Rathore Farooq A, Attique Rayan, Asmaa Yumna
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, PNS Shifa Hospital, DHA II, Karachi 75500, Pakistan ; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Bahria University Medical and Dental College, Bahria University, DHA -II, Karachi ; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, CMH Lahore.
Cureus. 2017 Jan 26;9(1):e1001. doi: 10.7759/cureus.1001.
Nursing is a professionally demanding job, and nurses are prone to develop musculoskeletal disorders. However, no data is available regarding its prevalence among Pakistani nurses. This study was conducted to document the pattern of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) in Pakistani nurses and their perceptions about contributing factors and management of WRMDs.
A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in six hospitals in Lahore and Rawalpindi, which were selected using a convenient sampling technique. A four-part questionnaire comprised of demographic data, experience of musculoskeletal disorders, and perception of management and contributing factors of WRMDs was distributed among 150 nurses. One hundred and seventeen nurses returned completed forms. Data was analyzed using SPSS Statistics v20 (IBM, Armonk, New York, USA). Ethics review committee approval was obtained by CMH Lahore Medical College and the Institute of Dentistry, and informed consent was obtained.
The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders over a 12-month period was 31.6%, with the most common site being the low back (32%) followed by the shoulder (20%), upper back, and knees (10%). Among those affected, 60.6% sought professional help. Married nurses were more prone to WRMDs (p=0.0001). Regarding management, most (94%) agreed that rest is required to get better, neglecting problems of this kind can cause permanent health problems (89.7%), and physical activity should be avoided (38.7%). Working in the same positions for long periods (93.1%), attending an excessive number of patients in one day (81.2%), and working in awkward and cramped positions (78.6%) were the most commonly perceived risk factors for WRMDs.
About one-third of Pakistani nurses in this cohort reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders with the low back most commonly affected. There is a need to increase awareness regarding ergonomics and posture maintenance to reduce WRMDs and improve patient care. This can be achieved by workshops and seminars on ergonomics and WRMDS.
护理是一项对专业要求很高的工作，护士容易患上肌肉骨骼疾病。然而，目前尚无关于巴基斯坦护士中此类疾病患病率的数据。本研究旨在记录巴基斯坦护士中与工作相关的肌肉骨骼疾病（WRMDs）模式，以及他们对促成因素和WRMDs管理的看法。
采用方便抽样技术，在拉合尔和拉瓦尔品第的六家医院进行了一项基于问卷的横断面调查。一份由四部分组成的问卷，包括人口统计学数据、肌肉骨骼疾病经历以及对WRMDs管理和促成因素的看法，分发给了150名护士。117名护士返回了填写完整的表格。使用SPSS Statistics v20（美国纽约州阿蒙克市IBM公司）对数据进行分析。获得了拉合尔CMH医学院和牙科学院伦理审查委员会的批准，并取得了知情同意。
在12个月期间，肌肉骨骼疾病的患病率为31.6%，最常见的部位是下背部（32%），其次是肩部（20%）、上背部和膝盖（10%）。在受影响的人中，60.6%寻求专业帮助。已婚护士更容易患WRMDs（p = 0.0001）。关于管理，大多数人（94%）同意需要休息才能好转，忽视这类问题会导致永久性健康问题（89.7%），并且应避免体育活动（38.7%）。长时间保持相同姿势（93.1%）、一天内接待过多患者（81.2%）以及在笨拙和狭窄的位置工作（78.6%）是最常被认为的WRMDs风险因素。
该队列中约三分之一的巴基斯坦护士报告患有与工作相关的肌肉骨骼疾病，其中下背部受影响最为常见。有必要提高对人体工程学和姿势维持的认识，以减少WRMDs并改善患者护理。这可以通过举办关于人体工程学和WRMDS的研讨会和讲座来实现。
