Poor posture, long hours weigh nurses down, finds survey

Nearly 51% of 400 nurses surveyed complained of back pain, 61% had neck pain; poorly-designed workspaces to blame too

Back and neck pain, as well as knee and leg aches are common among nurses, who put in long hours and work in poorly-designed workspaces, a survey has revealed.

The survey, carried out among 400 nurses in 21 hospitals in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, revealed that nearly 90% have complained of some kind of musculoskeletal disorder, 51% complained of upper and lower back issues, while 61% experienced occasional neck pain. Knee pain and leg pain were also prevalent. The survey also stated that nearly 43% of nurses had lifted patients with the help of a gait belt and re-positioned them in the bed all by themselves. During an average eight-hour shift, nurses walk nearly 10 km.

All of this largely stems from the kind of space designs in healthcare facilities, and the survey highlights the urgent need for human factors and ergonomics to improve the experience of staff as well as the patients and their relatives.

Commissioned by Godrej Interio, the survey was released at the unveiling of their healthcare experience centre in Vikhroli on Monday. “There are intense challenges in big cities as well as in rural areas. We should develop things that really work for every part of India,” said Jamshyd Godrej, managing director, and chairman, Godrej & Boyce, at a panel discussion during the unveiling of the study. The country faces enormous challenges in terms of air pollution, water pollution and water availability. “We want to participate in bringing solutions across the board,” Mr. Godrej said.

Dr. Vispi Jokhi, who heads the Masina Hospital in Byculla, said there is an immense need for innovations in the healthcare sector. “Backache is common among doctors. At times, the chairs they sit in and the arrangements in operation theatres contribute to such aches,” Dr. Jokhi said. The future should be about limiting manual interventions and designing spaces where nurses and other staff have to move less, he said.

Dr. Vivek Desai, director of HOSMAC, a health care management consultancy, said healthcare has evolved in India. “We are moving towards home-based care and electronic patient records. In terms of design, the aspect of ergonomics cannot be ignored,” he said. On the survey, Dr. Desai said the comfort of nurses and doctors, especially senior resident doctors, has to be given priority.