Elevating Experiences. Enriching Lives. | Godrej Interio

ELEVATING EXPERIENCES,
ENRICHING LIVES
A Study conducted on the nursing staff in India

Elevating Experiences, Enriching Lives
About Godrej Interio
ACP Approach
Abstract
Physical Demands Of Nursing Profession
Emerging healthcare sector in India and emerging role of nurses
Healthcare Work Environment
MSD’s due to physical exertion
Creating awareness about the risk involved in patient handling
Creating awareness about ergonomics importance while at work
Designing spaces considering job tasks of nurses
Increased demands on nurses
Absenteeism
Infrastructure concern
Conclusion
Our study
Introduction
03
04
05
06
07
08
10
11
12
12
12
13
15
15
18
19

Abstract
03
Educating the nursing staff about adopting ergonomic
postures, taking appropriate breaks during their work
schedule, adopting safe patient handling techniques,
and designingworkspaces for nurses that are conducive
to their job demands are measures that must be
adopted by the nursing staff and healthcare
organizations to make the nursing force of India happier
and healthier.
The study revealed that nurses face tremendous work-
related stress and burnout due to workload, long
working hours, and overtime done. The job also has
signiﬁcant physical demands like standing for long
hours, performing tasks in awkward and sustained
postures, and handling patients while transferring them.
This poses a lot of risk of musculoskeletal disorders. In
fact, an alarming 90% of nurses studied, suffered some
form of musculoskeletal disorder due to the nature of
theirwork.
We at Godrej Interio, study the people and their work
environments and problems faced by them while
carrying out thework. In thatvein,we studied the routine
of nurses during their workday, their work environment,
the physical demands of their work, and the problems
faced by them while carrying out various care giving
tasks. The objective of the study was to improve the
health and productivity ofthe nursing staff.
The healthcare sector of India is rapidly changing and
expanding, to keep pace with the increased
expectations from the receivers of healthcare. There are
a wide range of services available and an array of
technologies used for service delivery. Patients today
are also more alert and better-informed regarding the
choices available to them. As service delivery expands
and methods evolve, there is an increasing demand on
the nursing staffto provide high-quality services.

Introduction
04
Tertiary care is meant for patients, who require a higher
level of care in specialized hospitals. The professionals
at the tertiary care level are highly specialized, and they
often use advanced medical equipment to treat the
patients. Cardiac surgery, treatment and management
of cancer, burn injuries, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery,
and other complicated procedures fall in this category.
The Private Healthcare Sector, also known as the
independent healthcare sector, consists of medical
clinics and hospitals, that are run independently by a
person, company, a group of companies, charities, or
not-for-proﬁt organizations (NGOs).
On the other hand, the Public Healthcare Sector includes
hospitals that are mainly governed by government
bodies. Community health centers (CHCs), Primary
health centers (PHCs), and sub-centers (SCs) are
examples of public hospitals. While the sub-district
hospitals fall at the Secondary care level, district
hospitals and medical colleges are included in the
Tertiarywing ofthe healthcare system in India.
an urgent care center.
Secondary care is deﬁned as services provided by
medical specialists or health professionals, at a
hospital, or an acute care center. Secondary care
includes general hospital care, childbirth attendance,
medical imaging services, and the care provided in
Intensive Care Units (ICU).
India’s Healthcare sector is experiencing explosive
growth in revenue, the number of service providers, and
state-of-the-art equipment and medical supplies in use.
The initial medical consultation takes place at the
primary care level, where the general practitioner offers
medical services in a clinic/chamber, a health center, or
Modernization and commercialization of the medical
profession have driven the sharp expansion of hospitals,
nursing homes, and clinics. Patients have also started
taking well-informed decisions after considering the
plethora of options available to them. Medical facilities
are being forced to compete with each other to provide
the best services.
The healthcare ecosystem in India consists of the
primary, secondary, and tertiary health care, provided
by both public, aswell as private health care providers.
Public Sector Private Sector
Primary Secondary Teritary
Health Care System
Private Companies
or NGO’s
Government
aided / owned

The healthcare sector in India & the emerging role of nurses
05
clinical knowledge for assessment and monitoring.
Today, nurses also integrate and manage reports and
treatment plans provided by multiple doctors for the
same patient, manage patientswith intense care needs,
and help patients as they move out of hospitals and into
the home or other settings. Nurses also work as “health
coaches”, counselors, and they handle many other roles
to prevent illness and promotewellness.
Various nursing programs are now available in India,
based on the specialty area and services provided are
ANM-Auxiliary nurse and midwife, GNM-General nursing
and midwifery, BSc Nursing, MSc Nursing, etc. Apart
from these nursing programs, there are also many
specialized degrees in fields like neurology, orthopedics,
cardiology, and more.
With the establishment of new cadres and legal
empowerment, Nps (Nursing Practice) can provide cost-
effective, competent, safe, and quality-driven
specialized nursing care to patients in a variety of
settings.
However, with this expansion in the role, nurses in India
are facing new challenges in their workplaces. On one
hand, they are more equipped and qualified but, on the
other, the demand and supply ratio is sub-optimal.
There is an impact on the service delivery system due to
this mismatch. This is causing the NPs to be subjected to
a lot of pressure to keep up with the expected quality of
care to the satisfaction ofthe care receiver.
The Indian healthcare system has undergone a
revolution. All three sectors have experienced growth in
service delivery and excellence. Changes are also being
observed in human resource development through
improved education and training alongside greater
regulation, control, and legislation.
In all this, the role of nurses has always been crucial.
Nurses are on the front line every day, tending to the sick,
counselling patients on their health, and working to
improve processes throughout the healthcare system.
Nursing care is not restricted to hospitals only, but it is
seen in home care nursing, industrial care nursing,
community health nursing, military nursing, and many
more.
Modern healthcare teams today are becoming
extremely complex and diverse. Healthcare facilities are
building teams that include doctors, resident doctors,
nurses, pharmacists, dentists, technologists and
technicians, therapists and rehabilitation specialists,
emotional, social and spiritual support providers,
administrative and support staff, community health
workers and patient navigators. Healthcare has
become a team effort and every individual member has
a specific role. While some diagnose and treat the
disease, others provide extensive care to fulfill the
physical and emotional needs ofthe patients.
Nurses have a high level ofknowledge, clinical expertise,
and the capability to independently perform several
routine clinical actions. Nurses can also use specialized

Increased demands on nurses
06
In the new, tech-driven care environment, nurses are
also responsible for massive amounts of data collection,
technology adoption, liaising with inter-disciplinary
teams.
Nurses and nursing departments now need to
aggressively manage the changing environment so that
the quality of patient care is enhanced. Further, the need
to maintain an enhanced quality of interaction between
the patients and the nurses is imposing huge demand on
the nursing population to multitask. They have to
accelerate service delivery and become adept at
technology-handling. The expectations from the nurses
are rising as patients look up to them as their primary
contact point during their treatment.
as well as government sector in India. Not only
caregivers but also care-receivers have gained
independence and autonomy in choosing and
delivering the highest level ofcare.
As the work environment evolves, the demands on
nurses keep increasing. Technology solutions like
automation and remote patient monitoring are also
making it more challenging for nurses to stay connected
with their patients.
The new vision of healthcare delivery places a lot of
emphasis on patient-centered care. In line with this
vision, significant changes have been brought about in
the way healthcare is delivered. Improvements in
patient access, reduced waiting times, improved
revenues for health systems, controlled costs, and many
such strategies have evolved to provide patients a new
and improved experience of the health care delivery
system.
These technological advancements in healthcare have
improved the quality of service provided in the private
Advanced technology is being widely deployed to
improve the patient experience too. This includes
technology for less invasive diagnostics procedures,
surgical robotics tools, smaller implants, and more.
Patient-centered mobile apps for the ease of taking and
managing appointments and reports of tests and
connected devices for home use are giving the patient
greater control and making them feel more secure and
better informed. Remote patient monitoring solutions
are making it easier for medical professionals to monitor
patients all the time. Artificial Intelligence and digital
platform integration is also making the work of hospital
staffeasier and more impactful.
Burnouts among nurses
This can be achieved by focusing on the requirements of
nurses and addressing the challenges they face on a
daily basis. This will create an empowered,
encouraged, and affirmed nursing staff that can
continue to deliver extremely high standards of patient
care.
changing technology and deal with extended hours of
work. This has caused shortages of qualified personnel.
Hence, it’s not surprising that there are growing
incidences of burnout in nurses. Given the critical role
played by NPs in the healthcare ecosystem, it is essential
to have a well-motivated, healthy and well-prepared
workforce in place.
Stressors for nurses in specific departments like
radiology, ICU and Operation theatre also include
scheduling pressures. Sequenced procedures could
exceed the allotted time, causing unplanned delays to
the following patientswhich could be critical.
Also, nurses, today need to stay updated with ever-
Caring for others, especially in the nursing profession,
has long been associated with stress. Nurses work under
challenging conditions. They deal with pressure driven
by high stakes in their work environment, the pace of
work, long hours, and escalated performance
expectations.

07
Our Study
staff across departments and observed them formally
and informally during their working hours to know about
their actual on-ﬁeld job tasks and their responsibilities.
Some alarming facts emerged that need to be
addressed immediately, as they are responsible for
causing a lot of stress and pain among the nursing force
ofIndia.
With the objective of understanding more about the
challenges that NPs face, we, at Godrej Interio, tried to
understand the current work environment and work
pattern ofthe nurses in India.
A mix of observational and subjective study was carried
out across different hospital categories including
government, private, trust, small polyclinics, and big
hospitals across the nation. We interviewed the nursing
Gender:
Males - 7%
Females - 93%
Age Group
20-25 years : 22.7%
25-30 years : 21%
31-35 years : 23.5%
Qualiﬁcation:
GNM nursing - 73%
BSc nursing - 14%
Diploma Nursing - 12%
Organization pattern:
Government setups - 40%
Private setups - 55%
Trust operated - 5%
Medicine
26.5%
Surgery
19.7%
ICU/Emergency
15.2%
Infection control and OPD
12.1%
Gynecology and obstetric
10.6%
Sample size 400
Across India
(Mumbai, Pune, Delhi,
Kolkatta, Chennai, etc.,)
18.2%
were designated
as in-charge
43.2%
were senior staff
nurses
30.3%
were junior staff
nurses

08
Faulty work behavior/postures
Lack of manpower
Infrastructural inefficiency
Poorly designed workspaces
90% nurses
facing
musculoskeletal
pain
- Factors such as faultywork behavior/postures
- Lack ofmanpower
- Infrastructural inefficiency
- Poorly designed workspaces in the hospitals are seen
to be causing these strains and stresses.
The significant insights about the study have been
shared in subsequent sections but the top problems
identified by the study were that 90% of nurses have
complained of musculoskeletal pain or discomfort in
relation to theirwork environment andwork culture.
Long working hours, overtime and work overload
affects the physical and psychological wellbeing of the nurses
Work Environment
The nurses are also expected to do double shifts in the
event ofa shortage ofstaffon a particular day. Our study
revealed that 20% of nurses reported doing double duty
at least twice a month. Nurses working in specialized
units such as surgery, dialysis, and intensive care are
often required to be available to work extra hours, or on
double shifts (on-call), in addition to working their
regularly scheduled shifts.
We found that 26% of nurses were called on duty on their
off days, twice a month and 10% of nurses were called on
duty more than twice a month on their off days. Twenty-
four-hour shifts are quite common, particularly in
emergency rooms and in units where there is shortage of
staff.
a month and 10% do overtime more than five times a
month.
As per the FactoriesAct 1948, “every adult (a person who
has completed 18 years of age) cannot work for more
than 48 hours in a week and not more than 9 hours in a
day”. According to our study, 88% of nurses work for
more than 8-10 hours a day, which adds up to more than
48 hours aweek.This, in turn, leads to fatigue and stress.
LongWorking Hours
The nursing staffat hospitalwere found to beworking for
longer hours with fewer breaks, and often, little time for
recovery between shifts. Scheduled shifts may be of
eight, twelve, or even sixteen hours and may not follow
the traditional pattern of the day, evening, and night
shifts. Although the twelve-hour shifts usually start at 8
p.m. and end at 8 a.m., some extend till 9 or 10 a.m.,
depending on the next shifts’ staff availability. We also
observed that 35% of nurses do overtime twice or thrice
a month whereas 23% do overtime more than four times
Working overtime

09
Cognitive anxiety
Inadequate sleep, poor shift rotation, shifts longer than
12 hours and the stresses of patient handling were
contributing risks factors that caused stress in the
nursingworkforce. Our study revealed that 59% ofnurses
said that their work-related stress due to work overload
and irregular shiftswas more than other stresses ofwork,
like role conﬂicts (12%), interpersonal relationship (15%),
insecurities of responsibilities (10%), and feeling
extremely fatigued due to mental stress (20%).
always at work, while 37 % felt that they are extremely
fatigued often,when they are atwork.
Adverse effects on health and wellbeing, such as
cognitive anxiety, poor sleep quality, musculoskeletal
disorders, and stress were often associated with long
working hours, overtime work, no time to take breaks,
andwork overload.
Poor sleep Quality
When considering the negative impacts of shift work on
nurses’ health, fatigue and sleepiness are the most
common complaints reported. 27% of nurses said that
they sleep for less than 7 hours a day and 21% said that
they sleep for less than 6 hours a day.They also said that
they have rarely slept soundly in the last 6 months.
Moreover, when asked whether they felt rejuvenated
after getting up from sleep, 50% answered in the
negative and 22% said ‘maybe’. Thus, irregular shifts,
overload, long working hours contribute to lack of sleep
and added physical stress.
Nurses work continuously for 4 hours or more, without
taking breaks. This causes burnout and makes them feel
extremely fatigued. When asked about their fatigue
levels, 22% said that they feel extremely fatigued almost
No break scenario
53% of the nurses in departments like medicine and
surgery (especially general wards) were observed to
deal with staff-patient ratios of more than 6 patients per
nurse. "As per the Indian Nursing Council (INC) norms,
the nurse-patient ratio should be 1:3 for general wards in
medical colleges, and 1:5 for district hospitals, one in
each clinic room of the OPD, and 1:1 in ICU, ICCU, and
other critical care areas.
Work overload
According to our study, nurses don’t take adequate rest
breaks in between working hours. This results in a
physical overload that in turn, adds to the mental stress.
Rest breaks
in between
working
hours
26.5%
No
break
13.6%
After
2 hours
8.3%
After
3 hours
28%
After
4 hours
22.7%
After
5 hours
or more

10
Physical Demands Of Nursing Profession
We observed that
number ofstanding hours nurses spend atwork.
Ÿ 60% of nurses bend from their back in awkward
postureswhile doing patient care activities
Ÿ 65% reported awkward back twists while providing
care.
Several nurses were observed adopting awkward
postureswhile performing patient’s daily routine tasks.
Ÿ 60% reported using strenuous and awkward grips for
a long time while doing procedures or preparing
patients for procedures
b)Job tasks demanding physical exertion
The job of nurses often involves pushing heavy trolleys,
patient beds, lifting the patient to make them sit upright,
moving patients from one surface to another, bending
during activities like bed-making and feeding, infusing IV
ﬂuids, transferring the patient from bed to wheelchair
and vice versa, delivering personal hygiene, and more.
All these tasks are strenuous and involve a lot of physical
effort on the part ofthe nurses.
Ÿ 55% reported lifting heavy patients while transferring
the patient or maintaining their hygiene
Nursing profession by itself is a physically demanding
profession as most of their job tasks are carried while
standing and they have to be on the go for long time
during theirwork shift.This imposes a lot ofstress on their
lower back and legs.
As per our study and interaction with the staff of the
hospitals, nurses walk or stand most of the time (74%
each), followed by a sitting posture, which constitutes
about 24% of the total time.As a result, 51% suffered from
knee pain and 51% suffered from leg pain due to the
Physical discomfort due towork overload
Our study showed that the work-related factors such as
performing nursing procedures repeatedly, treating a
large number of patients, bending/twisting the back
and lifting/transferring of patients and equipment
caused work-related musculoskeletal disorders among
the nurses. It was observed that 51% of nurses complain
of lower and upper back pain. This could be an account
of bending/twisting the back in awkward ways,
standing longer while treating a large number of
patients, inadequate breaks and lifting/transferring
dependent patients.
a) Long Standing hours atwork
90%
nurses suffers
from one or more pain issues
61% complaints
of neck pain
51% complaints
of back pain
43% complaints
of wrist pain
51% complaints
of knee pain

But as we observed, only a few techniques being used
by the nursing staff during patient transfers from one
surface to another are according to safety standards.
The reason most-often quoted was the lack of time to
wait for help to arrive or belts to be worn. In some cases,
this was said to be due to the lack of manpower. Some
blamed lack ofproper infrastructure.
We found that some ofthe large private hospitals (16.7%)
do have mechanical lifters. However, it was observed
that the staff was either not trained to use the same, or
they were hesitant to use the same, as it is a time-
consuming process. Unfortunately, 83.3% of the
hospitalswere found to not have mechanical lifters.
It is known that the patient transferring techniques must
be safe and well-supported to prevent falls and injury to,
both, the patient and the nursing staff.
Ÿ 74% reported that they don’t use mechanical lifters
while transferring the patient from one surface to
another.
Ÿ 43% reposition the patient on the bed alone (The
ideal technique is to have two people reposition the
patient on the bed as itwould be less strenuous).
Ÿ 57% of nurses shift the patient (fully dependent) from
one bed to the other with the help of one person, 33%
shift with the help of two and only 10% shift with the
help of three persons, which is the correct technique
to transfer the patient from one bed to another.
In view of this, we evaluated the transfer techniques
being used by the nurses, and whether those are safe for
the patients, aswell as the nursing staff.
C) Patient transfer tasks:
Transferring a patient from one surface to another is an
important job responsibility ofthe nursing staff.
Itwas observed that:
Ÿ 58% of the nurses lift the patient alone without the
help of a gait belt, while 44% of them lift the patient
alone with the help of a gait belt (the correct
technique is to use a gait belt, and two people
transfer the patient).
11
MSD’s due to physical exertion
61% of the nurses surveyed reported problems in the
neck. The next biggest problem area was the back
(upper and lower), as reported by 51% of the nurses
surveyed. 47% of the nurses surveyed experienced
problems in their shoulders. 43% of the nurses reported
problems in their wrists and ﬁngers, while 34% of the
nurses suffered problems in their elbows, due to
incorrectwork postures.

Hospital infrastructure and the work environment also
plays a critical role in the optimal functioning of the staff.
Our study revealed that the kind of furniture provided in
the hospitals, especially in general wards and in OPDs,
was fixed and lacked adjustability features. This made
adjusting beds or chairs according to nurses’ heightvery
difficult.
From observations and interaction with the nurses it is
clear that they face many MSD’s. 41% of nurses were
found to have taken leave for 1-3 days, whereas 7% of
nurses have taken leaves for 4-6 days,within the most
Infrastructure concern
The pain and MSDs suffered by the nurses could have
also impacted their self-confidence and self-esteem,
thus decreasing their efficiency and productivity. This
creates psychological stress. All of these factors create
room for errors.
nurses have taken leaves for 4-6 days, within the most
recent two months, to manage the pain that they have
got due to MSD’s. This indicates a clear productivity loss
to the healthcare organization.
Absenteeism
When asked about the remedial action taken by them
for alleviating this pain, we observed that nurses use
remedial measures like applying painkiller ointment,
massage, rest, and pain killer medicines. It was
observed that 92% are not aware ofthe ergonomic
When asked about the seating arrangements available
for the nurses in the hospitals, 34.8% said that they have
fixed chairs with no adjustability features, 24.2% said
that they have stools to sit on and only 22% said that
they have adjustable chairs for sitting.
Temperature regulation is another factor, especially in
the ICU setups, where the temperature is very low, and
nurses face problems like numbness in their feet while
standing and in their fingerswhile taking notes.
Even in areas where adjustable furniture was provided in
the hospital, it was also observed that due to the lack of
knowledge about correct postures, nurses don’t adjust
the height of the bed or examination couches, causing
strain on their joints and ligaments.
12
Nurses form the single largest groups of health
professionals. In all care-delivery settings, they have a
critical role to improve care, advance health, and
providevalue.
In response to a changed system and new
responsibilities, the challenges faced by nurses need to
be addressed on priority. An efficient nursing workforce
will make healthcare delivery smoother, and the
patientswill feel safer and more secure.
Solution

13
A. Creating awareness about risk involved in patient handling
measures can reduce patient handling risks to a great
extent:
Ÿ Technological advancements and assistive devices
help nurses in their task of patient movement and
mobility. They also help reduce risks of injury to the
staff. Appropriate use of assistive devices to lift,
move, reposition, and transport patients is the
foundation of a successful and safe patient handling
and mobility. Assistive devices include mobile
mechanical patient lifts, ceiling-mounted lifts,
friction-reducing devices, lateral transfer aids, in-bed
turning and repositioning devices, and height-
adjustable electric beds. Ideally, this equipment
should be located at or near the beds of all patients.
Further, all the staff must be aware of the benefits of
integrating tools and technology into the patient
handling processes. This apart, the assistive devices
must match the patients’ physical, cognitive and
clinical needs.
Ÿ Competence-based employee education on the use
of safe patient handling and mobility devices and
associated work practices is crucial. Both, new hires
and the permanent staff, who have the responsibility
to handle patients, should be given proper education
and rigorous training to improve their efficiency.
There are times when patients cannot be held close to
the body due to tubes or equipment attached to their
bodies. If there is no proper tool to hold a patient, like
loops on the bed sheet while transferring, it will be
difficult to hold him/her. This increases the risk of the
patient slipping during the transfer. The task gets even
more difficultwhen patients are bulky.
It is, therefore, essential to educate the nurses about
these risk factors, and their consequences.The following
Slipping, tripping, and falling are considered common
workplace hazards. Work surfaces play an important
role in patient transfer techniques. Space limitations
(small rooms, lots of equipment) crowd the space, due
to which, maneuvering transfer equipment and
wheelchairs become difficult. Often, there is no
assistance available. Inadequate equipment,
inappropriate footwear, and clothing increase the risks
in the transfer. The lack of knowledge or training among
nursing staffadds to the risk.
There are several factors, which make patient handling
activities strenuous, thereby increasing the risk of injury.
Force, repetition, and awkward positions are three
major concerned areas thatwe identified.

14
A collective effort to prevent injuries related to patient
handling through safe handling methods requires
partnerships and coalitions, staff education, increased
access to and use of assistive devices and ongoing
education at all levels ofthe organization.
patient safety, reduced direct costs (including
medical costs for injury treatment and rehabilitation,
as well as compensation to injured workers), and
lesser days of lost work, and increased employee
satisfaction.
Ÿ The impact ofsafe patient handling methods must be
evaluated objectively on a routine basis. Relevant
metrics could be a drop-in injury rates, improved
Ÿ Successful design and implementation of safe
handling practice requires meaningful, sustained
changes in the workplace culture. To build and
sustain successful safe handling methods, leaders,
managers, and clinical staff must demonstrate a
consistent commitment towards the nurses’ and
patients’ safety. Frontline nursing staff must be
actively engaged in planning, implementing, and
evaluating the methods.
B. Creating awareness about the safe patient handling techniques
Some points to considerwhile handling patients are:
Ÿ Always seek the help of assistants wherever
necessary
Ÿ Before starting any kind of handling activity,
caregivers should position themselves as close as
possible to the patient, also kneel on the patient's
bed ifnecessary
Ÿ Adopt the right posture during patient handling
operations
Ÿ Before starting any kind of handling operation,
explain the procedure to the patients while also
encouraging them to cooperate as much as possible
in the course ofthe handling activity
Ÿ Wear suitable footwear and clothing.
Ÿ The level ofassistance the patient requires
Ÿ The size andweight ofthe patient
Ÿ The ability and willingness of the patient to
understand and cooperate
Even with assistance from additional staff members, it is
important to note that risks persist. Therefore, manual
lifting of patients should be avoided or eliminated
whenever feasible. The use of large patient handling
aids should always be encouraged.
Deﬁning appropriate patient handling techniques
should start with an assessment of the condition of the
patients involved.
Ÿ Any medical condition that may inﬂuence the choice
ofmethods for lifting or repositioning
The patient assessment should examine:

considered as a risk factor for the identified knee (51%
reporting) and heel pain (50% reporting) among nurses.
Techniques like shifting the weight while standing or
sitting whenever possible are advisable. Wearing
comfortable footwear, so that the stress on the joints
and ligaments of the lower limbs are decreased, taking
mini breaks, and doing simple stretches while working
are some recommendations.
Installation of mechanical aids e.g. pneumatic lifts,
movable beds, wheelchairs, and/or automated
handling equipment will also help reduce the risk of
injuries and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
Standing for long hours (74% reported of standing and
walking for more than 6 hours in their shift), can be
Our study revealed that the nursing staff across
hospitals has complaints of discomfort and
musculoskeletal disorders. Awkward postures and
manual patient handing in the workplace should be
eliminated, and hospitals should adopt ergonomics
techniques like adopting beds with height adjustability
features.The height ofthe beds must be not too high and
not too low. Low beds will require nurses to bend more
and if the beds are too high, the patients will experience
difficulties in getting on and offthe bed.
D. Creating awareness about physical health and wellbeing
By following self-care and a relaxed routine, nurses can
deliver high-quality care giving tasks with empathy and
interest.
Some of the ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle are, eat
well and drink plenty of water, practice mindfulness or
meditation, exercise regularly, find a hobby unrelated to
your studies or work, make time for spiritual pursuits,
make time for family and friends, plan your week in
advance, sleep at least 8 hours a day around the shift
timings, quit unhealthy eating or not eating enough,
correct poor time management issues, reduce caffeine
intake.
As the role of nurses gets more challenging, they are
exposed to stressful experiences. Establishing self-care
practices and proactive coping skills early in the career
may help them maintain good health and resilience.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle can help nurses maintain
better health and well-being, even while following a
busy schedule.
C. Creating awareness about ergonomic factors
15

Break-out zones are such spaces, which need to be
incorporated while designing the hospital spaces. The
location of break-out zones should be convenient
enough to allow access to work areas easily. This also
requires a necessary separation from patient care and
treatment areas, especially to provide the staff with the
distance required to refresh and recharge. The furniture
in break-out areas should exude a homely feel and strive
to create a connectionwith the outdoors.
Designing spaces is less about allocating square
footage per person and more about the way the spaces
are organized. It is also about where and how they can
be strategically located within the facility to maximize
flexibility and add value to the staff, as well as the
organization.
maintaining optional acoustics levels. All these are
important for patient recovery and staffefficiency.
Depending on the space available, a variety of furniture
can be placed in the break-out rooms for the staff to
choose from, including café tables, coffee bars with high
stools, computer carrels, lounge seating, recliners,
private rooms for lactating mothers on job, single-
occupant staff meditation rooms with plush seating,
warm color tones, dimmable lighting, and softer
surfaces for better acoustics.
Hospital space design involves factoring in many
different facets of work, including physical elements
(e.g., medical equipment design, workspace,
workstation and physical environment) and
psychosocial elements (e.g., job content, workload,
autonomy and participation). All these elements impact
the nursing staff’s stress and efficiency.
The design of the hospital spaces and infrastructure
plays a major role in the job satisfaction of the nurses.
These spaces must be designed according to the job
hours and tasks of nurses. The design must ensure that
they have space to relax, recover, and rejuvenate
themselves. Reducing the stress and fatigue of the
nursing staff and providing ergonomically supportive
spaces should be given importance while designing the
hospital infrastructure.
Work design can also positively impact patient safety
through the improved efficiency of the nursing staff. This
can be done by removing obstacles to their
performance and enhancing their processes for
providing care.
Various steps can be taken while designing these
spaces like furniture adjustability, obstacle-free
placement of medical equipment and furniture in the
room, light in the room, ventilation in and around, and
E. Designing modern and ergonomic workspace for nurses
16
Breakout
Zones
Proper
Illumination
Levels
Optimal
Acoustic
Levels
Regulated
Temperature
Well designed
workspace
Appropriate
Furniture

Considering the long hours spent on the job,workspaces
must be optimally designed to support ergonomics,
efﬁciency, access, comfort, and productivity. The
creation of collaborative multi-use areas that serve as a
silent space for individual work areas, staff meeting
spaces, and break stations will go a long way in
improving the health ofNPs.
The participation of nurses in the design or redesign of
their workspaces is crucial to make them feel involved. It
can act as a motivator and enabler of high-quality
performance. Besides being a key work design criterion,
participation is also an important characteristic of any
big change.
patients’ beds, or beside the examination or operation
theater tables, should also be adjustable to enhance
easy accessibility.
Areas for sports and recreation can also be included.
Overall, there should be a clear distinction between the
staff areas and the patient-facing zones to allow mental
relief to the workers. The materials, furnishings, colors,
and style could be different to provide diversion and
visual interest.
Furniture adjustability is one such important facet while
selecting or changing furniture for patient care.
Adjustable beds, in which the height, width, angle, and
placement of bed can be adjusted according to the task
that the patients have to perform, are advisable.
Comfortable chairs should be provided by taking into
consideration the ergonomic quotient of the task to be
performed. While examining a patient, the examination
table should be height-adjustable to avoid unnecessary
load on the joints and muscles of the staff members. All
other accessories that occupy the position beside the
17
Ÿ Formal and informal observation of the nurses
performing a task
Ÿ Check near-miss events and identify factors causing
it.
Ÿ Checking injury records ofstaffatwork
Ÿ Observing the physical environment for any hidden
hazard like wires of electrical equipment placed on
the ground in an unsafe manner.
ACPAPPROACH
Ÿ Discussing the activities and conditions, which the
employees associatewith difﬁculties
ASSESSMENT
Evaluating the Ergonomic Quotient of the hospital – In
order to identify theVISIBLE & HIDDEN HAZARDS through
ergonomic evaluation, conducting a task analysis for
nursing staff and evaluating their 360-degree
environment is essential.
Our team comprises Workspace professionals,
Occupational Therapists, and Ergonomists with
research and advisory experience spanning corporate,
government, and healthcare organizations. The team’s
work with these organizations with the objective of
understanding of changes in work patterns and
workspaces, issues arising thereof and helping them
improve their Ergonomic &Wellness Quotient.
An initiative of Godrej Interio’s Workplace and
Ergonomics Research Cell, our Wellness@Work
program has been a key knowledge advocate in the
space ofworkplace trends and ergonomics.
Over the past few years, we have been training nursing
staff about ergonomics and its importance by
conducting training sessions in hospitals across India.
The complete training module is formed to deliver a
high-class ergonomic training program with the primary
objective ofimproving the health ofthe nursing staff.
Our Approach

Ÿ Advice on general nutritional care, personal hygiene
and health, and simple exercises atwork
PREVENTION
We can offer passive prevention in the form ofcirculating
wellness tips among the nursing staff. These consist of
speciﬁc problem areas that we have understood during
our interaction and observation and giving simple
solutions in the form of pictorial illustrations so that it
becomes easy for them to register and remember.
We aim at generating a happy and healthy workforce
by educating them and making them aware of the
ergonomic importance so that they can have healthy
and motivatingworkplaces.
Removal ofHAZARDS –
Ÿ Conducting Ergonomic Awareness Workshops,
involving training for nurses about faulty body
positions and awkward postures that they generally
adopt
Ÿ Improving integration of the workplace and
workforce
Ÿ Training about good ergonomic body postures to be
adoptedwhile carrying out the tasks
Ÿ Training about safe transfer techniques using good
body postures
Ÿ Advice on taking appropriate breaks in between
work hours (alternate between standing and sitting
tasks)
CORRECTION
18

I. B2B – Office Modular Furniture, Turnkey Projects,
Healthcare Furniture, Lab Furniture, AV and Vending
Solutions
ii. B2C – Home Furniture & Storage, Mattress, and
Kitchens
Godrej Interio (GI) is India’s leading furniture brand in
both the home and institutional segments. GI aims to
transform spaces to create brighter homes and offices
with aesthetic, functional, and technology-driven
products that retain a special focus on health and
ergonomics. GI’s product portfolio covers:
Disclaimer
About Godrej Interio
References
This paper represents the opinions of the authors and is the product of professional research.This report has been prepared for the
exclusive use and benefit of the addressee(s) and solely for the purpose for which it is provided. Unless we provide express prior
written consent, no part of this report should be reproduced or distributed. While every attempt is made to ensure that the
information contained in this document is true to its best. However, Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., its employees, representatives,
affiliates or any of its divisions, etc. shall not be responsible for any reliance made on this paper or for any errors / omissions in
information obtained from the sourcewhile preparing this paper.
19
GI is widely known for its comprehensive sustainability
certifications for furniture products. Currently present in
over 650 cities with 250 exclusive showrooms and 800
dealers, GI is one of the largest divisions of Godrej and
Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., part of the Godrej Group, one of
India's largest engineering and customer product
groups.
More information is at
https:/
/www.godrejinterio.com/Godrejinterio/index.as
px
https:/
/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2686/
https:/
/www.ibef.org/industry/healthcare-india.aspx
https:/
/www.einsure.com/blog/the-difference-between-primary-secondary-and-tertiary-health-care/
http:/
/planningcommission.nic.in/reports/genrep/bkpap2020/26_bg2020.doc
https:/
/www.stasislabs.com/blog/remote-patient-monitoring/
https:/
/osha.europa.eu/en/publications/e-facts/efact28
https:/
/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2657/
https:/
/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4629843
https:/
/www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/trends/architecture/staff-support-designing-optimal-healthcare-
work-environments/
https:/
/americannursetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Patient-Handling-Safety-426b.pdf

Elevating Experiences. Enriching Lives. | Godrej Interio

Elevating Experiences. Enriching Lives. | Godrej Interio

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Elevating Experiences. Enriching Lives. | Godrej Interio

Similar to Elevating Experiences. Enriching Lives. | Godrej Interio (20)

More from ShreeGodrej

More from ShreeGodrej (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Elevating Experiences. Enriching Lives. | Godrej Interio