Investigation of the relationship between demographic factors and ergonomic risks assessed by the HEMPA method with musculoskeletal disorders among nurses

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between demographic factors and ergonomic risks assessed by the HEMPA method with musculoskeletal disorders among hospital nurses. This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted on nurses (n = 46) working in hospital settings. Demographic and Body Map questionnaires and the HEMPA method collected data. Based on the body map questionnaires, low back pain (43.1%) was the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder among nurses. In examining the relationship between demographic variables and the prevalence of disorders/severity of pain, between height with the neck pain prevalence (χ²=7.84, p < 0.05) gender with the right wrist prevalence and neck pain prevalence (r = 0.44, p < 0.05; r = 0.42, p < 0.05 respectively), and marital status with the neck pain prevalence (r = 0.70, p < 0.01) statistically significant relationship were observed. The lowest scores sub-items of the HEMPA method were for training (score = 0), environmental conditions (score = 0.15), transfer execution and postural analysis (score = 0.3), and work organization (score = 0.5) items. The total score of the HEMPA for a hospital was 12.3, which showed that nurses’ risk of musculoskeletal disorders was at a medium level. The score of the HEMPA has a significant and negative correlation with musculoskeletal disorders (r=-0.08, p < 0.05). Also, the results indicated that one of the seven hospital wards (HEMPA score related to men’s orthopedic = 15.28) obtained one-half of the maximum score of 30. With the corrective measures, including training courses on proper patient handling, improving environmental conditions, increasing the number of nurses, reducing night working shifts, employing the proper equipment, and using minor aids/devices, the total score of the HEMPA will be increased. As a result, the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders will be reduced.

Keywords:

• Ergonomic
• HEMPA method
• nurses
• risk assessment

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their appreciation and thanks to all the hospital staff who cooperated with the research team for conducting this study. The authors received no directly or indirectly financial support for the research and/or publication of this article on behalf of, the university.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nader Yousefi Seyf

Nader Yousefi Seyf is a postgraduate student in the field of occupational health engineering who has completed master’s thesis entitled about ergonomics risk assessment of nurses using HEMPA method in hospital.

Ali Safari Variani

Ali Safari Variani PhD (Associate professor) is an experienced field-based practitioner in occupational health and ergonomics and he is ergonomics and harmful physical agent’s researcher. He has been working as a faculty member for more than 25 years.

Sakineh Varmazyar

Sakineh Varmazyar is associate professor department of occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Health in Qazvin University of medical science. She has been working in the field of physical ergonomics since 2004 and has published many articles in various journals. She teaches and supports student’s research projects at university in undergraduate and postgraduate studies related to human factors and ergonomics.