Application of knowledge-attitude-practice theory in low back pain prevention of Operating Room nurses

Abstract

Objective To explore the application of theory in low back pain prevention of operating room nurses. Methods From May 2014 to May 2015, 189 operating room nurses in 6 third-level grade-A hospitals were surveyed by self-designed questionnaire about their knowledge, attitude and practice on low back pain. Intervention measures were made according to investigation results. The 189 nurses were randomly divided into control group (n=95) and intervention group (n=94). Nurses in the control group were not intervened, while nurses in the intervention group were intervened by knowledge-attitude-practice on low back pain. After the 8-week intervention, nurses in the two groups were surveyed again. Visual analog scale (VAS) of nurses from the two groups about low back pain was compared before the intervention, after the 4 weeks and 8-week intervention. Results Before the intervention, scores of knowledge, attitude and practice of nurses in the two groups were both lower than 48 points. Knowledge-attitude-practice scores and VAS scores were statistically meaningless (P>0.05). After the 8-week intervention, scores of low back pain prevention knowledge (69.5±16.3), attitude (64.8±15.3) and practice (66.3±16.2) of nurses in the intervention group were all higher than that in the control group (t=-6.720, -4.759, -5.176; P<0.05). 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the intervention, VAS scores of low back pain of nurses in the intervention group were (3.7±0.8) and (2.7±0.8), both lower than that in the control group (t=3.433, 4.217; P<0.05). Conclusions High incidence of low back pain in operating room nurses is related to their low protection knowledge, attitude and practice. Intervention of can effectively promote relief and prevention of low back pain of nurses. Key words: Knowledge-attitude-practice; Low back pain; Operating Room nurses; Visual analog scale