The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

5127.0: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 - 1:06 PM

Abstract #49470

Health care changes, registered nurses, and MSDs: Is there a relationship?

Jane Lipscomb, RN, PhD1, Alison M. Trinkoff, ScD, RN, FAAN2, Jeanne Geiger Brown, RN, PhD3, and Barbara Brady, MS RN2. (1) Department of Behavioral and Community Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Nursing, 655 W. Lombard St, Baltimore, MD 21201, 410-706-7647, LIPSCOMB@son.umaryland.edu, (2) Department of Behavioral & Community Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Nursing, 655 West Lombard Street, Suite 625, Baltimore, MD 21201, (3) Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland, 655 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

In the United States, changes in the practice of health care are having a profound impact on patient care and nursing practice. But what impact are these changes having on the health and safety experience of these nurses? To examine this question, a sample of 2000 RNs identified through state licensure records in two states were contacted and invite to participate in this study. Among the 74% of nurses who responded to the survey, more than half reported unfilled RN positions, an increased client/patient load per RN, and an increase in patient acuity in the past year. Seventy-six percent reported that work/job responsibilities had increased over the past year. Floating, unfilled nursing positions, patient load, full-time replacement with part-time nurses, and increased patient acuity were each associated with a significant increase in the odds of MSDs of the neck, shoulder and back. When the cumulative effect of 12 individual health care changes was evaluated as a continuous exposure variable, the adjusted odds of MSDs of the neck, shoulder and back was OR=1.45 (95% CI: 1.04-1.27), OR=1.10 (95% CI:0.99-1.22) and OR=1.15 (95% CI: 1.05-1.27) respectively. Intervention studies, designed to evaluate the impact of adequate workloads/staffing levels, are needed to validate these findings.

Learning Objectives:

  • At the end of this session, a participant will be able to

    Presenting author's disclosure statement:
    I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
    Relationship: grant from CDC supports the work I will present.

    Work Organization in Health Care Part 1: Impact on Health

    The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA