Effectiveness of exercise programs to reduce low back pain among nurses and nursing assistants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Nurses have a high prevalence of low back pain due to ergonomic hazards in healthcare workplaces. While exercise programs have been suggested as an intervention strategy, the effectiveness of low back pain programs has been inconsistent in the research literature. The purpose of study is to determine the effect of exercise programs to reduce low back pain among nursing staff. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted with five databases and systematically searched. Following the PRISMA guidelines, included studies evaluated low back pain relief among nurses or nursing assistants and described the exercise program. Two reviewers independently appraised, extracted, and synthesized all available studies. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022359511). RESULTS: A total of 296 articles with 1,355 nursing staff from nine countries were obtained. Nine randomized controlled trials with a moderate to low risk of bias quality were included. Exercise programs had a small but significant effect on low back pain of nursing staff (SMD = -0.48; 95% CI = -0.76 to -0.19; p = 0.03, I2 = 62%, p = 0.001). A subgroup analysis of nurses and nursing assistants showed moderate and small effects, respectively (I2 = 0% p < 0.0001, SMD -0.73 CI 95% [-0.97 to -0.48], p = 0.76, and I2 = 0% p = 0.002, SMD -0.23 CI 95% [-0.38 to -0.08], p < 0.88). Exercise for back and trunk exhibited a moderate effect on low back pain (SMD -0.56 CI 95% [-0.86 to -0.25], p = 0.01, I2 = 66%, p < 0.0004). A subgroup analysis comparing age, under 40 years old revealed a moderate effect size (SMD = -0.59; 95% CI = -0.83to -0.35; p = 0.06; I2 = 64%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise programs are an effective treatment to reduce low back pain in nurses and nursing assistants, especially among younger staff. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Back and trunk exercise programs should be recommended for nursing staff with low back pain.

Development and Validation of the Role Profile of the Nurse Continence Specialist: A Project of the International Continence Society.

Although nurses have specialized in the management of incontinence, bladder, bowel, and pelvic floor dysfunction for more than 30 years, there is a lack of awareness and underutilization of their role. This article describes a 6-year project to define, characterize, and validate a role profile of the Nurse Continence Specialist. Data collection used a 2-phase, mixed-methods design. Phase 1 of the project resulted in a draft Nurse Continence Specialist role profile and Phase 2 led to validation of the draft profile. The result was a broad consensus about what constitutes the specific skill set for Nurse Continence Specialist specialization within nursing.

Prevalence of faecal incontinence in community-dwelling older people in Bali, Indonesia.

AIM: To explore the prevalence rate of faecal incontinence in community-dwelling older people, associated factors, impact on quality of life and practices in managing faecal incontinence. METHOD: Using a cross-sectional design, 600 older people aged 60+ were randomly selected from a population of 2916 in Bali, Indonesia using a simple random sampling technique. Three hundred and three participants were interviewed (response rate 51%). RESULTS: The prevalence of faecal incontinence was 22.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 18.0-26.8). Self-reported constipation (odds ratio (OR) 3.68, 95% CI 1.87-7.24) and loose stools (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.47-4.78) were significantly associated with faecal incontinence. There was a strong positive correlation between total bowel control score and total quality-of-life score (P < 0.001, rs = 0.61) indicating significant alterations in quality of life. The current management practices varied from changing diet, visiting health-care professionals, and using modern and traditional medicines. CONCLUSION: Faecal incontinence is common among community-dwelling older people in Bali.