Footwear as a risk factor in occupational health, in a nursing service of a level II hospital.
Keywords:
Occupational Risk, Footwear, Nursing, Risk Factor, Work AccidentAbstract
Nurses perform a number of tasks daily, sometimes using inappropriate footwear. Using appropriate work shoes is essential to prevent lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries.
Objective: Determine individual and work related risk factors as associated to the footwear in a population of nursing workers in a level II health institution.
Methodology: Descriptive, crosssectional study in 60 workers of the nursing assistance area level 2 Hospital of Popayan, Colombia. We determined the risks associated to in-use footwear in every area of the hospital. We assessed foot/ankle status and characteristics of the footwear used during the workday.
Results: Eighty percent and 90% nursing assistants. More than 75% had normal foot. We detected pain in sole and heel (26,7%). Most use a backless slipper type shoes heel (46.7%) and manufactured with synthetic material (61,7%). Forty-five percent perceives safety footwear as poor. Identified risks were: biological and chemical (100%), weight handling (80%), slip and fall (50%) and a mishap when climbing stairs (40%).
Conclusions: In-use footwear used might be an occupational risk factor; however, the frequency of musculoskeletal disorders and accidents are not as high as you might expect.
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