Evaluation of ergonomic risks for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of nursing tasks in Korea

Among all industrial accident-induced diseases, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are most prominently observed among nurses. The physical load of everyday tasks involved in nursing work was assessed in this study using a developed risk index, whereby the physical burden was evaluated using the exposure duration and work intensity levels. This survey targeted nine small, medium and large-sized hospitals in South Korea and categorized representative nursing tasks into six groups. The subtasks within these six categories (evaluated as high risk) included changing a patient's posture and assisting with walkers or wheelchairs, transporting/handling drug carts, bathing patients, replacing bedding, traction therapy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and artificial manual breathing unit, and computer work. The risk index ratio was significantly different by task type for each task. We demonstrated that the risk index developed in this study can be used to evaluate MSDs in hospitals.

Automated summary

Among nurses, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common industrial accident-induced diseases. This study assessed the physical load of nursing work using a developed risk index based on exposure duration and work intensity levels. Surveying hospitals in South Korea, high-risk nursing tasks were identified, such as changing patient's posture, assisting with mobility aids, transporting drug carts, bathing patients, replacing bedding, traction therapy, CPR and breathing unit, and computer work. The developed risk index proved useful in evaluating MSDs in hospitals.