Comparison of Working Conditions, Exposure to Hazard Factors, and Health Problems between Nurses and Nursing Assistants

Objective: The purpose of this research is to compare the characteristics of workers, working conditions, exposure to hazard factors and health problems of nurses and nursing assistants. Background: Nursing workers are exposed to chemical and biological hazardous factors such as infection, various chemicals and disinfectants in the process of assisting patients with nursing and medical care under the guidance of a doctor. They are exposed to ergonomic hazardous factors such as heavy handling and repetitive movements in the process of moving patients or charting. In the course of ward nursing, they are exposed to physical hazardous factors such as noise from medical devices and conversations with patient caregivers. Method: This study uses data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. A total of 488 nursing workers, consisting of 293 registered nurses and 195 nursing assistants, were analyzed for characteristics of working conditions, exposure to hazard factors and health problems. Results: According to the results of this study, nursing workers had a high rate of appeal for ergonomic hazards, and they complained that their standing posture was more than 4 hours a day, repetitive motions more than 3 hours a day, sitting posture and inappropriate posture were exposed more than 2 hours a day. As a result, the rate of musculoskeletal pain was higher in the order of upper limb pain, back pain, and lower limb pain, and the overall fatigue of nursing workers and the depression by WHO-5 index were higher. Conclusion: In this study, not only musculoskeletal pain and overall fatigue of nursing workers, but also depression complaints by WHO-5 index suggest that systematic and comprehensive improvement measures are needed to improve working conditions, psychological, and mental health hazards. Application: This study can be used as a basic data to provide systematic and comprehensive improvement measures to improve the working conditions, harmful factors of psychological and mental health.