Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Volume 10, Issue 4, Pages 375-383Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1179/oeh.2004.10.4.375
Keywords
musculoskeletal injury; health care; care aides; workload; work conditions
Categories
Funding
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research [44731-1, 43281-1] Funding Source: Medline
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Care aides (CAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in intermediate care (IC) facilities experience high risks of injury. Workload measures were examined in eight IC facilities to ascertain their relationships with musculoskeletal injury rates, pain, burnout, and self-reported health. Workload was rneasured using 1) focus groups and telephone interviews to obtain CA/LPN perceptions; 2) systematic observation (numbers of tasks performed in shift); and 3) CA-to-resident staffing ratios. Controlling for resident dependency and facility funding, all workload measures were correlated with staff injury rates and burnout. Facilities with low injury rates had better CA/LPN-to-resident staffing ratios and fewer tasks. The differences in staffing reflected differences in how organizations prioritized and allocated resources. Thus, workload is an important determinant of injuries and increased staffing levels correlate with decreased injuries.
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