Title : Ergonomic conditions of work and the ability of nurses to work in the stationaries of latgale (latvian region)
Abstract:
The author bases the topicality of the research on the fact that a critical shortage of nurses has been observed in the healthcare sector in Latvia (Ignatova, 2020), with a shortage of around 3050 nurses in the sector (Order of the Cabinet of Ministers Nr.537., 2019). Nurses play a key role in determining the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the healthcare system, meaning that good and safe working conditions and an organized working environment are an essential part of nursing work, affecting patient safety, maintaining the quality of care and commitment to the profession (Ignatova, 2020). The ability of nurses to work is an indicator of their job satisfaction and is an essential factor in the quality and safety of work. Work ability is an important occupational health issue in health care institutions where high physical and psychosocial work abilities are required and a high risk of injury and diseases is expected (Rostamabadi, Zamanian & Sedaghat, 2017). It is also an important social issue as it affects the health and well-being of employees (Abbasi et al., 2017). In recent years, there is an increasing interest of researchers to study on a working ability in health care institutions. The study on the work ability of health care professionals has found a lower level of work ability of nurses compared to other health care workers. A literature review suggests that there is little information on work ability and related factors in a particular group of health care workers (Akodu & Ashalejo, 2019).
The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between ergonomic conditions of work and the ability of nurses to work in the stationaries of Latgale (Latvian region).
In accordance with the aim of the study and the set tasks, a quantitative method with a non-experimental, comparative cross-sectional design were used in the study. The research uses a quantitative research method - questionnaires using the following research tools: the Workplace and Ergonomic Conditions Assessment Questionnaire, as well as The work ability index (WAI) questionnaire (Ka??is et al., 2008).
The study was conducted in the two stationaries of Latgale (Latvian region) using the improbable sampling method and the selection was based on the purpose principle. 97 nurses, with different lengths of service, were involved in the study working in the X, Y stationaries, representing the department of therapy, the department of neurology, the department of urology and the department of surgery.
According to the study data, conclusions are that there was a statistically significant, positive, weak correlation between the ergonomic conditions of work and the ability of nurses to work (r = 0.336, p = 0.001), which indicates that the indicators of nurses' ability to work increase with the increase of ergonomic working conditions.
