Combined Methods for Physical and Mental Workload

This chapter presents information about the methods that combine physical and mental workload/fatigue during ergonomic evaluation. The methods were identified through a systematic literature review. The search criteria were done through a literature search in databases like SciFinder, SciELO, ScienceDirect, etc. As result, the following methods are described: Global Load Scale, Multivariate Workload Assessment, Subjective Fatigue Symptoms Test, Fatigue Assessment Scale, Scale of Recovery for Exhaustion of Occupational Fatigue, Scale of Estimated Fatigue-Energy Points, Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory, NASA-TLX, Combined Cognitive and Physical Assessment, Laboratory Method of Economics and Sociology of Work, OWL Method, Ergonomic Checklist Method, RENAULT Method, Joyce Method, NERPA Method, ARBAN Method, and MAPFRE Method. As a conclusion, it is possible to affirm that there are some evaluation methods that provide better elements for an accurate evaluation, and others lack basic elements, which causes an incomplete/not accurate evaluation.

Association of Safety Climate and Chronic Multidimensional Occupational Fatigue in Nurses of Shahrekord Hospitals

Background: Nursing is associated with many stressful situations that can cause problems such as fatigue, reduced quantity and quality of patient care, as well as physical and mental illness. Safety climate is one of the most important indicators of safety management performance that evaluates employees' attitudes toward safety issues. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between safety climate and occupational fatigue in nurses. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on nurses working in hospitals affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences in 2018. We selected 216 nurses by a proportional quota sampling method. A demographic questionnaire, the nurses' safety climate questionnaire designed by the USA, and the occupational fatigue questionnaire designed by Sweden were used to collect information. The validity and reliability of the questionnaires were confirmed. Statistical tests for two independent samples, analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data by SPSS version 21 software. Results: The results showed that the mean scores of occupational fatigue and safety climate were 72.23 ± 7.75 and 3.46 ± 0.305, respectively, and 72.23% of nurses reported occupational fatigue. There was no significant relationship between safety climate and the education level, gender, and job satisfaction (P < 0.05). Also, there was no significant relationship between occupational fatigue and job satisfaction and education (P < 0.05), but there was a significant relationship between job satisfaction and gender, age, and marital status (P < 0.05). Having a second job by nurses increased their occupational fatigue by 19%. The effect of safety climate on occupational fatigue was about -0.09. Conclusions: The findings of this study showed that demographic variables have significant effects on occupational fatigue, and increasing the safety climate can reduce employees’ occupational fatigue.

Occupational Fatigue: Relationship With Personality Traits and Decent Work

Psychology of working theory (PWT) and psychology of working framework (PWF) offered a psychological view of decent work. The present study examined the associations among personality traits, decent work and Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery Scale (OFER). Two hundred and thirty four participants filled out the Big Five Questionnaire, the Italian version of the Decent Work Scale, and the Italian version of the OFER Scale. Hierarchical regressions showed that decent work explained incremental variance beyond personality traits with respect to OFER both considering total score and its three dimensions (chronic fatigue, acute fatigue, persistent fatigue). The present study underlined the value of decent work in relation to occupational fatigue beyond the contributions of personality, in particular in relation to the dimensions of Adequate compensation and Free time and rest for less occupational fatigue (both as total and as dimensions).

The Relationship between Shift Work and Occupational Fatigue on Nurses Working on the Pediatrics and Internal Wards of Muhammadiyah Palembang Hospital

Shift work is a method of allocating work time to different workgroups. Fatigue is defined as an abnormal sensation of tiredness, sluggishness, or a lack of desire to engage in activities, which results in stress, depression, or other negative emotions. In order to satisfy patients within 24 hours, hospitals must organize nurses by shift. The goal of this study at Muhammadiyah Palembang Hospital was to see if there was a link between shift work and fatigue in pediatric and internal ward nurses. This cross-sectional and analytic study entailed 26 respondents from the total sampling method used. In this study, those who worked shifts included those who worked in the morning (12 respondents (46.2 %), evening (8 respondents (30.8%), and night (6 respondents (23.1 %). Fatigue has been linked to 38% of RSMP's overworked pediatric ward nurses and interna, with a p-value of 0.029. The hospital should provide rest periods for nurses, especially those who work the last shift because they must adapt during the night.

Occupational Fatigue Risk Assessment and Management System: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis

An occupational fatigue risk management system (FRMS) framework can aid practitioners to reduce the fatigue-induced human error, poor performance, and the risk of injury in the industrial settings. However, the current state-of-knowledge on different theoretical frameworks of FRMS adopted in various occupational settings has not been systematically mapped in terms of risk factors, industrial sector types, activity types, and interventions. Therefore, this study aimed to review and characterize the previous literature on FRMS available in the ISI Web of Science (WoS) database and applied various bibliometric approaches to explore current state-of-knowledge, emerging trends and future directions. The data for the analyses were collected from the 68 articles published in 24 various journals between 2001 and 2021. The trend showed a rapid increase in FRMS research in the last seven years, especially in healthcare and aviation industries. Future studies should consider environmental stressors while designing a holistic framework of FRMS.

Exploring the Relationship between Patient Acuity, Patient Assignments and Fatigue among Nurses

This study surveyed 114 registered nurses throughout Ohio to determine if there was a relationship between patient acuity and perceived fatigue. Also examined for a potential relationship to perceived fatigue were nurse-patient ratios (NPRs) and the method by which nurse-patient assignments (NPAs) were created. Two validated fatigue scales, the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) and the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery (OFER) scale were used to capture participants perception of fatigue at their workplace. Resultsindicated that the interaction between patient acuity and NPR was significantly related to FAS ratings while NPR had a significant relationship to acute fatigue on the OFER scale. Most nurses experience substantial fatigue, with high acuity patients having an overall greater impact. We recommend that NPAs shall contain fewer high acuity patients than lower acuity patients. Additionally, The OFER acute fatigue scale (OPER-AF) suggests that assignments should contain no more than five patients to mitigate fatigue.