Background To evaluate the prevalence and associated risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in nurses working in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and respiratory care centres (RCCs) and to provide additional information and recommendations.
Methods This pilot cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in a tertiary medical centre, involving hospital staff working in the ICUs between June 2015 and March 2016. We assessed their Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score grouping by age, care unit types and job tenure.
Results In all, 139 staff members completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 30.2 ± 6.0 years, and the mean body mass index was 22.5 ± 3.9 kg/m 2 . The mean job tenure in the ICU was 6.5 ± 5.2 years, and the mean total job tenure was 8.1 ± 6.3 years. The mean working day per week was 5.1 ± 0.5. The mean working hours using computer per day was 4.8 ± 2.8. The mean NDI score was 7.6 ± 4.8, and the mean ODI score was 3.4 ± 5.1.
Conclusion Neck and low-back disabilities are prevalent among staff members in the ICUs and RCCs. Staff members may benefit by undergoing rehabilitation programmes, such as therapeutic exercises and postural training. More attention should be paid to the neck and back disability status of staff members in the ICUs and RCCs to improve the working environment and ergonomics. Further research is warranted to evaluate whether WMSDs improve among ICU and RCC staff after performing exercise and receiving physical therapy.