Back pain in the nursing profession I. Epidemiology and pilot methodology

Abstract A survey of 3912 nurses suggests that 750,000 working days are lost annually from back pain and that 1 in 6.(159 per-1000 at risk) attributes the onset of pain to a patient-handling incident. Attempts to identify risk areas within nursing using point prevalence data have failed to confirm previous results using historical data (Stubbs et al 1980). Evidence is presented that suggests the conditions being assessed in each case are different. The need for further epidemiological data is emphasized together with ergonomic assessment of the tasks performed throughout the nursing profession. Such an assessment will form the foundation for safer systems of work within the National Health Service and, it is hoped, a reduction in the magnitude of the back pain problem.