Prevalence and Ergonomic Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Pain Among Clinical Nurses in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is among the most common occupational health problems for nurses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of work-related MSP in clinical nurses.

METHODS

This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with individuals who had been working as clinical nurses for at least 6 months. The study included 312 clinical nurses who were directly involved in patient care and met the eligibility criteria. Clinical nurses were assessed with the Ergonomic Risks Questionnaire (Ergo-Nurse), and work-related MSP was assessed with the Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire (CMDQ). Spearman correlation, independent samples t-test, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to determine the relevant factors.

RESULTS

Work-related MSP is a major health problem in clinical nurses, with MSP severity ranging from low lumbar > back > neck. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that biomechanical factors were the most important ergonomic factor associated with work-related MSP in clinical nurses (R2 Change: 17.178 p < 0.05), and other ergonomic subdimensions did not contribute significantly to the model (p > 0.05). In the gender variable, being female was found to be a significant risk factor for work-related MSP (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Biomechanical ergonomic risks and female sex were the main factors associated with work-related MSP among clinical nurses. These findings highlight the need for targeted ergonomic interventions, safe patient-handling practices, workload regulation, and institutional strategies to reduce musculoskeletal strain in clinical nursing settings.