Prevalence and Related Risk Factors of Low Back Pain among Nurses Working in Intensive Care Units
Author(s):
Manal E Fareed* and Hasnaa E Shabaan
Studies have shown that low back pain is a common health problem among hospital nurses especially those working in Intensive Care Units. However, prevalence and the related risk factors in intensive care units needs to be widely investigated.
The aims: of this study were to identify prevalence of low back pain and determine its related risk factors among nurses working in Intensive Care Units.
Subjects: A purposive sample of all nurses who worked in intensive care units and meet the inclusion criteria.
Setting: The study was conducted at four intensive care units of Menoufia University hospital.
Tools of the study: Two tools were utilized for data collection as follow; Tool I: Interviewing questionnaire and Tool II: Observational checklist.
Results: The prevalence of low back pain among studied nurses was 85%. The most important and preventable risk factors for low back pain among studied nurses were higher body mass index, more average working hours/day, not enough working space, lower compliance of nurses with proper body mechanics and range of motion exercises during work.
Conclusion: prevalence of low back pain among nurses working in intensive care units was high. There were multi interrlatrelatede risk factors for low back pain among studied nurses: work, patients and personnel related factors.
Recommendations: Periodic and continuous in-services training for nurses working in intensive care units on preventing and coping strategies for low back pain should be implemented.