Impacts of Manual Handling Training and Lifting Devices on Risks of Back Pain among Nurses: An Integrative Literature Review

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries, notably lower back injuries, are major occupational health problems among nurses. These injuries occur mainly due to incorrect use of body mechanics upon handling, lifting, and transfer of patients. It is the leading cause of occupational disability and is associated with increased healthcare costs. Reducing these injuries can lead to a significant reduction in healthcare costs.
Purpose: This integrative literature review aims to examine the impacts of manual handling and lifting devices on the risk of back pain among hospital nurses.
Methods: This study uses an integrative literature review design. Proquest, Science Direct, MEDLINE, and CINAHL were searched comprehensively. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram was used to check the number of publications that were identified and screened for eligibility, and the number of publications excluded and reasons for exclusion. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and the Centre for Evidence-Based Management critical appraisal checklist for a cross-sectional study (CEBM) were used to appraise the quality of selected articles.
Results: Fifteen studies were found to highlight the importance of manual handling training programs and the consistent use of lifting devices in the prevention of low back pain. Ergonomics training, proper body mechanics and posture, use of body slings, workplace characteristics, availability of equipments and complexity of work, lost work days including nurses’ knowledge, experience, attitude and compliance are essential factors that impacts back pain.
Conclusion: Manual handling training programs and the use of patient lifting equipment are effective in preventing lower back pain among nurses.
Article Metrics:
- Al-Eisa, E., & Al-Abbad, H. (2013). Occupational back pain among rehabilitation nurses in Saudi Arabia. Workplace Health Safety, 61(9), 401-407
- Andersen, L. L., Burdorf, A., Fallentin, N., Persson, R., Jakobsen, M. D., Mortensen, O. S., Clausen, T., & Holtermann, A. (2014). Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers. Scand J Work Environ Health, 40(1),74–81. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3382
- Aslam, I., Davis, S. A., Felman, S. R., & Martin, W. E. (2015). A review of patient lifting interventions to reduced healthcare worker injuries. Workplace Health and Safety, 63(6), 267-275
- Black, T. R., Shah, S. M., Busch, A. J., Metcalfe, J., & Lim, H. J. (2011). Effect of transfer, lifting, and repositioning (TLR) injury prevention program on
- musculoskeletal injury among direct care workers. Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene, 8(4), 226-25
- Burdorf, A., Koppelaar, E., & Evanoff, B. (2012). Assessment of the impact of lifting
- device use on low back pain and musculoskeletal injury claims among nurses. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 70, 491-497
- Center for Evidence Based Management. (2014).Critical appraisal checklist for cross-
- sectional study. Retrieved from https://www.cebma.org/resources-and-tools/what-is-critical-appraisal/
- De Souza, M. T., Da Silva, M. D., & De Carvalho, R. (2010). Integrative review: What is it? How to do it? Einstein, 8(1), 102–106
- De Ruiter, H-P., & Liaschenko, J. (2011). To lift or not to lift: Patient-handling practices. AAOHN Journal, 59(8), 337–344
- Garg, A., & Kapellusch, J. M. (2012). Long-term efficacy of an ergonomics program that includes patient-handling devices on reducing musculoskeletal injuries to nursing personnel. Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 54(4), 608–625
- Hodder, J. N., MacKinnon, S. N., Ralhan, A., & Keir, P. J. (2010). Effects of training and experience on patient transfer biomechanics. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 40, 282–288
- Humrickhouse, R, & Knibbe ,H,J (2016). The importance of Safe Patient Handling to Create a Culture of Safety: An Evidential Review. The Ergonomics Open Journal, 9(1), 27-42
- Jaromi, M., Nemeth, A., Kranicz, J., Laczko, T., & Betlehem, J. (2012). Treatment and ergonomics training of work-related lower back pain and body posture problems for nurses. Journal of Nursing, 21, 1776–1784
- Karahan, A., & Bayraktar, N. (2004). Determination of the usage of body mechanics in clinical settings and the occurrence of low back pain in nurses. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 41, 67–75l
- Karahan, A., & Bayraktar, N. (2013). Effectiveness of an education program to prevent nurses’ low back pain: An interventional study in Turkey. Workplace Health & Safety, 61(2), 73–79
- Koppelaar, E., Knibbe, J. J., Miedema, H. S., & Burdorf, A. (2011). Individual and organizational determinants of use of ergonomic devices in healthcare. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 68, 659-665
- Lee, S.,Faucett,J., Gillen, M., & Krause, N. (2013). Musculoskeletal pain among critical-care nurses y availability and use of patient lifting equipment: An analysis of cross-sectional survey data. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 50(12), 1648-1657
- Lee, S-J., & Lee, J. H. (2017). Safe patient handling behaviors and lift use among hospital nurses: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 74, 53–60
- Li, J., Wolf, L., & Evanoff, B. (2004). Use of mechanical patient lifts decreased musculoskeletal symptoms and injuries among helath care workers. Injury Prevention, 10(44), 212-216
- Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gotzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P., Moher, D. (2009). The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: Explanation and elaboration. PLoS Medicine, 6(7), 1–28
- Lim, H. J., Black, T. R., Shah, S. M., Sarker, S., & Metcalfe, J. (2011). Evaluating repeated patient handling injuries following the implementation of a multi-factor ergonomic intervention program among health care workers. Journal of Safety Research, 42, 185-191
- McDermott, H., Haslam, C., Clemes, S., Williams, C., & Haslam, R. (2012). Investigation of manual handling training practices in organization and beliefs regarding effectiveness. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 42, 206–211
- Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., The PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(7): e1000097. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed1000097
- Movahedi, M., Ghafari, S., Nazari, F., & Valiani, M. (2017). The effects of acupressure on pain severity in female nurses with chronic low back pain. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 22(5), 339–342
- Nadelson, S. S., & Nadelson, L. S. (2014). Evidence based practice article reviews using CASP tools: A method for teaching EBP. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 2014, 1–3
- Noble, N. L., & Sweeney, N. L. (2018). Barriers to the use of assistive devices in patient. Continuing Education, 66(1), 41-48
- Rasmussen, C. D. N., Holtermann, A., Bay, H., Sogaard, K., & Jorgensen, M. B. (2015). A multifaceted workplace intervention for low back pain in nurses’ aides: A pragmatic stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial. Pain, 156, 1786-1794
- Resnick, M. L., & Sanchez, R. (2009). Reducing patient handling injuries through contextual training. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 35, 504–508
- Risor, B. W., Casper, S. D., Andersen, L. L., & Sorensen, J. (2017). A multi-component patient-handling intervention improves attitudes and behaviors for safe patient handling and reduces aggression experienced by nursing staff: A controlled before-after study. Applied Ergonomics, 60, 74–82
- Russell, C. L. (2005). An overview of the integrative research review. Progress in Transplantation, 15, 1–7
- Sanjoy, S. S., Ahsan, G. U., Nabi, H., Joy, Z.F., & Hossain, A. (2017). Occupational factors and low back pain: A cross-sectional study of Bangladeshi female nurses. BMC Research Notes, 10, 173–178
- Schoenfisch, A. L., Lipscomb, H. J., Pompeii, L. A., Myers, D. J., & Dement, J. M. (2013). Musculoskeletal injuries among hospital patient care staff before and after implementation of patient lift and transfer equipment. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment, and Health, 39(1), 27-36
- Sharafkhani, N., Khorsandi, M., Shamshi, M., & Ranjbaran, M. (2014). Low back pain preventive behaviors among nurses based on the health belief model constructs. SAGE Open, 2014, 1–7
- Shojaei, S., Tavafian, S. S., Jamshidi, A, R., & Wagner, J. (2017). A multidisciplinary workplace intervention for chronic low back pain among nursing assistants in Iran. Asian Spine Journal, 11(3), 419-426
- Sikiru, L & Hnifa, S. (2010). Prevalence and risk factors of low back pain among nurses in a typical Nigerian hospital. African Health Science. 10(1),26-30
- Theis, J. L., & Finkelstein, M. J. (2014). Long-term effects of safe patient handling program on staff injuries. Rehabilitation Nursing, 39, 26–35
- Vendittelli, D., Penprase, B., & Pittiglio, L. (2016). Musculoskeletal injury prevention
- for new nurses. Workplace Health and Safety, 64(12), 573–585
- Whittemore, R., & Knafl, K. (2005). The integrative review: Updated methodology. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(5), 546–553
Last update: 2021-02-25 11:38:40
Last update: 2021-02-25 11:38:41
Authors submitting a manuscript do so on the understanding that if accepted for publication, copyright of the article shall be assigned to Nurse Media Journal of Nursing and Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University as the publisher of this journal.
Copyright encompasses exclusive rights to reproduce and deliver the article in all forms and media, including reprints, photographs, microfilms and any other similar reproductions, as well as translations. The reproduction of any part of this journal, its storage in databases and its transmission by any forms or media, such as electronic, electrostatic and mechanical copies, photocopies, recordings, magnetic media, etc., will be allowed only with a written permission from Nurse Media Journal of Nursing and Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University.
Nurse Media Journal of Nursing and Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University make every effort to ensure that no wrong or misleading data, opinions or statements be published in the journal. In any way, the contents of the articles and advertisements published in Nurse Media Journal of Nursing are sole and exclusive responsibility of their respective authors and advertisers.
The Copyright Transfer Agreement Form can be downloaded by click this link Copyright Transfer Agreement Form. The copyright form should be filled with respect to article and be signed originally and sent to the Editorial Office in the form of original email, or scanned document file (softcopy) to:
Dr. Meira Erawati (Editor-in-Chief)
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University
Jl. Prof. Soedarto, Tembalang, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia 50275
Telp.: +62-24-76480919; Fax.: +62-24-76486849
E-mail: media_ners@live.undip.ac.id