Rapid Upper Limb Analysis in Musculoskeletal Disorders among Intensive Care Unit Nurses

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit nurses have more ergonomic risks than nurses working in other units in hospitalNurses do repetitive jobs mainly using their upper limbs, like writing medical records and test records, and have the character of works requiring the frequent use of their lower body part in stations, which need improper and atypical postures, such as injection and medical care for patients. OBJECTIVE: This is a cross-sectional study to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and associated factors in intensive care nurses. METHODOLOGY: The study population comprised 100 nurses working in the Saveetha medical college hospital in Chennai. It is divided into two groups Group A: Intensive care unit nurses,Group B: General ward nurses were taken from this study. The subjects were selected from convenience sampling methods, Data were obtained by a data collection form, a workplace observation form and a Rapid Upper Limb Assessment tool to delineate ergonomic risks. Statistical Package was used in the statistical analysis. STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional descriptive study. RESULTS: The highest prevalence for the musculoskeletal symptoms of the nurses was in the legs, lower back and back. Most of the nurses had encountered musculoskeletal pain or discomfort related to the previous month. The risky body movements that were frequently performed by the nurses during a shift were 'turning the patient' and 'bending down'. The final Rapid Upper Limb Assessment score for the patient turning movement was found to be higher than for the bending down movement. CONCLUSION: Musculoskeletal symptoms, which may occur in any region of the body, are mainly associated with organizational factors, such as type of hospital, type of shift work and frequency of changes in work schedule, rather than with personal factors.