Ergonomic analysis of working posture in nursing personnel: Example of modified ovako working analysis system application

Abstract

A postural analysis system was developed using a biomechanical approach to identify low back pain related working postures of nursing personnel. The Ovako Working Analysis System (OWAS) was modified for doing postural recording. Chaffin's biomechanical model was used to calculate the associated work stress on the L5/S1. The system was applied to examine the working postures of 64 nurses of 16 departments. The frequency distribution of the trunk showed 15.9% of the 8,629 observed postures were bending more than 15 degrees. Based on the calculated stress, 17.0% of the observed postures generated forces higher than the recommended action limit of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition to patient transfers, potentially health hazardous postures were identified in nursing tasks of inspection, nursing techniques, instrumentation, physical examination, taking inventory, and documentation.

A comparison of surgeons' posture during laparoscopic and open surgical procedures

“…Surprisingly, posture analyses among medical workers have been limited. Lee and Chiou [5] reported that 17% of observed postures in nursing personnel generated forces higher than the recommended action limit of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Kant et al [3] applied posture study and the OWAS classification to OR personnel for the first time and noted that surgeons and instrument nurses exhibited repeated static postures characterized by the head bent forward and the back twisted and bent 54% and 27% of the time, respectively, positions described as ''distinctly harmful'' by the subjects.…”

Quantitative Measurement of Stressful Trunk Postures in Nursing Professions

“…The present study shows that a total of 38% of marked trunk inclinations were caused by tasks at the patients' beds (bed making and basic care), so that correct adjustment of bed height might have a major effect on the frequency of awkward postures. Harber et al (1987) and Lee and Chiou (1995) also found a high proportion of non-patient-handling tasks with nurses. Engels et al (1994a) described in their study that nurses spend 60% of their working time in nonpatient-handling tasks and that, aside from patient care, preparatory tasks and clearing up/cleaning work are among the most frequent causes of awkward postures.…”

“…By using heart rate and electromyograph measurements, Hui et al (2001) showed that the back musculature of nurses is greatly exhausted toward the end of the shift, so that the risk of injury increases during the shift. Harber et al (1987) and Lee and Chiou (1995) also found that nurses are often exposed to stress from static postures. Knibbe and Friele (1996) showed that static stress is an important factor in the evaluation of the overall stress exposure of nurses and that nurses regard static postures as one of the main stress factors.…”

“…Yip (2004) has described frequent bending of the trunk during work as an independent predictor for the incidence of back problems. The high proportion of static trunk postures, as in basic care provision, also represents an important factor when the overall postural exposure is to be considered (Lee and Chiou, 1995;Knibbe and Friele, 1996;Jansen et al, 2001).…”

“…The most frequent methodological approach has been to use specially trained observers, who accompany the volunteers under practical conditions and evaluate their postures at fixed time intervals (Engels et al, 1994b;Hignett, 1996). Another method is to take a video recording of the volunteers and to evaluate their postures on the monitor after the recording has been completed (Lee and Chiou, 1995). However, detailed and continuous recording of postures necessitates the use of sensors.…”