Ergonomic risk for nursing workers in moving and removing patients

Abstract

Aim: to map the ergonomic risks for nursing workers when handling and moving adult patients in a university hospital. Method: cross-sectional study involving 123 hospitalized adult patients, between the months of February to April 2011. Data regarding sociodemographic characteristics were collected and the Scale of Risk Assessment in Patient Handling was applied. Excel® software was used for data organization and data analysis was developed on PASW Statistics, through descriptive statistics. Results: it was found that 55.3% of patients had moderate and high ergonomic risk. From the units evaluated, the Intensive Care Unit and the Intensive Cardiology Unit showed the greatest ergonomic risks, with 83.3% of patients classified as high risk. Conclusion: measures to reduce ergonomic risks should include training and capacity-building programs, as well as supply of materials and equipment to aid in patients handling