos em trabalhadoras de enfermagem. Os sujeitos compreenderam 105 auxiliares e técnicos de enfermagem que trabalhavam em unidades de internação de um hospital que atende pacientes com alto grau de dependência física. Utilizou-se um questionário contendo dados demográficos e ocupacionais e queixas osteomusculares, dentro de uma abordagem ergonômica, adaptado do Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Das participantes, 93% referiram algum tipo de sintoma osteomuscular nos últimos 12 meses. As mais elevadas prevalências desses sintomas, segundo as áreas anatômicas, foram: região lombar (59%), ombros (40%), joelhos (33,3%) e região cervical (28,6%). Verificou-se também que, das respondentes, 29,5% faltaram ao trabalho e 47,6% consultaram um médico nos últimos 12 meses devido aos mesmos sintomas. Observou-se também menor tempo de trabalho na área de enfermagem e na unidade atual entre as trabalhadoras com ocorrência maior de dor nos joelhos (p=0,0272) e dor lombar (p=0,0332), respectivamente. No entanto, a dor em punhos/mãos mostrou-se mais freqüente entre as participantes com maior número de horas semanais trabalhadas (OR=3,72<OR<11,12; p=0,0141).

[Ergonomics in the transfer of patients: a study carried out with workers of a transportation center at a university hospital]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate ergonomic aspects involved in using a stretcher and a wheel chair to transfer patients. 249 transfers carried out by the workers of a university hospital lifting sector were observed. The observations showed that the idea of having a team to transfer patients has to be stimulated but the members of the team require specific training in handling and transferring patients. Mechanical equipment and other devices should also be available.