Overcoming challenges faced by nurses

Education on the use of safe patient handling and mobility devices, and associated work practices is crucial

- SAMEER JOSHI

Healthcare is one of the largest sectors in this country in terms of both revenue as well as employment. Nurses and caregivers are the single largest health professional group and they practice in nearly every setting of the healthcare system, including hospitals, long-term care, home health, ambulatory care, diagnostic and treatment facilities, and clinics.

Caregivers face tremendous work-related stress, burnout due to workload, and long working hours due to the acute shortage of trained workforce. The job also has significant physical demands like standing for long hours, performing tasks in awkward and sustained postures, and handling patients while transferring them. This poses a high risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

However, with the expansion in the role, nurses in India are facing new challenges in their workplaces. To understand the challenges faced by nurses in detail, Godrej Interio’s research study ‘Elevating experiences, enriching lives’ analysed the current work environment and work pattern of the nurses in India.

The study revealed that long working hours, overtime and work overload affects the physical and psychological wellbeing of the nurses. While more than 90% of nurses have MSD (musculoskeletal disorder), 61% also experienced neck pain sometimes. Most recurring pain area (51%) is leg ache, followed by knee pain (51%). Similarly, 51% nurses complained of upper and lower back issues, 41% reported to have taken leave(s) for 1-3 days whereas 7% nurses have taken leaves for 4-6 days in a span of two months to manage the pain, indicating an evident productivity loss to the organisation.