Biomechanical Evaluation of a Patient-Handling Technology Prototype

Nursing jobs have generally been associated with poor posture and heavy exertion, particularly during patient-handling activities. Such working conditions are known to increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, and the use of patient-handling aids has been proposed to alleviate the problem. This study was conducted with the purpose of evaluating a patient-handling technology (PHT) prototype that was developed by the researchers for use in Indonesia. An experiment was conducted involving 12 nurse participants, who were asked to move a patient, either manually or by using the prototype. Postural analyses were performed using 3DSSPP software, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). A Borg scale was employed to determine the participants' perceptions of the levels of exertion required during the experiment. The findings demonstrated that using the PHT prototype resulted in a substantial reduction in the compression force at the lumbar (L5/S1) joint. However, there was a marginal increase in shear force at this joint due to the push/pull activities involved in using the technology while handling the patient. This increase, however, was still within accepted biomechanical limits. Postural analyses based on the RULA and REBA demonstrated a great reduction in ergonomic risks when using the prototype. The nurses also reported reduced physical workload when using the PHT technology. Across all measures, there were reductions in the biomechanical risks of between 30% and nearly 70%. While the PHT prototype still needs design refinements, its use in medical settings has the potential to ameliorate musculoskeletal problems among nurses and caregivers.