Teaching Ergonomic and Haptonomic Patient Handling; the Feasibility of an On- Site Course in Clinical Practice for Nursing Students

Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the feasibility (e.g., acceptability, demand, implementation, integration, and efficacy) of an ergonomic patient handling training based on the principles of haptonomy for nursing students. We conducted a mixed-method feasibility study; quantitative and qualitative methods were used to explore the feasibility. A total of 32 vocational and Bachelor student nurses working at two learning units participated in the study. Students at one learning unit (n=21) received the training, the other students did not. Most students found the training inspiring, motivating and a feasible approach for use and integration in a nursing curriculum. The mean rating for the training on a scale from 1 to 10 was 7.7 (range 5-10). A small reduction of musculoskeletal symptoms among students in the intervention group is promising regarding the effectiveness of the training.

Originally published in International Journal of Nursing and Health Care Science, hosted by Columbus Publishers (currently offline).