Ergonomic risks and the work activity of nurses in a public hospital

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the perception of nurses on the relation between the nursing work conditions and the development of ergonomic risks in a public hospital in Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Method: this is a descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview script and the signing of the free and informed consent term, between April and May 2010, with five nurses, after the approval by the Research Ethics Committee of Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN), under the CAAE 0004.0.428.000/10. They were analyzed through the Categorial Thematic Analysis technique. Results: the categories that emerged from the discourses of the interviewed subjects, which represent the ergonomic risks in the work environment, were: Daily risks; Inadequate posture during patients transfer; Work overload; Hospital environment; Material resources deficit. Conclusion: the presence of ergonomic risks showed to be a phenomenon inherent to nurse's work environment in the hospital. Thus, one suggests the establishment of strategies for preventing the diseases related to work that privilege ergonomic aspects. Descriptors: nursing; ergonomics; work conditions.RESUMOObjetivo: analisar a percepção de enfermeiros sobre a relação entre condições de trabalho de enfermagem e desenvolvimento de riscos ergonômicos em um hospital público de Santa Cruz-RN. Método: trata-se de estudo descritivo e exploratório de abordagem qualitativa. Os dados foram coletados com roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada e assinatura do termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido, entre abril e maio de 2010, com cinco enfermeiros, após aprovação do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN), mediante o CAAE n. 0004.0.428.000/10. Eles foram analisados pela técnica da Análise Temática Categorial. Resultados: as categorias que emergiram dos discursos dos entrevistados, que representam os riscos ergonômicos no ambiente de trabalho, foram: Riscos diários; Postura inadequada no transporte de pacientes; Sobrecarga de trabalho; Ambiente hospitalar; Deficiência de recursos materiais. Conclusão: a presença dos riscos ergonômicos revelou-se como um fenômeno inerente ao ambiente de trabalho do enfermeiro no hospital. Assim, sugerem-se o estabelecimento de estratégias de prevenção às doenças relacionadas ao trabalho que privilegie aspectos ergonômicos. Descritores: enfermagem; ergonomia; condições de trabalho.RESUMENObjetivo: analizar la percepción de enfermeros sobre la relación entre condiciones de trabajo de enfermería y desarrollo de riesgos ergonómicos en un hospital público de Santa Cruz (RN. Brasil). Método: estudio descriptivo y exploratorio, de abordaje cualitativo. Los datos se recogieron con guión de entrevista semiestructurada y firma de los términos de libre y espontánea voluntad, entre mayo y abril de 2010, con cinco enfermeros, tras aprobación del Comité de Ética en Investigación de la UERN, mediante CAAE nº 0004.0.428.000/10 y analizados por la técnica de Análisis Temático Categorial. Resultados: las categorías que surgieron de los discursos de los discursos de los entrevistados que representan los riesgos ergonómicos en el ambiente de trabajo fueron: Riesgos diarios; Postura en el transporte inadecuado de pacientes; Sobrecarga de trabajo; Ambiente hospitalario; Deficiencia de recursos materiales. Conclusión: la presencia de riesgos ergonómicos se reveló como un fenómeno inherente al ambiente de trabajo del enfermero en el hospital. Así, se sugiere el establecimiento de estrategias de prevención a las enfermedades relacionadas al trabajo que privilegien aspectos ergonómicos. Descriptores: enfermería; ergonomía; condiciones de trabajo.

Productivity Loss and Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Brazilian Presenteeism: A Cross-sectional Study

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The Elderly Nursing Personnel According to Ergonomic Aspects

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