Low Back Pain in Operating Room Nurses and Its Associated Factors

Objective: To determine the presence of low back pain and the associated factors in operating room nurses.

Methods: The population of the descriptive study consists of 133 operating room nurses working in the operating rooms of five major hospitals located in Istanbul, and the study sample consists of 96 operating room nurses who are not on leave or sick leave between July-2016 to February 2017. Data were collected via a question form prepared by the researchers.

Results: It was determined that more than half of the operating room nurses forming the sample group had low back pain and that it is affected from the practices of operating room nurses during a shift, which may cause physical strain such as year of working as an operating room nurse, bending and staying in the same position for a long time, holding an instrument for a long time, rotational movement inadequate to body mechanics, lifting/carrying heavy medical items and pushing/pulling heavy medical equipment.

Conclusion: Majority of operating room nurses had low back pain and it was associated with coercive movements during surgery.