Table 3 Example participant quotes aligned under six themes regarding current or potential strategies to prevent work related musculoskeletal disorders.
Departmental or Organisational | Work load & work allocation | Work Practices | Work Environment & Equipment | Physical Condition or Capacity | Education and Training |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Factors relating to how a department or organisation is run | Factors relating to how the work is distributed & how staff manage their workload s | Factors relating to how the work is actually performed | Factors relating to the physical environment and resources | Factors relating to an individual's physical capacity & what is required to maintain this | Factors relating to education and training |
"Being able to rotate from a heavier to a lighter work area..." | "...reduce caseloads to reduce incidence of performing tasks with a poor technique due to inadequate time." | "...vigilant in using good body mechanics." | "...appropriate equipment used appropriately." | "...identify pain or discomfort early and seek treatment" | "...staff educator to provide 'expert' advice for handling of complex patients." |
"Various project roles give me a break form patient contact." | "...avoid allocating many similar patient types and activities to one person." | "...modified manual techniques to reduce stress on thumbs & wrists." | "Spend more time setting up environment..." | "Annual fitness assessments for physically demanding roles..." | "Ensure adequate training of new staff..." |
"...encourage reporting of aches and pains" | "...workload is often too large that breaks get missed regularly." | "Use of a second person to help with patient handling..." | "We need more space around beds so you do not have to put body in obscure positions to manoeuvre around furniture and attachments (IV poles etc.)" | "Mandatory physical fitness activities during work time..." | "Update of knowledge on how to use equipment appropriately..." |
"...being able to work reduced hours by one day per week" | "Reduce the amount of time doing repetitive tasks..." | "...avoid the activity..." | ".Maintaining equipment in optimal working order..." | "...regular holidays to give me a break!" | "...to assist in developing specialised skills and techniques to perform tasks required." |
"...ensure therapists aren't forced to work overtime due to unrealistic heavy caseloads." | "Allow time for non clinical tasks to balance out clinical tasks..." | "...make clients use more self management approaches to rehabilitation." | "Provision of station wagons for carrying equipment on home visits..." | "...exercise regularly to maintain strength and flexibility." | "Training in joint protection strategies..." |