Do you have Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs)? Complaints by Nurses from a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia

Introduction Nursing career is one of the most physically laborious professions which is associated with high prevalence of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) which are the major concern worldwide. The incidence rate of WRMSDs was 38 cases per every 10,000 workers. It is responsible for 34% of occupational illnesses. About 33% of the hospital staff is nurses which are accounting for 60% of the recorded occupational injuries2. MSD has been associated with multiple factors including physical hazards, organizational, psychosocial and personal factors. However, limited evidences available at the Northern Region of the country on WRMSDs among nurses.

Objective To estimate the prevalence and risk factors of WRMSDs pain for the past 12 months in various anatomical regions among nurses.

Methodology Cross-sectional study involving self-administration of questionnaire by 334 registered nurses with at least 1 year of clinical experiences at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, Sungai Petani, Kedah in 2019 using convenient sampling after obtaining informed consent.

Study tool Questionnaire was adopted to fulfill the conceptual ideas (Figure 1) from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)6 , DOSH 20187 and Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ II) and further pre-tested among 50 nurses.

Results & Discussion Response rate was 85.7% (300/350). Majority of the nurses were 30-39 years old (62.3%), Malay (86.7%), with diploma (83.7%) and married (84.0%). Half of the nurses were obese (Asia-Pacific classification). Almost 86% were on rotating shifts. Nurses presented with occasional mental exhaustion (44.3%) and often physical exhaustion (44.0%). All nurses (100%) complaint of having work related pain during the last 12 months. Pain prevalence according to body regions is presented in Figure 2. Pain was occasional for neck and upper back but rated as often pain for the rest of the body parts. Pain intensity was severe for lower back (19.7%), right shoulder (29.7%) and left shoulder (30.3%). Older age, not pursing higher studies, lesser work experience, handphone usage while working, burnouts and work and job related psychosocial factors were associated with increased odds of pain in most of the regions (Figure 3). This is align with previous studies conducted among nurses and medical personals.

Conclusion All nurses (100%) complaint of having WRMSDs during the last 12 months especially on lower back, ankle/feet, neck, shoulder and lower leg. Age, academic qualification, working pattern, mental and physical burnout and several psychosocial factors were related with pain in most of the body regions.