Risk factors of work-related neck and shoulder pain among emergency nurses

Abstract

Emergency (ER) nurses are prone to work-related neck pain (WNP) and work-related shoulder pain (WSP). This study aimed to determine risk factors associated with WNP and WSP among ER nurses in Thailand. A total of 240 emergency nurses from 10 regional tertiary hospitals in the northeast of Thailand completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included questions on demographic and work characteristics, experiences of work stress, and WNP and WSP. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the significant risk factors of WNP and WSP, using an adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) and a p-value < 0.05. The 12-month prevalence of WNP and WSP in emergency nurses was 37.5% and 49.6%, respectively. Risk factors significantly associated with WNP included having worked in the ER >10 years (ORadj = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.17-4.99); having performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (ORadj = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.01-3.47); and a high level of stress at work (ORadj = 3.53, 95% CI: 1.65-7.58). Risk factors associated with WSP were being female (ORadj = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.05-4.48); neck bending (ORadj = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.13-4.62); and a high level of work stress (ORadj = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.79-6.66). Emergency nurses in Thailand presented with both WNP and WSP. Personal factors, >10 years of working in ER, performing CPR and bending the neck, and high work stress contributed to both WNP and WSP. The results call for the need to put into place relevant safety measures and routine ergonomic assessments and address work-related stress in public regional hospitals to reduce the prevalence of neck/shoulder pain and job-related stress among ER nurses.