title: Reducing back stress through an ergonomic approach: weighing a patient.
abstract: Back problems are prevalent in nursing personnel. Nursing assistants in a nursing home stated weighing dependent patients was a very stressful task; they manually lifted patients up onto a chair scale. The task was redesigned in two ways: the use of a ramp scale and use of a hoist with a digital scale. With the new methods, perceived physical stress to shoulder, back and body was reduced, compressive force to L5S1 and shear force were reduced (wheelchair scale method), and "patient" feelings of comfort and security were increased.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Nursing, 53792.
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019567:Back Injuries; D001835:Body Weight; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014910:Wheelchairs