Abstract
Objective: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the major complaints in the work place. This study investigated the prevalence and pattern of work-related MSDs, risk factors and the strategies of management among nurses working in various specialty areas in a tertiary health institution in Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional survey recruited 150 nurses working in various specialty areas of a government own tertiary institution in South-west, Nigeria. Data were obtained on demographic characteristics, occupational profile, work-related musculoskeletal symptoms, perceptions on job risk factors and management strategies. Data were presented using descriptive statistics of percentages and frequency tables. Results: The most common MSD among the respondents was low back pain (LBP) (60.0%), followed by neck pain (48.0%), while elbow pain was the lowest work-related musculoskeletal pain (5.3%). Findings indicated that respondents working in Intensive Care Unit (100.0%), Dental Unit (100.0%), Accident and Emergency (77.8%), Orthopaedics (75.0%), Ear Nose and Throat (75.0%) and Medicine (72.7%) suffered from LBP more than other respondents in other specialty areas. Results also revealed that frequent bending (64.0%), prolonged standing (49.3%) and frequent lifting of patients (48.0%) were major factors that contributed to LBP among the respondents. Rest (56.0%), pain killer drugs (50.7%), and exercise (36.0 %) were the most preferred pain management strategies among the respondents, while only 12.0% preferred physiotherapy management. Conclusion: A great percentage of Nigerian nurses suffer from work-related MSDs in their professions with the low back being the most injured body part. Nurses working in Intensive Care Unit, Dental, Accident and Emergency and Orthopedics are more prone to work-related LBP. Education programs on back care and workplace ergonomics are recommended for reduction and prevention of occupational hazards among nurses.
Highlights
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are painful anatomical defects that are characterized by inflammatory and degenerative conditions in muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, peripheral nerves, and supporting blood vessels [1,2]
Results showed that Medical unit had the highest number of nurses (14.7%) followed by Accident and Emergency unit (12.0%), while the Intensive Care Unit had the lowest number of nurses (2.7%) in the hospital
The results revealed that female respondents (53.33%) suffered from low back pain (LBP) more than their male counterparts (6.67%)
Summary
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are painful anatomical defects that are characterized by inflammatory and degenerative conditions in muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, peripheral nerves, and supporting blood vessels [1,2]. WMSDs are common among hospital workers the nursing profession [5,6]. These disorders are often characterized by pain and complaint in hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, low back, foot and legs. Several epidemiology studies have shown that extrinsic occupational factors (manual handling activities, frequent bending and twisting, forceful movement, repetitive heavy lifting and awkward working posture) [7,8,9], intrinsic personal factors (age, gender, body mass variability and tobacco smoking) [10,11], and psychological factors (high job demand, low control, low mood and poor job satisfaction) [12,13] are important risk factors for WMSDs. Previous epidemiological studies have reported that WMSDs negatively affect the quality of life [1], cause loss of productive hours, and increase the level of functional disability [12,13,14] more than any other group of diseases [15,16] with a significant economic burden on the individual, family, the organization and the society [17]. These activities include bed making, patient hygiene, changing patients’ position and maintenance of awkward working
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