Nursing is considered as a caring as well as a challenging profession as nurses have to cope with many diverse situations from simple to complex work. This increasing competition and work demand puts pressure on nurses physically and psychologically along with a high risk for an occupational health problem. Low back pain (LBP) is the most common. Thus, this study aimed to find out the status & factors affecting LBP among nurses.
A descriptive cross sectional study with verbal informed consent among 300 registered nurses by using simple random sampling was conducted. Semi structured questionnaires with Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) to measure the severity of pain and Measure of Job Satisfaction (MJS), a likert scale to measure job satisfaction for psychological factors were used. The Chi square test was used to see the association.
Significant association was found between long service duration, prolonged working hours, incorrect posture, performing activity of nursing care and prolonged standing. It is recommended to take appropriate measures to reduce long working hours, follow correct body mechanics, promote job satisfaction and to maintain standard nurse patient ratio to reduce work load to nurses in hospital settings.
1. INTRODUCTION
2. METHODS
3. RESULTS
3.1 Table 1. Socio demographic characteristics
3.2 Table 2. Pattern of low back pain (n=240)
3.3 Table 3. Back pain arising posture (n=300)
3.4 Table 4 Respondents’ work pattern (n=300)
3.5 Table 5. Association of factors with low back pain. (n=300)
4. DISCUSSION
5. CONCLUSION
6. AUTHOR STATEMENTS
7. REFERENCES
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among registered nurses in Kathmandu, Nepal, and to identify the physical, organizational, and psychosocial factors associated with its occurrence. By analyzing work patterns and pain characteristics, the research seeks to provide evidence-based recommendations for improving occupational health and standardizing patient-nurse ratios in hospital settings.
- Prevalence and severity of low back pain among nursing professionals.
- Impact of physical factors such as posture and manual handling.
- Influence of organizational factors including shift work and duty hours.
- Assessment of psychological factors through job satisfaction measurements.
- Development of preventive strategies to mitigate occupational health risks.
Excerpt from the Book
INTRODUCTION
Low back pain (LBP) is the most common and the leading category of occupational injury in health care or work-related health problem. Hospital workers experience more LBP than many other groups due to nature of their job.(1) Nurses play a major role in patient care. Nursing profession is one of the challenging professions as job demands in nursing is a mixture of physically (such as manual handling of patients) and mentally demanding tasks (such as dealing with crises).(2) A nurse has to provide 24 hours service in shift that implies either long term night work or work involving rotation between day, evening, and night shifts affecting disruption of circadian rhythm resulting in sleep disturbances, fatigue, and impaired work performance and safety awareness. They are always at risk for developing many occupational health problems like low back pain.(3) The etiology behind occupational LBP among nurses is usually multi factorial, which are physical factors (e.g. working in same position for longer periods, lifting or transferring dependent patient, heavy physical work, bending, twisting and caring for high number of patients.(4) and psychosocial factors (e.g. work environment, job content, job dissatisfaction, social support, personal relation). Therefore, occupational LBP is not only an individual medical problem, but also a global problem. (5)
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Provides background on LBP as a global occupational health problem among nurses and justifies the need for research within the context of Nepal's healthcare system.
METHODS: Outlines the descriptive cross-sectional study design, sampling frame of 300 nurses, and the use of the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Measure of Job Satisfaction (MJS) tools.
RESULTS: Presents the primary findings on pain prevalence (68%) and statistically significant associations between LBP and factors like service duration, duty hours, and body posture.
DISCUSSION: Contextualizes the findings by comparing them with international studies from countries like Bangladesh, Egypt, and Sudan, focusing on physical and psychological stressors.
CONCLUSION: Summarizes the key findings, reiterating the high prevalence of LBP and recommending improvements in body mechanics, duty hour regulations, and nurse-patient ratios.
AUTHOR STATEMENTS: Confirms self-funding of the research and adheres to ethical guidelines and informed consent protocols.
REFERENCES: Lists the academic literature and studies cited throughout the research document.
Keywords
Low back pain, Nurses, Body mechanics, Co-morbidities, Back trauma, Occupational health, Job satisfaction, Ergonomics, Shift work, Patient care, Nursing profession, Kathmandu, Descriptive study.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The study focuses on evaluating the status of low back pain among nurses in selected hospitals in Kathmandu and identifying the various factors contributing to its development.
What are the main thematic areas covered?
The core themes include the prevalence of LBP, physical working conditions (such as posture and lifting), organizational workload (working hours and shifts), and the psychological impact of job satisfaction.
What is the central research question?
The research asks what the prevalence rate of LBP is among nurses in Kathmandu and which specific demographic, physical, and organizational factors significantly influence this condition.
Which scientific method was applied?
A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used, utilizing simple random sampling, structured questionnaires, the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and the Measure of Job Satisfaction (MJS) tool, analyzed via SPSS.
What does the main body of the work address?
It addresses the data collection process, statistical analysis of socio-demographic factors, pain patterns, and the correlation between work patterns and the presence of low back pain.
How would you describe this study using key terms?
Key terms include Low back pain, Nurses, Body mechanics, Occupational health, Job satisfaction, and ergonomics within the hospital environment.
How does the prevalence of LBP in this study compare to international reports?
The prevalence of 68% in this study is comparable to findings in Bangladesh (66%) and Taiwan (66%), but significantly lower than reported rates in Egypt (79.3%).
What recommendation is provided regarding nurse working hours?
The study strongly recommends that hospital organizations take appropriate measures to reduce long working hours and maintain standard nurse-patient ratios to lower the physical burden on staff.
Did the study find an association between job satisfaction and LBP?
Yes, the study found a statistically significant association, indicating that lower levels of job satisfaction are linked to a higher prevalence of back pain among the nursing staff.
What role does 'correct body mechanics' play in the findings?
The study identifies maintaining correct body mechanics as a significant factor, finding that nurses who fail to adhere to proper posture and lifting techniques are more likely to suffer from LBP.
- Citar trabajo
- Lok Raj Joshi (Autor), Sajana Shrestha (Autor), 2015, Lower back pain among nurses. An Occupational Study on Nurses in selected hospitals of Kathmandu, Nepal, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/337855
