Background and Objective: Lack of anthropometric data in order to design workstations and equipment can cause work-related injuries; therefore, it is necessary to create anthropometric database. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the appropriateness of hospital equipment ergonomic indices to female nurses’ anthropometric dimensions in one of the teaching and therapeutic hospitals of Sabzevar, Iran.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 96 female nurses were selected using convenience sampling method. In the first phase, the participants completed the demographic questionnaire and body map checklist. Then, in addition to height and weight, 14 anthropometric dimensions of the subjects were measured by an expert in ergonomics using Calipers. Furthermore, in order to compare the participants’ ergonomic dimensions with equipment dimensions in hospital, the dimensions of the ten most used equipment in the hospital were measured. The data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 17) using the Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U test, Fisher's exact test, and Student's t-test. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The findings of the present study indicated that high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among female nurses, especially in the neck, waist, back, shoulder, and knee regions were reported as 73.7%, 70.62%, 69.38%, 14/55 %, and 32/48%, respectively. Moreover, the investigation of the participants’ anthropometric dimensions and the measurement of equipment dimensions revealed that there was no appropriateness in many aspects, such as access limit, mid-shoulder height, standing elbow height, with the equipment, such as serum holder, drug trolley, medicinal shelf, hospital bead, and nursing station.
Conclusion: Despite the differences in the physical dimensions of
female nurses, the equipment was not proportional to the participants’ anthropometric dimensions in the present study. It is necessary to consider this issue in order to reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders.