Ergonomics in the operation-theatre: A health-care provider based cross-sectional study
Oshan Shrestha, Sunil Basukala, Niranjan Thapa, Sagun Karki, Lochan Shrestha, Melina Shrestha, Bipin Kumar Mehta, Bikesh Raj Sunuwar, Pujan Maharjan- General Medicine
- Surgery
Background:
Performing surgery is a task that demands mental stability, precision, and vigilant eyes, along with resilient physical strength, as surgeons and those who assist the surgeons have to assume a sustained, difficult posture that can go on for hours. About 23–100% of surgeons report musculoskeletal discomfort that originates from poor ergonomics.
Methods:
Ethical clearance for the study was obtained. This cross-sectional study, conducted in a tertiary centre among the health care providers working inside the operating room, spanned from March 1, 2023, to June 26, 2023. Systematic sampling was applied, and consent was obtained before data collection. A structured questionnaire was used as the study tool, and the collected data was analysed in SPSS 20.
Results:
A total of 98 personnel responded, among which 67.3% were males and 32.7% were females, with a median (IQR) age of 36 (32-42) years. Only 6.1% of the workers had received training on ergonomics. The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders was 82.7%, and more than two-thirds of the participant’s life outside of work was affected by this. More than two-thirds (69.4%) felt their work environment was not safe, and surgeons performing open surgery were at lower odds of feeling that their work environment was safe.
Conclusion:
There is a high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among healthcare providers working inside the operating room, and the majority had their body position deviated from neutral most of the time during the surgery. There is a deficiency in ergonomic practices, which demands an effective intervention.