title: Workload as a determinant of staff injury in intermediate care.
abstract: Care aides (CAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in intermediate care (IC) facilities experience high risks of injury. Workload measures were examined in eight IC facilities to ascertain their relationships with musculoskeletal injury rates, pain, burnout, and self-reported health. Workload was measured using (1) focus groups and telephone interviews to obtain CA/LPN perceptions; (2) systematic observation (numbers of tasks performed in shift); and (3) CA-to-resident staffing ratios. Controlling for resident dependency and facility funding, all workload measures were correlated with staff injury rates and burnout. Facilities with low injury rates had better CA/LPN-to-resident staffing ratios and fewer tasks. The differences in staffing reflected differences in how organizations prioritized and allocated resources. Thus, workload is an important determinant of injuries and increased staffing levels correlate with decreased injuries.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Employees' Union, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Marcy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Village
authors.forename: Aleck S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ostry
authors.forename: Pamela A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ratner
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cvitkovich
authors.forename: Annalee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yassi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D009726:Nurses; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D016272:Occupational Health; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D012307:Risk Factors; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016526:Workload; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology