Ergonomics Related Occupational Health Hazards Among Nurses in Public and Private Hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan

Volume 7 Issue 4 November - January 2018

Research Paper

Ergonomics Related Occupational Health Hazards Among Nurses in Public and Private Hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan

Shaileen Riaz Virani*, Armish Aziz Ahmed**, Karishma Karim Halani***

* Pharmacist BPS 17, Civil Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

** Registered Nurse, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.

*** Assistant Head Nurse, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.

Virani, S.R., Ahmed, A.A., and Halani,K.K. (2018). Ergonomics Related Occupational Health Hazards Among Nurses in Public and Private Hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 7(4), 27-43. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.7.4.13900

Abstract

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA, 2000) has mentioned that nursing is among those professions that have the highest risk of ergonomic hazards, especially musculoskeletal disorders. Many studies have been done on body mechanics, transfer, and lifting by nurses, but none of them proved to be operative against ergonomics occupational hazards. According to (Zakerian et al., 2013), very few literatures are available on ergonomics occupational health hazards faced by nurses. Additional literature is needed to reduce the rate of ergonomics health hazards faced by nurses as mentioned by the authors. This research aims to find out the risk factors and hazards responsible for causing ergonomic related problems among nurses, evaluate their practices, and suggest recommendations to reduce it. Moreover, this study benefits the employer in terms of reduce turnover and improves retention of nurses. This is a cross sectional study. Non-probability purposive sampling was done and total of 384 participants were recruited. A standardized structured validated questionnaire adapted from American Nurses Association (2011) was used. Results were compiled according to individual questions clustered in a group. The results showed that nurses working in private and public sector hospitals of Karachi are predisposed to certain ergonomic related hazards and risk factors. Measures should be taken by hospital administration to reduce such hazards and to promote health and well-being of patients and nurses too.