ERGONOMICS RISK ASSESSMENT AND MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG PROFESSIONAL NURSES IN THE ADULT INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OF ONE HOSPITAL, PHATTHALUNG PROVINCE
Keywords:
Risk Assessment, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Professional Nurses, ErgonomicsAbstract
Nurses play a crucial role in patient care. Improper working postures and frequent patient handling can adversely affect nurses’ quality of life and the efficiency of patient care. This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to assess ergonomic risks and musculoskeletal disorders among professional nurses working in the adult intensive care unit of one hospital in Phatthalung Province. The sample consisted of 53 professional nurses, and data were collected between June and December 2024. The research instruments included a general questionnaire, the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ), and the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). The results showed that most nurses cared for patients who were unable to assist themselves and frequently lifted or transferred patients between beds (98.1%). A large proportion of nurses also reported bending or squatting alternately with standing during work (83.0%) and reaching for objects (69.8%). The most common musculoskeletal symptoms were shoulder pain (83.0%), upper back pain (75.5%), and calf pain (69.8%). The ergonomic assessment indicated that tasks involving patient transfer and repositioning posed moderate to high risks of musculoskeletal injury. Therefore, hospitals should improve techniques or provide assistive devices for patient transfer, arrange rest periods between shifts, and organize training programs on proper patient handling based on ergonomic principles to reduce musculoskeletal injury risks among nurses and enhance occupational safety in a sustainable manner.
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