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ABSTRACTS BOOK OF 3rd WORLD CONFERENCE ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
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Musculoskeletal symptoms in nursing students: concept analysis
Cristiana Firmino1,2, Luís Sousa1,3, Joana Marques1,4, Vanessa Antunes1,
Fátima Marques5, Celeste Simões6
1 Escola Superior de Saúde Atlântica, Barcarena, Lisboa, Portugal; vantunes@uatlantica.pt
2 Hospital Cuf Infante Santo, Lisboa, Portugal; furtado.cristy@gmail.com
3 Hospital Curry Cabral, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisboa, Portugal; luismmsousa@gmail.com
4 Centro de Medicina de Reabilitação de Alcoitão; joana_mmarques@hotmail.com
5 Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; fmarques@esel.pt
6 Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa; csimoes@sapo.pt
Background: The musculoskeletal symptomatology is one of the most common conditions affecting
the individual regardless of gender, age or socioeconomic context. Nursing is one of the professions in
which the impact of musculoskeletal symptomatology is more evident (Ribeiro, Serranheira & Loureiro,
2017). Nursing students, once they begin their academic training, perform and experience the same
situations of working conditions as the nurse, being exposed to the same factors that can trigger this
musculoskeletal symptomatology (Oliveira et al., 2017).
Objective: To analyze the musculoskeletal symptomatology concept in nursing undergraduate
students through Rodgers' evolutionary method.
Methods: For this study two methodologies were associated: Rodgers' evolutionary method,
understands that a concept is used according to its context, is dynamic and changes over time
(Dinmohammadi et al., 2016; Rodgers, 2000) and integrative literature review. The research question:
What is the concept of musculoskeletal symptomatology applied to undergraduate nursing students?
was formulated to the PCC acronym (Sousa, et al, 2018). The electronic research was carried in
Bibliotheca Virtual em Saúde (BVS); SCOPUS and EBSCOhost and Google Academic. Descriptors used:
(musculoskeletal symptoms) OR (musculoskeletal disorders) OR (Musculoskeletal system) AND
(Nursing Students). The inclusion criteria: publications in Portuguese, English and Spanish; articles with
full text available and published between January 2004 and June 2018. 544 references were identified,
and 10 articles were selected for final revision.
Results: Having in mind the fundamental elements of Rodgers' evolutionary method, this analysis
allowed identify characteristics, attributes and contextual basis of the concept. Different forms of
expression emerged to describe the musculoskeletal symptomatology. The evident terms were
musculoskeletal disorders (Abledu & Offei, 2015; Kneafsey & Smallwood, 2010; Lövgren et al., 2014;
Smith & Leggat, 2004), musculoskeletal symptoms (Dawson et al., 2009; Lövgren et al., 2014; Menzel
et al., 2016; Singh et al., 2010; Oliveira et al., 2017), work-related symptoms (Oliveira et al., 2017) and,
musculoskeletal injuries (Kneafsey & Smallwood, 2010). We chose the musculoskeletal
symptomatology, because it is characterized as a subjective experience of alteration, function or
appearance of the body (Nunes et al., 2016), not being considered a medical diagnosis. Attributes are:
pain; discomfort; limitation of normal activities; the most affected areas: lumbar region, neck,
shoulders, wrists and knees (Lövgren et al., 2014; Nunes et al., 2016). Contextual causes most
described as being at the origin and consequences symptomatology: overload; repetitive movements;
inappropriate postures e excessive use of the computer, changes in quality of life, anxiety, academic
stress and wellbeing (Azevedo, 2017; Backåberg et al., 2014; Lövgren et al., 2014; Martins & Felli, 2013;
Oliveira et al., 2017).
Conclusions: This study contribute to clarification the concept of musculoskeletal symptomatology in
nursing students and describe attributes, contextual causes and health consequences. It undeniable
ABSTRACTS BOOK OF 3rd WORLD CONFERENCE ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
117
the importance of knowing the factors that contribute to musculoskeletal symptomatology, to
intervene earlier. Nursing degree admission requires students to have cognitive, physical and
emotional resources. The school must provide conditions that nursing students can deal with
situations that interfere and compromise their quality of life.
Keywords: Nursing Students; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Concept Formation
References
Abledu, J. K., & Offei, E. B. (2015). Musculoskeletal disorders among first-year Ghanaian students in a
nursing college. African health sciences, 15(2), 444-449.
Azevedo, R. S. F. (2017) Relação do uso do smartphone e os sintomas músculo-esqueléticos em
adolescentes. Escola Superior de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico do Porto.
http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/11050.
Backåberg, S., Rask, M., Brunt, D., & Gummesson, C. (2014). Impact of musculoskeletal symptoms on
general physical activity during nursing education. Nurse Education in Practice, 14(4), 385-390.
Dawson, A. P., Steele, E. J., Hodges, P. W., & Stewart, S. (2009). Development and test–retest reliability
of an extended version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ-E): a screening
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Dinmohammadi, M., Peyrovi, H., & Mehrdad, N. (2013). Concept analysis of professional socialization
in nursing. Nursing forum, 48 (1), 26-34.
Kneafsey, R., & Smallwood, J. (2010). Musculo-skeletal injury–Are Universities doing enough to protect
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comunitaria del sur del Brasil. Enfermería Global, 16(3), 128-174.
ABSTRACTS BOOK OF 3rd WORLD CONFERENCE ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
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Ribeiro, T., Serranheira, F., & Loureiro, H. (2017). Work related musculoskeletal disorders in primary
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