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Pre-employment physical capacity testing as a predictor of musculoskeletal injury in Victorian paramedics
Jenkins, Natasha Smith, Gavin Stewart, Scott Kamphuis, Catherine
Jenkins, Natasha
Smith, Gavin
Stewart, Scott
Kamphuis, Catherine
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Paramedic work has periods of intermittent high physical demand, a risk of workplace injury, may be confounded by inherent fitness of the paramedic. OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to identify the nature of workplace musculoskeletal injury, and determine if there was a relationship between pre-employment physical capacity testing (PEPCT) scores and risk of workplace musculoskeletal injury within the paramedic industry. METHODS:A retrospective case review using PEPCT scores and workplace injury (WI) manual handling data collected from 2008 to 2015 by an Australian pre-hospital emergency care provider (Ambulance Victoria), enabled comparison and analysis of two distinct data sets. RESULTS:A total of 538 paramedics were included for analysis with 34 paramedics reporting a workplace musculoskeletal injury from manual handling. The mean time to injury from commencement of employment was 395.4 days (SD 516.2). Female paramedics represented 53.0%and male paramedics represented 47%of the sample. Mean total PEPCT score for the entire sample was 19.1 (SD 2.9) with a range from 16.2–22, while for those reporting injuries it was 18.3 (SD 2.6) with a range from 15.7–20.9. CONCLUSIONS:Musculoskeletal injury amongst Victorian paramedics is more prevalent where the paramedic is female, and/or within three years of commencement of employment. The PEPCT score did not differentiate those at risk of subsequent injury.
Keywords
workplace injury, prehospital emergency health care, predictive assessment
Date
2021
Type
Journal article
Journal
Work
Book
Volume
70
Issue
1
Page Range
263-270
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled