The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45832

Alison M. Trinkoff, ScD, RN, FAAN¹, Jane Lipscomb, RN, PhD², Jeanne Geiger-Brown, PhD RN¹, and Barbara Brady, MS RN¹. (1) Department of Behavioral & Community Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Nursing, 655 West Lombard Street, Suite 625, Baltimore, MD 21201, (2) Department of Behavioral and Community Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Nursing, 655 W. Lombard St, Baltimore, MD 21201

Introduction: Nurses have higher rates of musculoskeletal injuries/disorders (MSD) than most other occupations, with the rate of injuries in nursing and personal care facilities ranked 2nd (incidence rate 13.8/100 workers) and hospitals ranked 6th among all industries (8.4/100 workers). Nursing is also highly physically demanding, though questions remain about the relationship of these demands to MSD. This study was designed to examine the relation between physical demands and neck, shoulder, and back MSD, using a comprehensive physical demands scale.

Methods: Data were collected anonymously from 1163 randomly selected working nurses (74% response rate). Twelve physical demand items measured force, awkward postures and heavy lifting (alpha=.88). Cases had relevant past year symptoms in the neck, shoulder and/or back, for 1+ weeks, or at least monthly, with at least moderate pain on average. Logistic regression models were generated for physical demands, controlling for psychological demands and other covariates.

Results: Physical demands were highly associated with neck, shoulder, and back MSD caseness (p=.000), even after adjustment. For grouped demands, there was a dose response relationship; adjusted odds ratios for highly demanding work (versus low) ranged from 5.0 – 9.0.

Conclusions: Physical demands are strongly associated with MSD in nurses. To improve nurse health, jobs should be modified to reduce such demands.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify physical demand factors in nurses' work that are associated with MSDs.
• Discuss methodological issues in defining a case, and assessing risk factors for MSDs.
• Identify modifiable work patterns that may reduce the risk of injury to registered nurses

Keywords: Health Care Workers, Injury Risk

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.