What are the Interventions Affecting Manual Handling Injuries in Frontline Pre-hospital Clinicians?

Background and purpose: A literature review to investigate the effects of manual handling interventions and equipment on musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries and disorders in pre-hospital clinicians. Methods: The search included articles published in CINAHL Plus, AMED, MEDLINE, Academic Search Complete, PubMED, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, PEDro, Cochrane and PsycINFO. There was no date limit set for the search, and a grey literature search was also conducted. Results: The review included 10 studies that investigated a variety of manual handling equipment: powered loading stretchers, lifting straps, slip preventers and binder-lift attachments. No interventions such as manual handling, strength or ergonomic training were found. Despite the varied quality of studies, all were included due to the lack of research available on this topic and the original topic of this review. Discussion: Overall, powered stretchers and loading systems were directly correlated to lower MSK injuries, with the other pieces of equipment such as lifting straps being related to a lower risk of MSK injury. The poor ergonomics of ambulance design and equipment placement were also linked to a higher risk of MSK injury. Current research is severely limited in this area and future studies should include multi-variate interventions to modulate MSK injuries and the risk thereof in this high-risk group of clinicians.     &nbsp

The concept of integration in mixed methods research:a step-by-step guide using an example study in physiotherapy

Background Integration is a unique attribute of Mixed Methods Research (MMR). However, some MMR studies, published in the field of physiotherapy and other allied health professions, have illustrated a lack of understanding of the concept of integration. Aims The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance for integrating elements of mixed methods research in order to effectively support evidence-based practice in health. Methods The concept of integration of findings is explained with reference to the authors recent PhD study, which used a mixed methods exploratory sequential design. This article describes how the author used a narrative joint display to integrate findings from both the qualitative and survey phases of the study. Then, a step-by-step approach is introduced to guide the interpretation and integration of the findings. Results This four-step approach demonstrates integration of the two different datasets: Creating a joint display, linking activity, establishing relationships, and interpreting and reporting. Tables and Figures are used to support detailed description and illustration of the integration process. Discussion A joint display provides a visual representation of how the qualitative and quantitative findings in a MMR study can be integrated. In this way, interpretation of the data drawn from this process extend beyond the individual findings of each study component to facilitate a greater understanding of complex health care issues

How do Employees with Chronic Musculoskeletal Disorders Experience the Management of Their Condition in the Workplace? A Metasynthesis

This metasynthesis contributes to an understanding of the experiences, perceptions, and attitudes of employees on managing chronic musculoskeletal disorders (CMSDs) at work. Many studies in this field are concerned with prevention or return-to-work (RTW) programmes. However, the purpose of this review was to synthesise evidence that only focuses on the employees management of their CMSDs at work. The SPIDER framework was used to structure the question "How do employees with CMSDs experience the management of their condition in the workplace"? The literature search focused on articles published between 2011 and 2021, and the search was conducted using the following databases: MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, AMED, PsycINFO. The review identified nine articles that explored employees experiences of managing CMSDs at work. Thematic synthesis was used to create analytic themes which provided a more in-depth discussion of these experiences. The identified themes were: employees actively seek ways to manage their conditions, influence of work environment on employees with CMSDs and optimising the relationship between employees and managers. This metasynthesis suggests that the ability to negotiate workplace support and manage CMSDs at work is influenced by the cultural and social environment of the organisation. Effective communication, care and trust between the employee is needed. The review also illustrated the need for healthcare professionals to provide support to employees at work