J Clin Res Paramed Sci. 2019 December; 8(2):e88428.
Published online 2019 November 4.
doi: 10.5812/jcrps.88428.
Research Article
Comparison the Effect of Educational Interventions Based on
Brochure and Virtual Education in Compliance Principles of
Ergonomic Operating Room Technologist of Iran University of
Medical Sciences
Sedighe Hanani
1
, Samane Ghasemi
1, *
, Yahya Safari
2
and Mahboobe Rasuoli
3
1
Operating Room Department, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
3
Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Operating Room Department, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Email: samane.ghasemi91@gmail.com
Received 2018 December 30; Revised 2019 September 11; Accepted 2019 September 15.
Abstract
Background: High prevalence rate of musculoskeletal disorders and their control among personnel is one of the most important
concerns for ergonomics experts across the globe. Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders is among national priorities of many
countries.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine and compare the effect of educational interventions based on brochure and virtual
education in compliance with principles of ergonomics in operating room technologist.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with experimental groups (brochures and virtual education) and a control
group with pre-test and post-test design. One hundred operating room technologists of Iran University of Medical Sciences were
selected with simple random sampling method and assigned randomly to three groups. Data were collected by REBA checklist, and
analyzed using Wilcoxon and U Mann-Whitney non-parametric tests in SPSS V.20.
Results: The results showed that statistically significant differences among the three groups of control, brochures and virtual (P =
0.0001). Education was more effective in the virtual group in comparison to the brochure group (P = 0.0002). There was a statistically
significant difference between control and brochure groups (P = 0.0001).
Conclusions: This study showed the effectiveness of teaching interventions based on brochure and virtual methods in compliance
with ergonomics principles, therefore, it is recommended to use these methods instead of conventional methods to prevent com-
plications of musculoskeletal disorders.
Keywords: Virtual Education, Medical Education, Ergonomics Principles, Operating Room
1. Background
Working has an essential role in social and economic
development of a country while work environment and
conditions could cause work-related physical disorders (1).
Furthermore, the personnel of the medical departments
are also exposed to health hazards like any other occupa-
tion (2). Various harmful factors exist in the work environ-
ment that may cause fatigue, burnout, illness, and waste
of time, energy and expenses. In the meantime, muscu-
loskeletal disorders are the most common hazards and in-
juries related to the work environment (3). Musculoskele-
tal disorders are any type of tissue injury to the supportive
structures that affects movement, and has a documented
causal relation to the ergonomic risk factors (4, 5). Epi-
demiologic studies have also shown evidence regarding
the relationship between occupational factors and mus-
culoskeletal disorders (6). One study has mentioned the
significant increase in the rate of these disorders since
1980 (7). Furthermore, these disorders are the main cause
of work-related disability in the developing countries be-
cause most of the adults spend half of their wake time at
work environments and are consequently affected by vari-
ous factors there (8-10). Operating room environment and
the nature of surgery poses various risk factors such as
physical, psychological, biological and chemical risk fac-
tors to the staff (11). Review of the literature showed that
most of the studies concerned nurses. Few studies have ex-
amined occupational disorders in more important groups
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