Covid-19. Biomechanical Design of the Nursing Assistant post. Hospital case: Private Technical University of Loja

Abstract

Introduction. The coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of damage not only to the people it affects but also to the health professionals who care for them. The activities carried out by the Nursing Assistants (ADE) have exposure to static charges that can cause affections to the osteo myoarticular system. Objective. The manipulation activity of patients in established positions complying with Covi-19 medical care procedures in the Intensive Care Units (ICU) of the Hospital Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) was ergonomically studied, using the BIO-mec computer program. Methodology. It began with the observational identification of: a) activities, b) tasks, c) times and movements that the ADE executes when handling the patient in the supine and prone position due to improved ventilation and evacuation of pulmonary fluids, in ICUs Hospital UTPL that can cause excess of the worker's body limits in the osteo myoarticular system. Then, a calculation was made of the percentage of the maximum load, overload, bearable risk achieved in each joint established by the BIO-mec method before and after the implementation of a hospital bed adjustable to the vertical height of the nursing assistant. Results. The improvements of the position show a negative effect on the maximum admissible loads of the elbow, shoulder, torso, hip, knee and ankle, improving the posture angles of: 130 ° for knee, 94 ° hip, 50 ° for L5 / S1, 40 ° for shoulder, 130 ° for elbow and 90 ° wrist for men, improving the 6 postural load elements. For women, the implementation improved the posture angles of: 130 ° for knee, 94 ° hip, 50 ° for L5 / S1, 40 ° for shoulder, 130 ° for elbow and 90 ° wrist, improving all 4 of the 6 load elements. postural. Conclusion. The use of a vertical height adjustable patient bed improves the posture of the nursing assistant, reducing 66.66% of the ergonomic affectation for women and 100% for men.