Low back pain among nurses in Slovenian hospitals: cross-sectional study

How do organizational culture and leadership style affect nurse presenteeism and productivity?: A cross sectional study of Hong Kong acute public hospitals

BACKGROUND

Presenteeism is defined as a type of work behavior in which employees are physically present at work when ill, often with reduced performance. While organizational culture and leadership style are known to impact the organizational behavior of hospital staff, as indicated by increased burnout and decreased work engagement, their impact on nurse presenteeism and productivity has not been explored. Moreover, nursing studies often neglect the importance of using multi-level analysis, adopting aggregated unit-level scores to account for collective perceptions to evaluate culture and leadership.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the impact of unit-level organizational culture and leadership style on individual-level nurse presenteeism and productivity in acute care hospitals using multilevel analysis.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING(S)

Three major acute care public hospitals in Hong Kong, where public hospitals provide over 90 % of inpatient services.

PARTICIPANTS

All full-time nurses (N = 4657) in the three study hospitals were invited to participate in this study. A total of 2339 nurses responded to the survey for a 65 % response rate.

METHODS

Organizational culture and leadership style are characterized using the competing values framework and a two-factor leadership style typology, respectively. Multilevel hierarchical linear modeling was applied with unit-level clustering in each hospital.

RESULTS

Hierarchical culture was the dominant culture (M = 3.64, SD = 0.74) in our nurse sample. None of the unit-level organizational culture and leadership styles were associated with nurse presenteeism, however, rational organizational culture at the unit-level was significantly associated with increased productivity (regression coefficient: 0.17, 95 % CI: 0.04-0.31).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides hospital managers with improved understanding of the differential impact of unit-level organizational culture and leadership style on nurse presenteeism and productivity. Unit-level leadership style did not have a direct impact on nurse presenteeism and productivity in this study, while the externally focused rational organizational culture increased nurse productivity. Further research is needed to understand the impacts of modifiable work factors and nurse psychosocial emotions on presenteeism and productivity.

Low back pain, work overload, and associated factors among hospital caregivers

BACKGROUND

Caregivers assist patients in treatment based on their care needs and living activities. Very few studies have been conducted specifically on the occupational health and safety of hospital caregivers.

OBJECTİVE

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of excessive workload and low back pain among hospital caregivers and to identify potential associated factors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included caregivers working at Gazi University Hospital. Socio-demographic and working-life characteristics were assessed. The Role Overload Scale was used to determine excessive workload and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire was used to evaluate low back pain.

RESULTS

The study included 528 participants. A total of 18.7% had work accidents in their department. 49.0% had sharp injuries. 68.9% of the participants performed tasks such as positioning, turning, lifting, or helping patients to walk. 72.2% stood for a long time during the workday. 52.8% thought that they worked under stress. 57.6% had low back pain in the last year and 38.6% in the last month, Significant differences exist in low back pain according to gender, body-mass index, standing for a long time and working under stress. Those who worked at night, had a work accident, positioned patients, stood for a long time, and worked under stress had higher mean scores on the Role Overload Scale.

CONCLUSION

Tools should be used to lift and transport patients. In addition to occupational health and safety training, awareness of musculoskeletal risks should be increased. Employee well-being can be improved through exercise and stress reduction techniques.

Low Back Pain and Its Risk Factors Among Nurses Working in East Bale, Bale, and West Arsi Zone Government Hospitals, Oromia Region, South East Ethiopia, 2021 -Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Hospital nursing staff are particularly susceptible to low back pain (LBP) a widespread health issue worldwide. There was little available data on the prevalence of LBP and risk factors related to it in this population.

Objective

Assessed the prevalence of LBP and risk factors in nurses working in South-East Ethiopia's Oromia region in the East Bale, Bale, and West Arsi zone government hospitals.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out within an institution in the East Bale, Bale, and West Arsi zone government hospitals; 440 nurses were chosen to use a process of systematic random sampling, and data was gathered between June 1 and July 30, 2021. Using pre-designed questionnaires, I interrogated participants. After being verified as complete, the gathered data was entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Bi variate and multivariate logistic regressions with 95% confidence intervals and crude and adjusted odd ratios were generated and interpreted as necessary. To deem a result statistically significant, a p-value of 0.05 or lower was required.

Results

A total of 427 nurses engaged in the interview out of the 440 participants that wanted to take part in the study, yielding a response rate of 97.1%. Low back pain was 42.6% more common over a year [95% CI: (0.384, 0.476)]. According to the multivariate analysis, females [AOR = 1.791; 95% CI: (1.121, 2.861)], age higher than forty [AOR=2.388, 95% CI: (1.315, 4.337)], age grouped 31-40 years [(AOR=2.064, 95% CI: 1.233, 3.455)], divorced [(AOR=10.288, 95% CI: (3.063, 34.553)], married [(AOR=1.676 (1.675, 16.999)].

Conclusion

The study suggests that implementing preventive measures and offering ergonomic training can help reduce LBP among nurses in these hospitals.

Occupational low back pain prevention capacity of nurses in China: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Introduction

Nurses have a high prevalence of occupational low back pain, especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the nurses' workloads. It has brought a huge burden on nurses and their professional development. Nurses' occupational low back pain prevention capacity is the logical starting point and core of interventions to prevent its occurrence. To date, there is no study investigating it with a scientific scale. Therefore, a multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the current status of nurses' capacity in occupational low back pain prevention and its influencing factors in China.

Methods

Using a two-stage, purposive and convenience mixed sampling method, 1331 nurses from 8 hospitals across 5 provinces (Hubei, Zhejiang, Shandong, Henan, and Sichuan) in the southern, western, northern, and central areas of mainland China were involved in this study. The demographic questionnaire and occupational low back pain prevention behavior questionnaire were used for data collection. The descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, and multiple stepwise linear regression were used for data analysis.

Results

The results showed that the occupational low back pain prevention behavior questionnaire score was 89.00 (80.00, 103.00) [M (Q1, Q3)], which indicated that nurses' ability was at a moderate level. Participation in prevention training before, perceived stress at work, and working hours per week were predictors for nurses' occupational low back pain prevention capacity.

Discussion

To improve nurses' prevention ability, nursing managers should organize various training programs, strengthen regulations to reduce nurses' workload and stress, provide a healthy workplace, and offer incentives to motivate nurses.

A Study from a Highly Populated Country : Risk Factors Associated with Lower Back Pain in Middle-Aged Adults

OBJECTIVE

Low back pain (LBP) is a global health problem that affects the productivity of the patients. Several factors such as individual, occupational, and psychosocial factors increase the risk of LBP. However, only a few studies investigated those factors, especially in middle adulthood in Indonesia. Indonesia is a country with a young population that has been rapidly developing in recent years. This study was conducted to find out the factors associated with LBP in middle adulthood.

METHODS

This study is a cross-sectional observational analytic study using a convenience sampling method with a total sample of 3005 respondents. Data were collected using a questionnaire which was then analyzed using the chi-square test, Kolmogorovsmirnov, Spearman's Rank, and logistic regression test.

RESULTS

From the result of this study, it was found that the 12-month prevalence of LBP in middle-aged adults was 44,29%. Female (odds ratio [OR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [Cl], 1.098-1.545; p=0.002), lack of physical exercises (OR, 0.87; 95% Cl, 0.794-0.959; p=0.005), high body mass index (OR, 1.09; 95% Cl, 1.009-1.187; p=0.002), stress level (OR, 1.26; 95% Cl, 1.088-1.458; p=0.002), and years of work experience (OR, 1.1; 95% Cl, 1.001-1.225; p=0.047) were determined as risk factors that significantly associated with LBP.

CONCLUSION

LBP is quite common among middle-aged adults in Indonesia. Female gender, higher body mass index, lack of physical activity, stress level, and years of work experience were all potential risk factors for LBP in middle-aged adults. Middle-aged adults in Indonesia should be aware of LBP and avoid disabilities by identifying risk factors that may worsen LBP in the future.

Emergency medical service personnel' post-traumatic stress disorder and psychological detachment: The mediating role of presenteeism

Background

Emergency medical service personnel are subjected to various stressors, which makes them more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Studies have shown that psychological detachment and presenteeism play a role at the level of post-traumatic stress disorder. There is no study to examine the relationship between psychological detachment, presenteeism, and post-traumatic stress disorder among emergency medical service personnel.

Objective

The main objective of the study is to investigate the effects of presenteeism in explaining the relationship between psychological detachment and post-traumatic stress disorder among emergency medical service personnel.

Design

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 836 emergency medical service personnel in 51 counties and cities in Hunan Province, China.

Methods

They were anonymously investigated by using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Stanford Presenteeism scale-6 (SPS-6), and the Psychological Detachment Scale. Statistic description, univariate analysis, pearson correlation, and structural equation model were adopted to analyze the data.

Results

The mean score of IES-R, SPS-6, and the psychological detachment scale were 22.44 ± 16.70, 15.13 ± 4.20, and 11.30 ± 4.24. Post-traumatic stress disorder was positively relevant with presenteeism (r = 0.381, p< 0.01), but negatively correlated with psychological detachment (r = -0.220, p < 0.01). And presenteeism partially mediated the association between psychological detachment and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Conclusions

The results show a high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in EMS personnel, presenteeism can statistically significantly predict post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. If hospital management can reduce the presenteeism of emergency medical service personnel, this will help them reduce post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.

Effect of online physical therapy on workplace accident-related outcomes in nursing care worker: study protocol of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

According to the 2017 data, occupational accidents are more common in social welfare facilities compared with other industries; in particular, the number of occupational accidents resulting in four or more days of absence from work due to low back pain (LBP) or falls has increased and is considered problematic. Although physical therapy has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing LBP and falls in older adults living in the community, no randomised controlled trials have examined whether individual online physical therapy can prevent LBP and falls in nursing care workers (NCW).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A total of 120 NCW aged 20 years or older will be randomly assigned to an online individualised therapy group (ITG) or usual group (UG) after obtaining informed consent. We defined an NCW as a person who assists disabled and elderly persons with eating, bathing and toileting activities in social welfare facilities. We will follow-up the participants 12 months after the start of the intervention and compare the results at 3, 6 and 12 months. The primary endpoint will be the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI); ITG participants will receive professional advice on LBP and musculoskeletal problems from a physical therapist via online interview and email as often as they wish over a 6-month period; UG participants will only have access to brochures and video feeds related to LBP and fall prevention. Owing to the nature of the study, blinding the participants and interventionists is not possible; however, the outcomes will be assessed via a web-based questionnaire to prevent detection bias. The null hypothesis is that there is no clinically important difference in the primary outcome between the two treatment groups and that a decrease in the ODI score of at least 20% is clinically meaningful.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The Ethics Committee of the Japanese Society of Occupational Medicine approved the protocol of this study. The results of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

jRCT1070210128.

Influence of Occupation on the Prevalence of Spinal Pain among Physiotherapists and Nurses

(1) Background: Neck pain (NP) and low back pain (LBP) are common musculoskeletal disorders, one of the major causes of disability globally. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of medical occupation (physiotherapist and nurse) on the prevalence of spinal pain, functional status and degree of disability. (2) Methods: a total of 544 people (462 females (84.9%) and 82 males (15.1%)), licensed to practice as a physiotherapist (n1 = 240 (44.1%)) or nurse (n2 = 304 (55.9%)) in Poland completed a special questionnaire designed by the authors of the study, and were assessed using the Neck Disability Index (NDI, Polish language version) and Revised Oswestry Disability Index (ODI, Polish language version). (3) Results: Compared to physiotherapists, nurses were older, shorter, had higher BMI, and longer work experience. In the whole study group, 30.2% of subjects reported NP, 17.7% reported thoracic pain (ThP) and 80.5% reported LBP. During working life, 90.9% of physiotherapists and 97.7% of nurses experienced spinal pain. Pain intensity measured with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was higher among nurses (mean 5.37) than among physiotherapists (mean 4.64). Nurses had a higher degree of disability caused by LBP and NP measured with ODI and NDI compared to physiotherapists. (4) Conclusions: Excessive strain of the spine associated with occupational activities has a strong impact on the intensity and frequency of spinal pain episodes. Physiotherapists and nurses mainly suffer from low back pain. Pain scores measured with VAS are higher in nurses than in physiotherapists.

The Risk Assessment of Patient Handling in Hospitals of Northeast of Iran

The study aim was to determine the risk of Manual patient handling (MPH) in Shahroud public hospitals, Iran. A cross-sectional study was performed in Imam Hossein (IHospital) and Bahar (BHospital) with 21 wards. MPH risk assessment was performed using MAPO (Movement and Assistance of Hospital Patient) index. The ratio of operator to disabled patient (NC/Op and PC/Op), lifting, minor aid, wheelchair, environmental, and training factor are evaluated to calculate MAPO index. Among studied wards 57%, 33.3%, and 9.5%, respectively, were in the high, moderate, and low risk exposure level. The maximum MAPO score were 16.7 in CCU of IHospital. Emergency ward of BHospital had the highest score of 9.8 and PC/OP ratio 17.5. The most risk factors were minor aid (90.5%), lifting factor (71.4%), and PC/OP (66.7%). Immediate ergonomic action is recommended.

Investigating factors affecting musculoskeletal disorders: Predictive models for identifying caregivers at risk

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common work-related injuries identified among caregivers in the health sector as a high-risk group. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to investigate the factors that influence musculoskeletal disorders among caregiver and to evaluate the relationship between work and non-work related factors with MSDs. METHODS: Data were collected from 104 caregivers using descriptive design and stratified cluster sampling. The survey included a demographic questionnaire and a Nordic Standardized Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Logistic regression was performed to determine the risk factors associated with MSDs. The Odds ratio (OR) was calculated to define the influence of each risk factors. In addition, we used forward logistic regression analysis to validate the predictive model. RESULTS: In this cross-sectional survey, the results showed that 70 (67.3%) participants reported MSDs. MSD was highest at the lower back (46%), then knee (15.4%) and shoulder (11.5%). The overall success of the prediction is 90.4% (94.6 for having MSDs). The most important risk factors were manual handling (p < 0.001, odds ratio = 45.64) followed by bending (p = 0.008, odds ratio = 39.4). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study reaffirmed the high prevalence of work-related MSD among caregiver’s primarily in the lower back. The most important risk factors were manual handling, followed by bending / twisting, and handling of an excessive number of patients. Therefore, it is necessary to consider appropriate policies for managing MSDs among caregivers.

Presenteeism and associated factors among railway train drivers

Background: Presenteeism is an emerging work-related health problem among train drivers. It is more serious than absenteeism, as it accounts for higher productivity losses over the long term and may increase the risk of occupational accidents. Train drivers have high rates of mental and physical health conditions that may put them at high risk of presenteeism.

Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 train drivers working in Mansoura railway station and 100 administrative employees working in the Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura university as a comparison group to estimate the prevalence of presenteeism and its associated factors among train drivers working in Mansoura railway station, Egypt. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic, occupational and medical data. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was used to measure non-specific psychological distress. The Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS-6) was used to assess productivity loss related to sickness presenteeism.

Results: The prevalence of presenteeism was significantly higher among train drivers (76%) compared to the comparison group (31%). All participants (100%) with psychological distress reported presenteeism. Being a train driver (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=5.4) and having hypertension (AOR=4.03) are independent predictors for presenteeism.

Conclusions: The prevalence of presenteeism and its associated risk factors were significantly higher among train drivers than the comparison group. There is an urgent need for the railway industry to understand the factors that may contribute to presenteeism.

Effectiveness and Safety of Inelastic Versus Elastic Lumbosacral Orthoses on Low Back Pain Prevention in Healthy Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of inelastic and elastic lumbosacral orthoses (LSOs) on the prevention of low back pain (LBP) in healthy nurses.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Over 80% of people experience LBP during their lifetime. LSOs, as a device used to maintain lumbar stability, were widely used in LBP management. The effects of inelastic LSOs (iLSOs) and elastic LSOs (eLSOs) on the prevention of LBP are controversial.

METHODS

A randomized clinical trial recruiting healthy nurses was conducted from November 2011 to June 2013 at a tertiary hospital in China. A total of 300 eligible participants aged 20 to 25 years were randomly assigned to iLSO, eLSO, or control groups. The intervention period was 6 months, and follow-ups were continued for an additional 6 months. Participants in both iLSO and eLSO groups were required to wear LSOs daily. Outcomes included the incidence of LBP, changes in trunk muscle endurance, and spinal range of motion assessed at baseline, 6months, and 12 months from the starting date. The incidence of LBP among groups was analyzed by ANOVA. Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, etc. were used for secondary outcomes comparison across groups.

RESULTS

Two hundred seventy-eight out of 300 participants (92.7%) completed the trial. No statistically significant differences were observed in LBP incidence among the three groups. No difference was observed in abdominal/back muscle endurance among groups at 6 months. In secondary outcome analysis regarding spinal range of motion, flexion and extension improved in iLSO groups at 12 months compared with that at baseline (flexion, P  = 0.01; extension, P  = 0.01), whereas only extension motion improved at 12 months in the eLSO group (P  = 0.00).

CONCLUSIONS

Six-month wearing of LSO showed neither a significant difference in preventing LBP nor causing adverse effects to participants.Level of Evidence: 1.

Ergonomic Risk-prone Activities toward Nurses in the Intensive Care and Emergency Room

BACKGROUND: Nurses have the risk of ergonomic hazards in providing nursing care, especially with increasingly dynamic health services such as during Coronavirus disease-19 pandemic like today. AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate activities prone to produce ergonomic risks during the implementation of nursing care in intensive care and emergency room (ER) of a hospital in Riau, Indonesia. METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted by observing the routine activities conducted by the nurses and using similar task group techniques equipped with Rapid Entire Body Assessment instrument. Those observed activities were obtained from 17 intensive care room nurses and ten ER nurses. There were six activities observed in the intensive care room: Bathing, transferring the patient, wounds dressing, taking blood samples for the AGDA examinations, as well as inserting the intravenous needle and electrocardiograms. Meanwhile, there were two activities observed in the ER: Transferring the patient and inserting the intravenous needle. RESULTS: The highest ergonomic risks activity in the intensive care room was bathing the patient with a total score of 13. At the ER, the highest risk score was transferring the patient with a total score of 12. Both activities were at level 4, indicating a high-risk condition. Thus, examinations and changes should be immediately initiated. CONCLUSION: The results are significant to be paid attention by the related parties at the hospital to facilitate some improvements immediately. In addition, the ergonomic approaches that can be suggested to the nurses are regular stretching, physical exercises, and applying ergonomic principles while working.

Non-specific Low Back Pain Among Nurses in Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Introduction

Non-specific low back pain (LBP) is a complex and multifactorial health problem. Evidence has shown that LBP is an important occupational hazard and nurses are particularly at high risk. While several studies have addressed the prevalence of LBP worldwide, the prevalence of LBP in Saudi Arabia remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of LBP among nurses in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This was a multicenter cross-sectional study carried out in four major public hospitals in the Qassim region. A total of 323 nurses were recruited through a two-stage sampling method. A previously validated questionnaire was used to gather data. The main outcome measures were; LBP prevalence during working life, demographic factors, lifestyle factors, work-related factors, and psychological factors. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors independently associated with LBP. 

Results

The study showed that LBP prevalence was 65.6% (n=212). Over one-third of the study, participants sought treatment for LBP (n=82, 38.7%). Age and the type of ward were found significantly associated with LBP [adjusted odds ratios (aOR): 0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.19, 0.77; p value=0.007] & (aOR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.86; p-value =0.02), respectively. However, gender, working hours, number of patients, stress, and smoking were not identified as LBP risk factors in this study.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that LBP is a highly prevalent occupational health problem among nurses in Qassim. Young nurses 20-30 years are more likely to suffer from LBP, while nurses working in the general surgery wards have a lower risk for LBP in this study. On-the-job training is essential particularly for new and young nurses on proper body mechanics when mobilizing patients or lifting heavy equipment. In addition, there is a need for evidence-based interventions to improve the workplace environment for nurses in hospitals in order to lower LBP prevalence.

Process evaluation of a complex workplace intervention to prevent musculoskeletal pain in nursing staff: results from INTEVAL_Spain

Background

INTEVAL_Spain was a complex workplace intervention to prevent and manage musculoskeletal pain among nursing staff. Process evaluations can be especially useful for complex and multifaceted interventions through identifying the success or failure factors of an intervention to improve the intervention implementation.

Objectives

This study performed a process evaluation of INTEVAL_Spain and aimed to examine whether the intervention was conducted according to the protocol, to investigate the fulfilment of expectations and the satisfaction of workers.

Methods

The intervention was a two-armed cluster randomized controlled trial and lasted 1 year. The process evaluation included quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative methods were used to address the indicators of Steckler and Linnan’s framework. Data on recruitment was collected through a baseline questionnaire for the intervention and the control group. Reach and dose received were collected through participation sheets, dose delivered and fidelity through internal registries, and fulfilment of expectations and satisfaction were collected with two questions at 12-months follow-up. Qualitative methods were used for a content analysis of discussion groups at the end of the intervention led by an external moderator to explore satisfaction and recommendations. The general communication and activities were discussed, and final recommendations were agreed on. Data were synthesized and results were reported thematically.

Results

The study was performed in two Spanish hospitals during 2016-2017 and 257 workers participated. Recruitment was 62 and 51% for the intervention and the control group, respectively. The reach of the activities ranged from 96% for participatory ergonomics to 5% for healthy diet. The number of sessions offered ranged from 60 sessions for Nordic walking to one session for healthy diet. Fidelity of workers ranged from 100% for healthy diet and 79% for participatory ergonomics, to 42 and 39% for Nordic walking and case management, respectively. Lowest fidelity of providers was 75% for case management and 82% for Nordic walking. Fulfilment of expectations and satisfaction ranged from 6.6/10 and 7.6/10, respectively, for case management to 10/10 together for the healthy diet session. Discussion groups revealed several limitations for most of the activities, mainly focused on a lack of communication between the Champion (coordinator) and the workers.

Conclusions

This process evaluation showed that the implementation of INTEVAL_Spain was predominantly carried out as intended. Process indicators differed depending on the activity. Several recommendations to improve the intervention implementation process are proposed.

Trial registration

ISRCTN15780649.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-021-00716-x.

Registered nurses' role experiences of caring for older stroke patients: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

With China's population ageing rapidly, stroke is becoming one of the major public health problems. Nurses are indispensable for caring for older patients with acute and convalescent stroke, and their working experiences are directly linked to the quality of care provided. The study aims to investigate registered nurses' experiences of caring for older stroke patients.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 26 registered nurses about their lived experiences of caring for older stroke patients. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Two main themes were identified. First, the nurses identified an obvious gap between their ideal role in elderly care and their actual practice. The unsatisfactory reality was linked to the practical difficulties they encountered in their working environment. Second, the nurses expressed conflicting feelings about caring for older stroke patients, displaying a sense of accomplishment, indifference, annoyance, and sympathy. Caring for older stroke patients also affects nurses psychologically and physically. The nurses were clear about their own roles and tried their best to meet the elderly people's needs, yet they lack time and knowledge about caring for older stroke patients. The factors influencing their working experiences extend beyond the personal domain and are linked to the wider working environment.

CONCLUSIONS

Sustaining the nursing workforce and improving their working experiences are essential to meet the care needs of older people. Understanding nurses' lived working experiences is the first step. At the individual level, nurse mangers should promote empathy, relieve anxiety about aging, and improve the job satisfaction and morale of nurses. At the institutional level, policymakers should make efforts to improve the nursing clinical practice environment, increase the geriatric nursing education and training, achieve a proper skill mix of the health workforce, and overall attract, prepare and sustain nurses regarding caring for older people in a rapidly aging society.

Perceptions of Slovenian elementary schoolchildren on nursing and nurses-Exploratory study

AIM

The research aimed to assess the perception on nursing and nurses among schoolchildren of Slovenian elementary schools.

BACKGROUND

Among the general public, nursing remains under-recognized as an occupation and a science. Especially young people have unrealistic perceptions of nurses.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional research design was undertaken.

METHODS

The study included 1984 eighth grade schoolchildren from 103 elementary schools. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

The research results revealed a positive general perception of nursing. Surprisingly, only 2.5% of respondents would consider a career in nursing. Girls had more understanding of nursing compared to boys (p < 0.001); having a nurse relative meant better understanding of nursing (p = 0.032). The influence of the traditional view of nursing and the biomedical model of care which describes nursing not as autonomous, but as subordinate to medicine, was considerate (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The study shows that elementary school children do not express an interest in a career in nursing. They perceive the job of a nurse as female-dominated, they cling to the traditional perception of nursing being subordinate to medicine, and they indicated dominance of the biomedical model of care. Healthcare policy makers must remember that healthcare systems cannot function without nurses, so developing nursing is crucial. To increase interest in the profession, a national campaign promoting nursing programs and the nursing profession and presenting horizontal and vertical career opportunities is needed. Young people must have realistic information on nursing as an occupation and a science, its role in the healthcare system, and career opportunities. Activities aimed at changing public opinion on nursing must be planned.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal low back pain among registered nurses: Results of an online survey

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and the use of lifting aids and ergonomics among Czech registered nurses.

BACKGROUND

Low back pain is the most common occupational health problem affecting nurses. Frequent manual lifting of heavy loads, including patients, is one of the main duties of nursing staff, which causes compressive and shear forces on the vertebrae of the lower spine. Training in manual handling and lifting aids reduce the physical burden on the musculoskeletal system, thus decreasing work-related back injuries and further back problems.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

The online survey was distributed to 1460 randomly selected nurses involved in caring for patients. The survey comprised the extended version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and a self-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using STATA 15 at a significance level of 0.05.

RESULTS

Of the 569 respondents, 84.7% reported high occurrence of LBP over the previous 12-month period. The lower back was the most commonly reported body region for pain, followed by the neck, shoulders and upper back. LBP was found to occur significantly less among nursing staff who used mechanical lifting aids. Nurses with a higher level of education were found significantly more likely to use mechanical patient-lifting equipment in their clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings show that LBP is a frequent problem among nurses and has highlighted a lack of organisational safety practices and culture in clinical nursing practice.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study provides valuable information about the extent of LBP among nurses with insufficient preventive measures or health and safety practices at work. The results provide useful baseline data for the Czech Republic, that may lead to increased awareness and therefore implementation of preventative strategies, and thus enable a reduction in the risk of back injuries among nursing professionals.

Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Associated Risk Factors among Nurses at King Abdulaziz University Hospital

AIM

To determine the prevalence of LBP and the associated risk factors among nurses at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was adopted with a convenience sample of 234 nurses recruited from nine different departments at KAUH in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Participants completed the questionnaire, which had two parts: Part I: Socio-demographic data, medical factors, and work-related factors; and Part II: Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to obtain data. Data collection was carried out from March to April 2020. Data were analyzed using the SPSS version 22.

RESULTS

Cumulative prevalence of LBP was 82.9%, annual prevalence was 85.5%, while one-week prevalence of LBP was 53.6%. The factor significantly associated with LBP over the past 12 months was manual lifting of patients (p = 0.030). Nurses working in surgical wards had higher prevalence of LBP. About 24.7% of them changed their working unit, hospitalization was necessary for 11.9%, and 39.8% sought medical care.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study may better enable policymakers to adopt certain strategies toward reducing the burdens and challenges of LBP among nurses.

Prevalence and influencing factors of low back pain among nurses in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common occupational injuries that nurses experience in their daily work, which ultimately causes disability or difficulty in performing heavy physical activity. There is scarce information that presents a direct figure about the prevalence of LBP in Chinese nurses.

Objective

To systematically review and analyze the prevalence and influencing factors of LBP among nurses in China.

Methods

Related literature extracted from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were selected and reviewed based on the PRISMA guideline. Random effects models were used for data analysis, where heterogeneity was tested through I2. Egger's test was used to analyze the literature publication bias.

Results

The combined data indicated that the prevalence of LBP among nurses in China was 78% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.72–0.83]. The prevalence of LBP among nurses in China has declined in the past decade. Nurses presented a high risk of LBP in terms of female (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.23–3.44, P < 0.0001), married (OR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.57–3.86, P < 0.0001), 24 ≤ BMI < 28 (OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.18–3.08, P < 0.0001), and working for more than ten >10 years (OR = 2.54, 95% CI = 2.03–3.32, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence of LBP among nurses in China. Interventions that include healthy dietary habits and physical activity mainly focusing on female married nurses who are working for at least 10 years should be implemented. Furthermore, nurses ought to apply ergonomic principles for personal protection at the workplace.

Exploring the concept of presenteeism in nursing: A hybrid concept analysis

PURPOSE

To explore the concept of presenteeism in nursing.

METHOD

A three-phase concept analysis using a hybrid model was used. In the theoretical phase (first phase), a literature review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Proquest, EBSCO, Scopus, OVID, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, SID, and Iranmedex. In the fieldwork phase (second phase), semistructured interviews with 17 nurses were used. In the final analytical phase (third phase), the results of the previous phases were combined.

FINDINGS

In the final definition, presenteeism can be considered as a kind of fall from balance, in whose nature lies the non-actualization of capacities. If the imbalance of presence is due to the body, we are faced with the non-actualization of movement capacity, and regarding the imbalance caused by the soul, cognitive and emotional actualization is challenged.

CONCLUSION

Exploration of the concept of presenteeism in the nursing is the basis for identifying this concept in a profession that deals with health as the most valuable human property.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

The identified attributes of presenteeism provide a deep insight for nurse managers into the nature of presenteeism. Nurse managers cannot deal with a destructive phenomenon without exploring and identifying its exact meaning.

MAPO Method to Assess the Risk of Patient Manual Handling in Hospital Wards: A Validation Study

OBJECTIVE

To validate the effectiveness of MAPO method (Movement and Assistance of Hospital Patient) after the introduction of some changes to improve assessment objectivity.

BACKGROUND

The number of operators exposed to patient manual handling is increasing considerably. MAPO, proposed in 1999 as a useful tool to estimate the risk of patient manual handling, is a method characterized by analytical quickness. It has recently been improved to better match the 2012 ISO (International Organization for Standardization) technical report.

METHODS

A multicenter study was conducted between 2014 and 2016 involving 26 Italian hospitals in the Apulia Region. MAPO method was used to assess the risk of patient manual handling in 116 wards. A total of 1,998 exposed subjects were evaluated for the presence or absence of acute low back pain in the previous 12 months.

RESULTS

Only 12% of the investigated wards fell in the green exposure level (MAPO index = 0.1-1.5), 37% resulted in the average exposure level (MAPO index = 1.51-5) and the remaining 51% in the higher exposure level (MAPO index >5). The results confirmed a positive association between increasing levels of MAPO index and the number of episodes of acute low back pain (adjusted p trend = .001).

CONCLUSION

The improvements made over the past years led to a more objective assessment procedure. Despite the changes, the study confirmed the effectiveness of MAPO method to predict low back pain.

APPLICATION

MAPO method is an accurate risk assessment tool that identifies and evaluates workplace risks. The proper application of the method significantly improves working conditions.

Nurses' perceived work performance and health during presenteeism: Cross-sectional associations with personal and organisational factors

AIM

To determine personal and organisational factors associated with work performance and illness outcomes during presenteeism in a cohort of nurses.

BACKGROUND

Presenteeism is prevalent in nursing populations. It is known to be associated with impaired health and performance loss. Knowledge about the factors associated with presenteeism may help foster better health and performance in this group.

METHODS

A survey (N = 270) was conducted in a population of nurses working with older adults. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to explore factors associated with performance loss and illness outcomes during presenteeism.

RESULTS

Work performance and illness outcomes were often reported as poor during presenteeism. Less negative illness perceptions and work engagement were associated with better work performance and illness outcomes. Older age and manager support were also associated with better work performance. Non-organisational causes of illness were associated with better illness outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Performance levels and illness outcomes during presenteeism are associated with a combination of illness-related, individual, attitudinal and organisational factors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Fostering engagement, support, good relationships and a hazard-free environment may improve performance and health during presenteeism.

[Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders among nurses of a provincial hospital in Vietnam: Issue and health policy context]

OBJECTIVE

To study the situation of MSDs among nursing staff and the barriers to implementing an MSD preventive intervention in Vietnamese hospitals.

METHODS

A mixed design has been devised. The quantitative component aimed to study the prevalence of MSDs, the associations between MSDs and potential risk factors and consequences of MSDs; the qualitative component focused on the study of facilitators/barriers to the implementation of a MSDs prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals.

RESULTS

The prevalence of lower back, neck and shoulders MSDs, over the past 12 months, was the highest in the neck (59%) and then in lower back (49%), shoulders (40%). Factors associated with these disorders are mainly the presence of stress, being a woman and work intensity. MSD-related pain has an impact on the ability to work and the quality of life. The lack of knowledge on MSDs by health care administrators inside and outside the hospitals and the lack of human resources with expertise in MSD management are important barriers to the implementation of an MSD prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

MSDs represent a serious occupational health problem in hospitals. Reducing the prevalence of MSDs requires not only an increased awareness about this serious problem among administrators, but also the development of expertise in MSD management.

PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH NONSPECIFIC LOW BACK PAIN IN NURSING WORKERS

ABSTRACT Objective: to determine the prevalence and factors associated with nonspecific low back pain in nursing workers in a public hospital in the South of the country. Method: a cross-sectional study involving 301 nursing workers. Data collection was carried out from May to October 2017 and, in addition to a questionnaire with sociodemographic, work, health conditions, lifestyle and psychosocial conditions, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used as a screening tool for low back pain and the Self Report Questionnaire to assess the possibility of minor psychiatric disorders. The Chi-Square test was used to analyze the association between variables, and multivariate analysis with Binary Logistic Regression to estimate the Odds Ratio and the 95% confidence intervals. Results: the prevalence of nonspecific low back pain was 51.4% (95% CI: 45.5-57.3) in the last 12 months and 45.4% (95% CI: 39.4-51.3) in the last seven days, and limitation for activities of daily living and work of 18.1% (95% CI: 13.5-22.7). The presence of other diseases and psychosocial and psychological factors increased the chances of presenting or low back pain discomfort. Conclusion: the results demonstrate the need for greater attention to nursing workers, mainly related to the presence of musculoskeletal pain and to their mental suffering.

Multifaceted intervention for the prevention and management of musculoskeletal pain in nursing staff: Results of a cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Nurses and nursing aides are at high risk of developing musculoskeletal pain (MSP). This study aimed to evaluate a multifaceted intervention to prevent and manage MSP in two hospitals.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We performed a two-armed cluster randomized controlled trial, with a late intervention control group. Clusters were independent hospital units with nursing staff as participants. The intervention comprised three evidence-based components: participatory ergonomics, health promotion activities and case management. Both the intervention and the control group received usual occupational health care. The intervention lasted one year. MSP and work functioning data was collected at baseline, six and 12-month follow-up. Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated for MSP risk in the intervention group compared to the control group using logistic regression through GEE. Differences in work functioning between the intervention and control group were analyzed using linear regression through GEE. The incidence of sickness absence was calculated through logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to analyze the effect of the intervention on sickness absence duration.

RESULTS

Eight clusters were randomized including 473 nurses and nursing aides. At 12 months, the intervention group showed a statistically significant decrease of the risk in neck, shoulders and upper back pain, compared to the control group (OR = 0.37; 95%CI = 0.14-0.96). A reduction of low back pain was also observed, though non statistically significant. We found no differences regarding work functioning and the incidence and duration of sickness absence.

CONCLUSIONS

The intervention was effective to reduce neck, shoulder and upper back pain. Our results, though modest, suggests that interventions to prevent and manage MSP need a multifactorial approach including the three levels of prevention, and framed within the biopsychosocial model.

Non-specific low back pain and its relation to the nursing work process

OBJECTIVE

to relate nonspecific low back pain within the nursing work context with their workloads, attrition processes and the risks of illness.

METHOD

a cross-sectional study with 301 workers from a general hospital in the south of the country. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the Work Context Assessment Scale composed of three dimensions were used: working conditions, work organization and socio-professional relations. The association of variables with low back pain was tested using bivariate and multivariate analyzes. The measure of association used was the Odds Ratio and its respective intervals with 95% confidence. The data collected were discussed under the theoretical framework of the work process within the marxist conception and the theory of social determination of the health-disease process.

RESULTS

there was a statistically significant association between the dimensions of work organization and working conditions with low back pain and they obtained a critical classification meaning moderate risks to the professional illness.

CONCLUSION

the study allowed a better understanding of the nursing work process and its relation with nonspecific low back pain and signaled that changes in the organization and working conditions should occur in order to reduce the risks of nursing workers' illness.

Association Between IBD Disability and Reduced Work Productivity (Presenteeism): A Population-Based Study in Manitoba, Canada

BACKGROUND

One effect of IBD disability is reduced productivity when at work (presenteeism). We explored potential predictors of work presenteeism and compared the predictive ability of the recently developed IBD Disability Index (IBDDI) with 4 other scales in predicting presenteeism.

METHODS

Participants (aged 18-65 years) were recruited from the University of Manitoba IBD Research Registry. We calculated a presenteeism score (range, 0-24) from the Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS), with higher scores representing greater degrees of presenteeism. Using receiver operating characteristic curves and linear regression, we explored associations between presenteeism and the IBDDI, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0), the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), and the Kessler-6 (K6) distress scale.

RESULTS

Out of 744 respondents working at least half-time (20+ hours/wk), 472 (63%) reported no reduced productivity in the previous 14 days. Reduced productivity was reported for 1-2 days by 131 (18%), for 3-9 days by 119 (16%), and on most days by 22 (3%). When predicting the SPS, similar model fits were found for the IBDDI, WHODAS, WSAS, IBDQ, and K6. Each increase of 10 on the IBDDI score was associated with an increase of 2.19 (95% confidence interval, 2.00-2.37) on the SPS. Each additional year of disease duration was associated with a reduction in SPS score of 0.08 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

More than one-third of persons with IBD report presenteeism. We found strong associations between presenteeism and disability, lower quality of life, and emotional distress. The IBDDI performs equally as well as the more established scales in predicting presenteeism.

Presenteeism exposures and outcomes amongst hospital doctors and nurses: a systematic review

Background

Presenteeism is a behavior in which an employee is physically present at work with reduced performance due to illness or other reasons. Hospital doctors and nurses are more inclined to exhibit presenteeism than other professional groups, resulting in diminished staff health, reduced team productivity and potentially higher indirect presenteeism-related medical costs than absenteeism. Robust presenteeism intervention programs and productivity costing studies are available in the manufacturing and business sectors but not the healthcare sector.

This systematic review aims to 1) identify instruments measuring presenteeism and its exposures and outcomes; 2) appraise the related workplace theoretical frameworks; and 3) evaluate the association between presenteeism, its exposures and outcomes, and the financial costs of presenteeism as well as interventions designed to alleviate presenteeism amongst hospital doctors and nurses.

Methods

A systematic search was carried out in ten electronic databases from 1998 to 2017 and screened by two reviewers. Quality assessment was carried out using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool. Publications meeting predefined assessment criteria were selected for data extraction.

Results

A total of 275 unique English publications were identified, 38 were selected for quality assessment, and 24 were retained for data extraction. Seventeen publications reported on presenteeism exposures and outcomes, four on financial costing, one on intervention program and two on economic evaluations. Eight (39%) utilized a theoretical framework, where the Job-Demands Resources (JD-R) framework was the most commonly used model. Most assessed work stressors and resources were positively and negatively associated with presenteeism respectively. Contradictory and limited comparability on findings across studies may be attributed to variability of selected scales for measuring both presenteeism and its exposures/outcomes constructs.

Conclusion

The heterogeneity of published research and limited quality of measurement tools yielded no conclusive evidence on the association of presenteeism with hypothesized exposures, economic costs, or interventions amongst hospital healthcare workers. This review will aid researchers in developing a standardized multi-dimensional presenteeism exposures and productivity instrument to facilitate future cohort studies in search of potential cost-effective work-place intervention targets to reduce healthcare worker presenteeism and maintain a sustainable workforce.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-018-3789-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Prevalence of low back pain and associated factors among nurses in Jordan

BACKGROUND

Low back pain (LBP) is a significant work-related problem, especially among nurses. This is due to its high prevalence and impact on the healthcare system, either directly through treating affected nurses, or indirectly through the decrease in nurses' productivity.

AIM

The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence rates of LBP among nurses in Jordan, and to uncover the associated factors and consequences.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design study. Data were collected through a data collection sheet, developed based on literature, from seven public hospitals and one university hospital over a period of 2 months.

RESULTS

A total of 384 nurses completed the data sheet with a response rate of 76.8%. Current prevalence of LBP was 69% (n = 265), 1-year prevalence was 78.9% (n = 303), while accumulative prevalence was 83.6% (n = 321). Factors associated with LBP were older age, female gender, being overweight, and having longer experience in nursing; 40% of nurses agreed that the LBP increased their number of sick leaves, 58.7% agreed it lowered their productivity, and 9% reported that it forced them to change unit.

CONCLUSION

LBP is a significant work-related problem among Jordanian nurses, with high-prevalence rates, and debilitating medical and professional consequences. Interdisciplinary efforts are needed to reduce these consequences.

Musculoskeletal Disorders: Prevalence and Associated Factors among District Hospital Nurses in Haiphong, Vietnam

Background

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major occupational health problematic among healthcare workers, and the prevalence is especially high among nurses. In high income countries, the prevention of MSDs is an occupational health priority. But in Vietnam, there is no data available among health professionals.

Objectives

To determine the prevalence and associated factors of musculoskeletal disorders among district hospital nurses in Haiphong city.

Material and Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1179 nurses working in 15 district hospitals using the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire.

Results

A very high prevalence of MSDs in the past 12 months (74.7%) and during the last 7 days (41.1%), with the two most common sites being the low back (44.4%) and neck (44.1%), was found; 37.8% complained that MSDs symptoms limit their work. When analyzing factors related to MSDs, the results showed that women were 2.1 times more likely to develop MSDs than men; people with a previous history of MSDs were more likely to develop MSDs symptoms in the past 12 months than those with no history (OR = 7.1); nurses with symptoms of psychological distress and frequent absenteeism in the workplace had a higher prevalence of MSDs compared to the rest (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Due to the high prevalence of MSDs among nurses in district hospitals in Haiphong, preventive actions are needed to improve the working conditions and to raise the awareness of nurses about MSDs prevention.

Presenteeism and musculoskeletal symptoms among nursing professionals

Objective:

to identify the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in two stages (before and after six months of the first stage) and its association with presenteeism among nursing professionals.

Method:

longitudinal study with quantitative data conducted in a Brazilian teaching hospital with 211 nursing professionals. The instruments used for data collection were: Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability - CUPID Questionnaire, used to identify the musculoskeletal symptoms and the Stanford Presenteeism Scale, used to verify presenteeism. The instruments were validated for Brazilian Portuguese. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney test and regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results:

158 (74.9%) professionals experienced presenteeism and 151 (71.6%) reported low back pain as musculoskeletal symptom. Professionals with low back pain had lower scores on the presenteeism scale and shoulder pain was related to loss of concentration during work.

Conclusion:

presenteeism lead to a reduction in work performance and was manifested in the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms. In addition, shoulder pain caused loss of concentration at work.

Prevalence of low back pain in Iranian nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Low back pain (LBP) as a musculoskeletal disorder is one of the most common occupational injuries in nurses but there isn't any valid measure of the prevalence of LBP in Iranian nursing. In order to increase the power and improve the estimates of the prevalence of LBP in Iranian nurses, a comprehensive meta-analysis was carried out. A summary measure of all studies conducted in this field was found and distributions of LBP were evaluated based on different variables.

METHODS

Inclusion criteria included articles with prevalence of LBP in Iranian nurses, who had at least six months of work experience without any trauma, injuries to spine, or any underlying disease. The keywords"prevalence, low back pain, nurses", and "Iran" were used as part of this search. Databases such as Pubmed, Web of Science, Science direct, Scopus, IranMedex, Irandoc, Magiran, SID, CIVILICA, IMEMR and Google scholar were searched up to and including 15 June 2016. For data extraction a form was designed that included the following variables: Author names, province, sample size, age, gender, marital status, work experience, body mass index, job type, smoking status, work schedule, year of publication, type of standard questionnaire, prevalence of LBP, studies' quality score and climate classifications. Data analysis was carried out using fixed and random effects model. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed by using the I2 and Q tests.

RESULTS

In all 1250 articles were identified and 22 articles with 9347 participants met the inclusion criteria for meta-analyses after filtering. The prevalence of low back pain during their working life and during the last year, was estimated at 63% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 57.4-68.5) and 61.2% (95% CI: 55.7-66.7) respectively. The prevalence rate of this disorder was 58.7% (95% CI: 35.8-81.7) and 60.4% (95% CI: 52.2-68.6) among men and women respectively. Furthermore, prevalence's of LBP were 59.5% in wards nurses, 50.3% in operating room technicians, and 39.4% in aid nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed the high prevalence of LBP injury in nurses, especially female nurses. The effect of musculoskeletal disorders such as LBP may be reduced by considering proper observation of the principles of ergonomics in the workplace, performing physical examinations on a regular basis, identifying risk factors in the advancement of musculoskeletal disorders and then trying to fix them.