The relationship between knowledge of ergonomic science and the occupational health among nursing staff affiliated to Golestan University of Medical Sciences

BACKGROUND Occupational hazards are much higher for nurses than many other jobs and neglecting this fact may reduce the quality of nursing services. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between knowledge of ergonomics and occupational health among the nursing staff affiliated to Golestan University of Medical Sciences. METHODS It was a cross-sectional analytical study on 423 nursing staff working in various medical centers affiliated to Golestan University of Medical Sciences in 2008, selected by quota randomized sampling. Data collection instrument was Ergonomics Questionnaire, which consisted of 72 questions. Cronbach's alpha for main sections of the questionnaire was 0.8, 0.8 and 0.9. Descriptive and analytical tests were used for data analysis and an alpha error of 5% was considered. RESULTS Of all the subjects, 36.1% had 5-10 years of work experience, 61.9% had a good knowledge of ergonomic principles, and 83% were exposed to a mild level of occupational hazards. There was no significant relationship between knowledge of ergonomics and occupational health (p = 0.08). The relationships between knowledge of ergonomics and age, gender, marital status, work experience, the type, and the location of service were significant (p < 0.05). The relationship between occupational health and age, work experience, employment type, and location of service were also statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Training staff to do their job in the best way, taking breaks between long working hours, using appropriate tools and facilities and paying attention to ergonomics can provide a healthier work environment for nurses and optimize human resource efficiency.