The impact of occupational hazards on the health of operating room nurses

Operating room (OR) nurses are exposed to significant ergonomic and psychosocial hazards. This multicenter study examined the associations between occupational exposure, physical health, clinical pathology, and job satisfaction among operating room nurses in Moscow, Russia. A cross-sectional study (March–September 2022) evaluated 150 OR nurses (93.8% response rate) through clinical examinations, laboratory tests, and an adapted version of the Job Content Questionnaire (alpha = 0.84). Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses and principal component analysis (PCA) were conducted. Physical health and job satisfaction scores declined significantly as tenure increased ( p = 0.002 and p = 0.023, respectively). Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) were the primary pathology, with a prevalence of 20.0%. Multiple linear regression (R² = 0.179, p < 0.001) identified physical health level (β = 0.283), occupational diseases (β = 0.160), and perceived need for organizational changes (β = 0.244) as key predictors of overall health status. Lower physical health (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.40) and tenure of more than 10 years (aOR = 1.80) increased the odds of MSDs. PCA yielded three factors explaining 74.0% of the variance: Occupational Disorders, Job Satisfaction Environment, and Work Capacity & Health. Prolonged OR tenure and ergonomic strain are strongly associated with deteriorating health. Ergonomic redesign, smoke evacuation, and improved team communication are critical intervention strategies.