Effects of Stretcher Mobility Related Design Features on Healthcare Workers

摘要

Nursing continues to be a profession that exhibits high instances of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), and patient handling tasks are generally accepted to be a primary causal factor. Because transport stretchers are in widespread use at medical facilities, their engineering designs have the potential to influence the risk associated with patient handling and transportation activities often performed by nurses. In this study, the mobility characteristics of two different stretchers were evaluated using simulated tasks to investigate the effect that engineering design features may have on the human body during use. Direct measurement of postures and hand forces formed the basis of a biomechanical analysis using the University of Michigan's Three-Dimensional Static Strength Prediction Program (3DSSPP). Task duration and ratings of perceived exertion were also compared. The results show that engineering design features can significantly affect compression and shear forces in the low back, and may affect the level of exertion required to perform certain tasks.