Ergonomic Posture Evaluation and Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Disorders among Nurses in Arak City by QES Method

Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common causes of work-related disability and account for 65% of occupational diseases. On the other hand, to better understand these disorders, consideration of identifying related risk factors, and the use of environmental engineering is very important. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine Ergonomic Posture Evaluation and Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Disorders among Nurses in Arak City by QES Method.

This descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study was conducted on 101 nurses that randomly selected and working in Vali-Asr Hospital in Arak, Iran, in 2018. The data collection tool was Nordic Disease Scale and Quick Exposure Checklist (QEC). Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 and analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient, frequency, and percentage.

The level of exposure to musculoskeletal disorders in the majority of nurses participating in the study was high (47.5%). The most common problem was the neck (60.4%) and waist (31.7%). There was a direct and significant correlation between the frequency of musculoskeletal problems and the level of exposure to musculoskeletal disorders in nurses (P < 0.05).

The occurrence of musculoskeletal problems in nurses is familiar with the lack of awareness of ergonomic principles. Therefore, the development of a comprehensive and continuous training program to increase nurses' knowledge of the principles of ergonomics in the work environment and provide an appropriate ergonomic situation in the work environment can play a significant role in reducing the musculoskeletal problems among nurses.