Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
3rd International Ege Congress on Scientific Research, İzmir, Türkiye, 20 - 22 Aralık 2024, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.1-2, (Özet Bildiri)
ABSTRACT
Introduction and Purpose: Body mechanics is about the efficient use of muscles, joints and bones during actions such as lifting, bending or standing. Improper use can lead to
musculoskeletal problems, pain and fatigue, especially in physically demanding occupations such as nursing. The aim of this study is to investigate nursing students' understanding of body mechanics concepts and their relationship to musculoskeletal problems, pain and fatigue.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 327 nursing students studying at a public institution between January and November 2024. Data were collected via an online survey using the Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS), the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ), the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and the Body Mechanics Awareness Form. The survey assessed physical fatigue, pain and state of consciousness.
Results: The study included a total of 327 nursing students, the majority of whom were female (72.8%), with a mean age of 21.5 ± 2.1 years. Of the participants, 43.4% reported having received no training in basic body mechanics, and 31.9% reported not knowing the principles of body mechanics. However, 98.8% considered the principles of body mechanics to be important. When asked about their level of knowledge, only 39.1% reported that they had sufficient knowledge of body mechanics. During clinical procedures, 73.4% of participants reported pain, mainly in the neck (44%) and lower back (64.2%), and 57.4% stated that this pain affected their work performance. In addition, 32.7% stated that they felt constantly exhausted due to the high workload and long work routines. Although 98.8% recognized the importance of body mechanics, only 21.1% consistently applied the correct principles when lifting objects. In addition, 67.9% of participants reported pain according to the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, while 31.8% reported problems related to fatigue on the Chalder Fatigue Scale.
Conclusion: In this study, although a large majority of nursing students recognized the importance of the principles of body mechanics, only a small proportion consistently applied these principles correctly and regularly. Pain, particularly in the neck and lower back, and problems related to pain and fatigue were commonly reported during clinical procedures. These findings highlight the need to raise awareness of body mechanics principles among nursing students to protect their physical health and improve the sustainability of their careers and emphasize the importance of strengthening such educational programs.
Keywords: Body mechanics, nursing students, pain, fatigue
This study was supported by the TÜBİTAK Bilim İnsanı Destek Programları Başkanlığı
(BİDEB) under the 2209-A University Students Research Projects Support Program, 2023
second term, with application number 1919B012320589.