Effects of a Healthy Unit Guidance (HUG) program on work environments and health outcomes among nursing personnel

Abstract

Nursing personnel are at a high risk of exposure to ergonomic risk factors, lead to development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Effective participatory ergonomic intervention is beneficial and has indicated that can prevent musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to evaluate effects of the Healthy Unit Guidance (HUG) program, a tailored participatory ergonomics intervention, on work environments and health outcomes among nursing personnel. The HUG program consisted of a multifaceted training with three workshops include establish management support, participant’s capacity strengthening, and evaluation work improvement achievement. The study was conducted at two tertiary care hospitals during May 2010 to June 2011. Of a total 90 participants, nursing personnel from the selected hospital were assigned in an intervention group (n=45), with those from another hospital used as a control group (n=45). Data collection was carried out by self-reported questionnaire at baseline, 3 months and 6 months after the completion of the intervention. Comparison of work environments and health outcomes scores between the two groups were analyzed using t-test, repeated measure analysis of variance as well as Mann-Whiney U test. The results showed that physical work environment among the intervention group was significantly decreased compared with the control group at 3 months (p < .01), while there was not significantly decreased at 6 months after the HUG intervention was done. Considering psychosocial work environment, only influence of work and social support from supervisor had significantly increased when compared with the control group (p < .01). For health outcomes, prevalence rate of musculoskeletal symptoms in the last 7-day and 3-month among the intervention and the control groups at post-intervention were not decreased compared to pre-intervention measurement. There was no day of sick leave reported by the intervention group but the control group had 2-day sick leave due to musculoskeletal problems. Work ability among the intervention group revealed slightly increased at 3 months and 6 months, while the control group showed not change at 3 months and slightly increased after completed intervention at 6 months. In conclusion, the finding suggested that the HUG program can contribute to reduce the risk factors of physical work environment and improve promotion factors of psychosocial work environment. While obvious effect on health outcomes should be investigated in a long-term period after intervention.