Garg A, Owen B, et al.
Ergonomics. Date of publication 1992 Nov 1;volume 35(11):1353-75.
1. Ergonomics. 1992 Nov;35(11):1353-75. doi: 10.1080/00140139208967398.
Reducing back stress to nursing personnel: an ergonomic intervention in a
nursing home.
Garg A(1), Owen B.
Author information:
(1)Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee 53201.
A prospective epidemiologic study was conducted in two units (140 beds and 57
nursing assistants) of a nursing home to demonstrate the efficacy of an
ergonomic intervention strategy to reduce back stress to nursing personnel. The
total programme involved the following: determining patient handling tasks
perceived to be most stressful by the nursing assistants (NAs); performing an
ergonomic evaluation of these tasks; and conducting a laboratory study to select
patient transferring devices perceived to produce less physical stress than
existing manual patient-handling methods. The intervention phase included
training NAs in the use of these devices, modifying toilets and shower rooms,
and applying techniques to patient care. Immediately after completing the
intervention programme, a post-intervention analysis (which lasted eight months
in unit 1 and four months in unit 2) was performed. A biomechanical evaluation
of the physical demands required to perform stressful patient-handling tasks
showed that the mean compressive force on the L5/S1 disc, the mean hand force
required to make a transfer, and the strength requirements (expressed as
percentage female population capable) were 1964 N, 122 N, and 83% after
intervention as compared to 4751 N, 312 N, and 41% before intervention.
Subjectively, the mean rating of perceived exertion was less than 'very light'
after intervention as compared to between 'somewhat hard' and 'hard' before
intervention. Overall, the mean acceptability rates for the walking belt and the
mechanical hoist were 81% and 87% for patient transfers. The incidence rate for
back injuries prior to the intervention, 83 per 200,000 work-hours, decreased to
47 per 200,000 work-hours after the intervention. There were no injuries
resulting in lost or restricted work days during the last four months of the
post-intervention. It is concluded that an appropriate ergonomic intervention
programme offers great promise in reducing physical stress and risk of low-back
pain to nursing personnel. However, large-scale studies in different nursing
homes are needed to confirm the above findings.
DOI: 10.1080/00140139208967398
PMID: 1425566 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
