OBJECTIVE:To study musculoskeletal workload in experienced surgeons during laparoscopic surgery (LS) compared with robotic assisted laparoscopy (RALS).
BACKGROUND:70–90% of surgeons who regularly ...perform LS report musculoskeletal symptoms, mainly in neck and shoulders. Data regarding the potential ergonomic benefits of RALS in a clinical setting is very limited.
METHODS:Twelve surgeons with advanced experience in both LS and RALS each performed 2 hysterectomies on the same day. LS was performed standing, RALS sitting, the latter allowing forearm and head support. Bipolar surface electromyogram (EMG) was recorded from several muscles and was expressed relative to EMG during maximum contractions (%EMGmax). Gaps per minute plus static (p0.1), mean (p0.5), and peak (p0.9) muscle activation were calculated. Perceived exertion was rated before and just after each surgery.
RESULTS:Neck muscle activity (p0.1 4.7 vs. 3.0%EMGmax, p0.5 7.4 vs. 5.3%EMGmax, p0.9 11.6 vs. 8.2%EMGmax, all P < 0.05) and static shoulder muscle activity (p0.1 5.7 vs. 2.8%EMGmax, P < 0.05) were higher for LS than for RALS. Both a higher level of gaps during RALS and a lower rating of perceived exertion, also for the legs, after RALS supported these observations. However, low back muscle activity was higher for RALS.
CONCLUSIONS:RALS is significantly less physically demanding than LS, and also feels less strenuous for the surgeons. However, for both types of surgeries, there still is room for improvement of working conditions. To further optimize these, we suggest a scheme to regularly observe and advise the surgeons.
The enforcement of nationwide lockdowns and social distancing measures severely restricted behavior and led to increases in stress, anxiety, and depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, ...contrary to expectations, studies show that well-being did not decrease significantly during the Pandemic. The present study examined whether intentional increases in alternative behaviors contributed to maintaining well-being. We predicted an increase in indoor activities as alternatives to outdoor activities and that these behavioral changes contribute to maintaining well-being. Focusing on leisure activities, transport mode, and working environments, we tested these predictions in an online survey of 1,000 participants (
= 40.4 years;
= 10.9). The results demonstrated that the decrease in outdoor leisure activities (e.g., traveling and shopping), use of public transportation, and working at office led to a reduction in well-being. It was also demonstrated that the subsequent increase in indoor leisure activities (e.g., exercising at home and online shopping) and use of a private car led to an increase in well-being, which supported our predictions. These results suggest that increasing alternative behaviors can maintain overall well-being during pandemics. These findings highlight the significance of intentional behavioral changes in maintaining well-being during pandemics.
Background : The availability of nursing resources, conducive work atmosphere for nurses and creating safe health service are the factors related to safe staffing. If one of these three aspects is ...not fulfilled, it can cause low health service quality given by the hospital. The Objective : To identify the factors related to safe staffing at X Palembang Hospital in 2017. Method : This study is a quantitative study using cross sectional survey. The samples were taken by applying total sampling method, there were 48 nurses taken as the respondents. Result : Nurses' perception concerning with the availability of nursing resources was categorized good with 24 respondents (50%), conducive work atmosphere was categorized good with 30 respondents (62,5%), creating safe health service was categorized good with 35 respondents (72,9%), and safe staffing was categorized good with 32 respondents (66,7%). There was a significant correlation between the availability of nursing resources and safe staffing (p value=0,001), there was a significant correlation between conducive work atmosphere and safe staffing (p value=0,027), and there was a significant correlation between creating safe health service system and safe staffing (p value=0,000). Conclusion and Suggestion : It is very important that Hospital apply safe staffing. Nursing department together with Hospital Safety Committee can develop the plan to increase human resources quality by giving training in accordance with nurses' competence, giving reward to nurses, and improving the employees' status.
Antifungal resistance has emerged as a significant health concern with increasing reports of resistant variants in previously susceptible species. At present, little is known about occupational ...exposure to antifungal-resistant fungi. This study aimed to investigate Danish workers' occupational exposure to airborne fungi resistant to first-line treatment drugs. A retrospective study was performed on a unique collection of personal exposure samples gathered over a twenty-year period from Danish working environments, in sectors including agriculture, animal handling, waste management, and healthcare. A total of 669 samples were cultivated at 37 °C and fungal colonies were identified using MALDI-TOF MS. Subsequently, identification was confirmed by amplicon sequencing the genes of calmodulin and beta-tubulin to unveil potential cryptic species.
Infectious fungi (495 isolates from 23 species) were tested for resistance against Itraconazole, Voriconazole, Posaconazole, and Amphotericin B. Working environments were highly variable in the overall fungal exposure, and showed vastly different species compositions. Resistance was found in 30 isolates of the species Aspergillus fumigatus (4 of 251 isolates), A. nidulans (2 of 13), A. niger complex (19 of 131), A. versicolor (3 of 18), and A. lentulus (2 of 2). Sequence analysis revealed several cryptic species within the A. niger complex including A. tubingensis, A. luchuensis, and A. phoenicis. Among the resistant A. fumigatus isolates, two contained the well-described TR34/L98H mutation in the cyp51A gene and promoter region, while the remainder harbored silent mutations.
The results indicate that the working environment significantly contributes to exposure to resistant fungi, with particularly biofuel plant workers experiencing high exposure. Differences in the prevalence of resistance across working environments may be linked to the underlying species composition.
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•Exposure to antifungal resistant fungi studied for 510 workers.•Workers are exposed to resistant fungi in different working environments.•Azole resistance found in A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. versicolor, A. lentulus.•Biofuel plants could be a potential hotspot for exposure to resistant fungi.•Resistance appears to be linked to the presence of cryptic species.
Focusing on the relatively unexplored presence of micro- and nano-plastic aerosol particles, this study quantitatively assessed the emission of nano-plastic particles during the machining of carbon ...fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in the working environment. Measurements of aerosol particles smaller than 1 µm in size were performed by aerosol mass spectrometry. The findings revealed that concentrations of carbonous aerosol particles (organic aerosol and refractory black carbon (rBC)) were higher during working hours than during non-working hours. Positive matrix factorization identified CFRP particles as a significant source, contributing an average of approximately 30% of concentration of carbonous aerosol particles during working hours. This source apportionment was corroborated by the presence of bisphenol A and F fragments, principal components of the epoxy resins used in CFRP, and was corroborated by similarities to the carbon cluster ion distribution observed in rBC during CFRP pipe-cutting operations. Further, the particle size distribution suggested the existence of plastic aerosol particles smaller than 100 nm. This study established the method to quantitatively distinguish nano-plastic aerosol particles from other aerosol particles in high temporal resolution and these techniques are useful for accurately assessing exposure to nano-plastic aerosol particles in working environments.
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•Aerosol particles from machining of carbon fiber reinforced plastic were assessed.•The positive matrix factorization method distinguished plastic particles.•We found plastic aerosol particles smaller than 100 nm in working environment.•Our method enables precise exposure assessment of nano-plastic particle.
Noise pollution has been an issue since ancient times. Recently, this problem has been exacerbated due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Noise mapping is a strategic action plan that ...visualizes the long-term and real-time noise pollution of our cities, industrial sites, and other regions of interest. This article first discusses the working principle of general model-based noise mapping and the lessons learned. Then, in-depth descriptions of the technical challenges and design issues of noise mapping using mobile crowdsensing and acoustic sensor networks are presented. Finally, we provide our insights for future research directions regarding artificial intelligence assisted noise prediction, constructive interference for multimedia transmission, and simultaneous noise sensing and sound energy harvesting as well as inaudible sound attacks and defense.
This work is aimed to create a strategy to improve the nurses' working environment.
As the working-age population is expected to decline in Japan, the maintenance of the nurse workforce is important. ...In order to create a strategy to improve the nurses' working environment, we studied the relationship among factors of organizational justice (procedural, distributive, and interactional justices), organizational citizenship behavior, job satisfaction, and ease of work.
A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 969 nurses and 322 effective responses were analyzed (effective response rate 33.2%). The questionnaire contained demographic information, ease of work, and three scales for organizational justice, organizational citizenship behavior, and job satisfaction. The factor structure of the scales was studied using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the relationship among measurements. The protocol was approved by the ethical committee of the author's university.
The final model showed a fair fit to the data (χ2 = 1803.15, df = 1014, p < 0.001, comparative fit index = 0.907, root mean square error of approximation = 0.049). Interactional justice showed the most significant correlation to job satisfaction (r = 0.590). Job satisfaction and ease of work also showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.696). Distributive justice had a slight negative indirect effect on job satisfaction, whereas procedural justice had no significant effect.
In order to enhance job satisfaction/ease of work among Japanese nurses, improvement of interactional justice may be the best strategy.
•Interactional justice has the most potent correlation with job satisfaction.•Job satisfaction significantly correlated with a pleasant work environment.•Procedural and distributive justice has no positive effects on job satisfaction.
Organizational challenges, market competition, and workforce productivity are vital to promote employees’ health and the firm's success. Research indicates that time, stress, work environment, and ...the cost of hiring and training new employees were significant in achieving the organizational deliverables. Poor work environments and the lack of workforce retention strategies negatively impact business outcomes. The high employee turnover brings multiple problems, with high human capital costs and knowledge loss, leading to low productivity. The combined good working environment and workforce retention strategies increase workforce motivation in the firm and ultimately reach the extremes of workforce productivity. The researcher finds that working environment and workforce retention strategies have strong positive relationships with workforce productivity. Managers should collaborate for competitive workforce retention programs and policies.
Introduction: Indonesian nurses living and working in Japan with a culture likely to be very different from their own may be additional sources of culture shock, feeling confusion and discomfort when ...living in a new country. They also experience difficulties in maladaptive adjustments to the new environment to overcome culture shock, then they get stressed in a working environment which can decrease work motivation and quality of performance.Methods: This study used a cross-sectional approach with a non-probability sampling method. The sample is 90 Indonesian nurses having been working in Japanese hospitals, both those passing the National Board Examination (NBE) and those not. Working environment (job satisfaction, colleague, rule of employment) and job experience were independent variables and culture shock was dependent variable. Work environment research instruments were from the revised questionnaire modification Scale of Socio-Cultural Adaptation (SCAS-R), the substance of work performance, job experience questionnaire and the Culture Shock Questionnaire (CSQ). Data analysis used Spearman-rho and multiple logistic regression statistical tests.Results: The average of respondents who did not experience culture shock or normal was 44 (49%) and respondents who experienced culture shock were a poor level of 36 (40%) and moderate level of 10 (11%). Job satisfaction (ρ value = 0.001) and colleague (ρ value = 0.000) have a significant correlation with culture shock. Rule of employment (ρ value = 0.174) and job experience (ρ value = 0.209) were not significant with culture shock. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to figure out the predictors that influence the change in culture shock status while a colleague (β = 2.445, p value < 0.000).Conclusion: The results of the research showed that colleagues in the work environment had a significant influence effect on cultural shock. Therefore, it is necessary to provide social support to adaptive adjustment and stress management to Indonesian nurses in Japan so that they can impact increased quality performance.
ABSTRACT Objective: to correlate the nurses’ self-perception and the perception of nursing aides regarding coaching leadership and the practice environment within Primary Health Care. Method: ...cross-sectional and correlational study addressing 150 nursing workers: 75 nurses and 75 nursing aides of 13 Basic Health Units located in the south of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. The Brazilian version of the Practice Environment Scale, Questionário de Autopercepção do Enfermeiro no Exercício da Liderança Questionnaire on Self-Perception of Nurses of Exercise of Leadership, and Questionário de Percepção de Técnicos e Auxiliares de Enfermagem no Exercício da Liderança Questionnaire on Perception of Nurse Technicians and LPNs of Exercise of Leadership were applied between January and May 2019. Univariate and Multivariate Analyses, and the Pearson’s Correlation test (p<0.05) were used, besides Rosenthal effect size. Results: two significant correlations were found among the nurses between the instruments’ domains: communication and nursing foundations for quality care (r=0.265; p=0.022) and communication and collegial nurse-physician relationships (r=0.263; p=0.023). The following stand out among the nursing aides: communication and nursing foundations for quality care (r=0.416) and the total score obtained in the Questionnaire on Perception of Nurse Technicians and LPNs of Exercise of Leadership and collegial nurse-physician relationships (r=0.409). Conclusion: for the nurses, communication contributed to a better perception of quality care and good relationships with physicians. For the nursing aides, all the domains of coaching leadership collaborate for environments that favor their practice within PHC.
RESUMEN Objetivo: correlacionar la autopercepción de los enfermeros y la percepción de los auxiliares de enfermería sobre el liderazgo coaching de los enfermeros con el ambiente de la práctica profesional, en la Atención Primaria a la Salud. Método: estudio transversal y correlacional con 150 profesionales de enfermería, siendo: 75 enfermeros y 75 auxiliares de enfermería de 13 Unidades Básicas de Salud, localizadas en la Zona Sur de Sao Paulo, SP, Brasil. Fueron aplicados la Practice Environment Scale (versión brasileña), el Cuestionario de Autopercepción del Enfermero en el Ejercicio del Liderazgo y el Cuestionario de Percepción de Técnicos y Auxiliares de Enfermería en el Ejercicio del Liderazgo, en el período de enero a mayo de 2019. Fueron utilizados los Análisis de Variancia Univariada y Multivariada, el Test de Correlación de Pearson (p<0,05) y el tamaño del efecto de Rosenthal. Resultados: entre los enfermeros, dos correlaciones significativas entre los dominios de los instrumentos fueron observadas: comunicación y fundamentos de enfermería dirigidos a la calidad del cuidado (r=0,265; p=0,022) y comunicación con relaciones colegiales entre enfermeros y médicos (r=0,263; p=0,023). En los auxiliares de enfermería, se destacan la comunicación y los fundamentos de enfermería dirigidos para la calidad del cuidado (r=0,416), el valor total del Cuestionario de Percepción de Técnicos y Auxiliares de Enfermería en el Ejercicio del Liderazgo y las relaciones colegiales entre médicos y enfermeros (r=0,409). Conclusión: para los enfermeros, la comunicación contribuyó para obtener una mejor percepción de la calidad del cuidado y de las buenas relaciones con los médicos. En los auxiliares, todos los dominios del liderazgo coaching colaboraron para las percepciones positivas del ambiente. El liderazgo coaching parece contribuir para que ambientes más favorables a la práctica profesional sean establecidos, en la atención primaria a la salud.
RESUMO Objetivo: correlacionar autopercepção dos enfermeiros e percepção dos auxiliares de enfermagem sobre liderança coaching dos enfermeiros com o ambiente da prática profissional na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Método: estudo transversal e correlacional com 150 profissionais de enfermagem, sendo: 75 enfermeiros e 75 auxiliares de enfermagem de 13 Unidades Básicas de Saúde localizadas na Zona Sul de São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Foram aplicados Practice Environment Scale - versão brasileira, Questionário de Autopercepção do Enfermeiro no Exercício da Liderança e Questionário de Percepção de Técnicos e Auxiliares de Enfermagem no Exercício da Liderança, no período de janeiro a maio de 2019. Foram utilizados Análise de Variância Univariada e Multivariada, Teste de Correlação de Pearson (p<0,05) e tamanho do efeito de Rosenthal. Resultados: entre os enfermeiros, duas correlações significantes entre os domínios dos instrumentos foram observadas: comunicação e fundamentos de enfermagem voltados para a qualidade do cuidado (r=0,265; p=0,022) e comunicação com relações colegiais entre enfermeiros e médicos (r=0,263; p=0,023). Nos auxiliares de enfermagem, destacam-se comunicação e fundamentos de enfermagem voltados para a qualidade do cuidado (r=0,416) e valor total do Questionário de Percepção de Técnicos e Auxiliares de Enfermagem no Exercício da Liderança e relações colegiais entre médicos e enfermeiros (r=0,409). Conclusão: para os enfermeiros, a comunicação contribuiu para melhor percepção da qualidade do cuidado e boas relações com médicos. Nos auxiliares, todos os domínios da liderança coaching colaboraram para percepções positivas do ambiente. A liderança coaching parece contribuir para que ambientes mais favoráveis à prática profissional sejam estabelecidos na atenção primária à saúde.
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