Abstract:

This study presents the incidence and management of low back pain among Nurses in Obafemi Awolowo University teaching Hospitals complex, Ile-Ife. (OAUTHC). The study identified the percentage of nurses with low back pain in OAUTHC. The study also identified causative factors associated with low back pain among nurses in OAUTHC, It alsoexplored the management modalities of low back pain adopted by nurses in OAUTHC.

Design/Methods: A descriptive design was adopted for this study. 258 respondents were sampled using a simple random sampling technique. However 255 respondents filled the self-administered questionnaires given to them. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and results presented in tables using frequency and percentages.

Results/Findings: Findings from the study showed that 71.4% of the respondents had low back pain, among which 68.7% had a low intense pain. The study also showed that 54.1% of the respondents with low back pain got their pain from their work. The study also revealed that nursing procedures requiring lifting and bending were highly associated with low back pain. 85.5% of the respondents associated low back pain with wound dressing and bed making. The study also revealed that respondents who had pain manage their pain with, rest, massage, physical therapy and painkillers.

Conclusion: The study concludes that a larger percentage of nurses have low back pain and that procedures such as wound dressing and bed making are highly associated with low back pain which makes nurses working on wards requiring these two procedures to be more prone to developing low back pain and they manage low back pain with massage, rest, physical therapy and analgesics with proven effects

Keywords

Low back pain: subjective experience of discomfort around the 12^th rib to the gluteal folds.

Back care ergonomics: special form of care directed to the spine and muscles of the back.

Nursing procedures: nursing jobs in the hospital aimed at caring for the patient/client.

Pain Management: measures used to control pain either medically, conservatively or alternatively.

Nurses: professionals who are registered and licensed to practice nursing and are employed by OAUTHC to work as a nurse.

Incidence: rate of occurrence or frequency of a case.

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