Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) were known as one of the main occupational
problems among health‑care workers. However, we had some limitations and difficulties for
transferring ergonomic concepts to the health‑care workers, especially nurses due to heavy work
task and insufficient time for that. This study compares the impacts of two ergonomic training
methods (lecture and pamphlet) in nurses of an Iranian tertiary hospital on prevalence of their upper
and lower extremity complaints.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present randomized clinical trial with parallel groups, 1140 nurses
were randomly selected and allocated to the control and two interventional groups. In the interventional
groups, nurses revived a training program and pamphlet as ergonomic training methods about
work‑related MSDs and related ergonomic concept to MSDs prevention and nurses in the control group,
did not receive any ergonomic training methods. Upper and lower extremity complaints measure among
study nurses with Nordic MSDs before 6 months and 1 year after trial intervention. Statistical analysis
including the Kolmogorov–Smirnov goodness‑of‑fit, Chi‑square test, and independent sample t‑test
was performed using SPSS version 22. A two‑tailed P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: At the first and second parts of the study follow‑up, the prevalence of upper and lower
extremities significantly improved in the interventional groups in comparison with the control group.
Moreover, between the two trial groups, the frequency of MSDs in upper and lower extremities
significantly improved among nurses of the pamphlet group in comparison with the lecture group.
CONCLUSION: Findings of the study showed that we can use pamphlet as a suitable tool for
describing ergonomic concepts in comparison with lecture among nurses.

Abstract Background: The thought of having a surgery can be stressful for everyone. Providing
the necessary information to the patient can help both the patient and the treatment team.
This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of face‑to‑face verbal training and
educational pamphlets on the readiness of patients for undergoing non‑emergency surgeries.
Materials and Methods: The study was a before–after randomized clinical trial. 90 patients
scheduled to undergo non‑emergency surgery who referred to Shahrekord Ayatollah Kashani
Hospital in 2013 were distributed randomly and gradually into two experimental groups (group of
face‑to‑face verbal training and group of educational pamphlet) and one control group. Dependent
variable of the study was pre‑surgery readiness. Data analysis was carried out by using SPSS
statistical software. Statistical analysis were analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation test.
Results: Results showed that the mean scores of pre‑surgery readiness in both interventional
groups were significantly higher than that in the control group after the intervention (P < 0.05).
However, there was no significant difference between the two experimental groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: Each of the methods of face‑to‑face verbal education and using the pamphlet could
be equally effective in improving the readiness of the patients undergoing surgery. Therefore,
in environments where the health care providers are facing with the pressure of work and lack
of sufficient time for face‑to‑face verbal training, suitable educational pamphlets can be used to
provide the necessary information to patients and prepare them for surgery.