INTRODUCTION

“I Believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you”

- Joyce Meyer.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nurses are often the unsung hero of the health care profession. These tireless women and men
work long hours, offering compassionate care to those in need. Because of the nature of the job,
back pain and nursing often go hand-in-hand. For nurses, back-related injuries usually don’t crop
up all at once. It often starts as a little spasm that slowly grows until back pain becomes part of
your life as a nurse. Thousands of nurses struggle with back pain due to cumulative trauma
disorders (CTDs). These are musculoskeletal and nervous system issues caused by the routine
tasks nurses perform every day. Repetitive motions, overuse and strain cause these painful and
sometimes disabling conditions that gradually develop over weeks, months or even years. The
nature of the job means nurses face a wide array of occupational hazards that affect the back’s
muscles, tendons, discs and ligaments. As a result, nurses have a high risk for musculoskeletal
injuries as well as reoccurring health issues.1.

Some of the duties nurses take for granted that can eventually lead to a back injury include:

 Heavy manual lifting associated with transferring and repositioning patients or moving
equipment and supplies without waiting for help
 Working in awkward positions such as holding objects during a surgical procedure or
consistently bending over
 Pushing and pulling patients in stretchers and wheelchairs
 The use of vibrating or impact tools or equipment for hours at a time
 Habitual poor standing and sitting postures, exaggerating the curvature of the lumbar spine1.

A major characteristic of lower back pain (LBP), one of the occupational diseases, is that it can
be prevented completely if the necessary precautions are taken. It is stated in the literature that
BP. is not related to what duty is done but how it is done. In this context, sitting in a proper and
controlled way. Lifting legs correctly and well-balanced, exercising to strengthen low back and
stomach muscles. applying principles of body mechanics correctly, abstaining from activities
that presses low back area, taking breaks during occupational duties that require sitting or
bending forward for a long time are important precautions.2

Transferring, lifting, moving, and positioning care recipients can be a major safety problem
unless you learn how to use good body mechanics. ‘Body mechanics’ involves how you stand,
move, and position your body to prevent injury, avoid fatigue, and make the best use of your
strength. Understanding the principles of good body mechanics and applying them to your
everyday routine, whether at home or at work, enables you to feel better and less tired at the end
of the day.4

Body mechanics involves using good posture, balance, and the strongest and largest muscles of
the body to perform the work. You can lift and move easier, no matter what your size is. You
need to be concerned with both your own body mechanics and that of the care recipient. The
major movable parts of the body are the head, trunk, arms, and legs. The way in which they are
aligned with each other is known as posture or body alignment. Proper body alignment allows us
to move and function efficiently and with strength whether we are standing, sitting, or lying
down. Base of support is the area upon which an object rests. In humans, this is the feet. We
need a good base of support in order to maintain balance. Standing with one’s feet apart gives a
wider base of support and, therefore, more balance and stability. The strongest and largest
muscle groups of the body are located in the shoulders, upper arms, hips, and thighs (NOT in the
back.) By using smaller and weaker muscles to move heavy objects, you strain them, causing
fatigue and injury. Use the strong muscles of your thighs and hips by bending your knees and
squatting to lift a heavy object. Avoid bending from the waist when lifting, as this involves the
small muscles of the back. Holding objects close to the body and base of support involves using
upper arm and shoulder muscles. Holding an object away from the body exerts strain on the
smaller muscles of the lower arms.4

Follow these guidelines when lifting, moving, and transferring care recipients:

- Stand close to the care recipient.

- Create a base of support by placing your feet wide apart.
- Make sure the area is safe for a move or a lift.
- Bend at your hips and knees with your back straight.
- Push up with your leg muscles to a standing position. Back injuries are not usually the result
of one incident but of the constant use of smaller back muscles.4

DON’T Lift With Your Back, Lift With Your Head!!!!!!

“Body Mechanics” is using the body in an efficient and careful way to save energy and prevent
injury. It includes good posture, balance, and using the strongest and largest muscles to do the
work. “Body Mechanics” is the way a body moves and keeps its balance through the use of all its
parts.4

“Posture” is another word for “body alignment”. Good posture means keeping major body parts,
including head, trunk, arms, and legs in a straight line to allow the body to move and function
with strength and efficiency.4

“Base of support” is the foundation for an object or individual. A human being’s feet are the
person’s base, their source of support and balance. When the feet are wide apart, the person’s
“base of support” is at its most stable foundation.4
Our strongest and largest muscles are in the shoulders, upper arms, hips, and thighs. These
muscles should be used to lift and move heavy objects and clients. If small and weaker muscles
(lower back, neck, lower arms) are used for lifting, they could be injured. Objects being held or
carried should be kept close to the navel (“center of gravity”) where the strong muscles will best
support them. Holding them away or at an angle places unnecessary strain on the lower arms and
back, causing fatigue and injury.4

Basic Rules for Back Protection

 Plan ahead.
 Know what you will be moving and where.
 Know your limits.
 Evaluate the risks to you and the client.
 Keep your back steady and body parts in good alignment.
 Keep your feet apart to provide a broad base of support.
 Bend from the knees, NOT from the waist.
 Squat to lift objects from the floor.
 Lift with your legs, NOT with your back.
 Pivot your whole body to turn.
 Do not twist or reach.
 Keep objects and clients close to your body when moving or lifting them.
 Use the strongest muscles to do the job; shoulders, hips, legs, and upper arms.
 Instead of lifting, push, slide, or pull heavy objects whenever possible.
 Synchronize movements with client. Count “l, 2, 3″and work together.
 Work with smooth and even movements.
 Avoid sudden or jerky motions.
 Practice until you feel confident.
 Helping a Reclining Client Sit on the Side of the Bed
 Explain the procedure and ask the client to do as much as possible for themselves.
 Wash your hands. Provide for privacy.
 Gather robe and non-skid shoes.
 Determine which side of the bed to use.
 Always move toward the client’s strong side.
 Ask the client to move toward the side of the bed, Assist as necessary.
 Keep your knees flexed and back steady. It may help to put one knee on the bed toward the
client’s head. Slide one arm under the client’s neck and shoulders.
 Grasp the far shoulder. Place your other hand under the client’s far knee.
 Guide the client’s legs over the edge of the bed while supporting the shoulders toward an
upright position. Move the client in a fluid, smooth manner.
 Ask the client to put their hands or fists on the mattress to support themselves in a sitting
position.
 Be sure the client’s feet are flat on the floor and you are preventing their feet from sliding.
 Provide continued support as necessary.
 Allow time for the client to become balanced and steady in the sitting position.
 Do not move away until the client is sitting independently.
 Do not leave the client i f there is any chance they will fall forward or backward4.

NEED OF THE STUDY

For a healthcare professional, a firm and practical understanding of body mechanics can save a
lot of unnecessary pain and injury throughout their career. This term describes the natural
posture and motion of the human body, particularly as it relates to lifting, repositioning, and
movement. Employees of a clinic or hospital need to know how to use their bodies to get the
most leverage without risking injury. They also need to know how to position the patient to keep
them comfortable and safe while they are being moved.3

Anyone in any type of occupation or industry can benefit from an understanding of the
mechanics of the human body. Good posture and lifting habits greatly reduce the risk of strains,
sprains and back injuries. Nurses and many other healthcare professionals routinely help patients
through a range of different motions that can exert either party if executed improperly.
Musculoskeletal injuries are an occupational hazard in many healthcare settings, so employees
should be trained on how to use the principles of body mechanics to ensure personal safety.3

The importance of body mechanics impacts healthcare workers such as nurses because of the
frequent need to move and lift patients. Each time a nurse transfers a patient to the commode or
chair, they risk back or neck injury if proper body mechanics are not followed. If a staff member
sits for long hours at a desk, it is imperative that proper techniques for sitting and posture are
followed to reduce shoulder, neck, and back strain. When spending multiple hours standing
during the day, understanding the proper stance and the need for stretching can reduce fatigue
and muscle aches.5

PROBLEM STATEMENT

A study to evaluate the effectiveness of video assisted demonstration program on knowledge and
expressed practice regarding use of body mechanics while taking care of the patients among staff
nurses working in selected units of Indira Gandhi Medical College and
Hospital ,Shimla ,Himachal Pradesh.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To assess the knowledge regarding use of body mechanics while taking care of the patients,
among nursing officers working in selected units of Indira Gandhi Medical College and
Hospital, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.

2. To develop and administer video assisted demonstration programme on knowledge

regarding use of body mechanics.

3. To evaluate the effectiveness of video assisted demonstration programme on knowledge

regarding use of body mechanics while taking care of the patients, among nursing officers
working in selected units of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Shimla, Himachal
Pradesh.

4. To

5. To find out the association of knowledge regarding use of body mechanics while taking care
of the patients with selected demographic variables.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

KNOWLEDGE

EXPRESSED PRACTICE

EFFECTIVENESS

VIDEO ASSISTED DEMONSTRATION

STAFF NURSE

SELECTED UNITS OF HOSPITAL

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

ASSUMOTIONS

DELIMITATIONS

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK