Pelvic floor dysfunction, work productivity and work environment: A cross sectional survey and exploratory study of the nursing and midwifery workforce.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Australian Bladder Foundation (Australian Bladder Foundation Grants)

Start year: 2016

Summary: Background The health of the workforce has been highlighted as an economic priority to reduce the burden of disease and ensure workforce productivity. Pelvic floor (PF) health is an important component of an individuals¿ health: a high prevalence of symptoms of dysfunction is consistently reported in older people and females. Lower urinary tract symptoms are associated with lower levels of work productivity, and are more prevalent in nurses than source populations. With a global shortage of nurses and midwives and an ageing demographic, knowledge of the impact of symptoms in this workforce group is required. An understanding of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards PF dysfunction will assist in forming recommendations for strategies for PF health promotion in the nursing and midwifery workforce. Aims 1. To investigate the association between PF dysfunction and work productivity in nurses and midwives. 2. To explore the influence of work environments, knowledge, attitudes and behaviour to PF dysfunction in this workforce. Method Mixed method with sequential exploratory design: a cross-sectional survey with validated tools will collect data regarding PF dysfunction symptoms, and measure work-related limitations. Focus-group interviews will explore the relationship between work environments, knowledge, attitudes and behaviour and symptoms of dysfunction.

Publications:

Pierce, H, Perry, L, Gallagher, R & Chiarelli, P 2019, 'Culture, teams, and organizations: A qualitative exploration of female nurses’ and midwives’ experiences of urinary symptoms at work', Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 75, no. 6, pp. 1284-1295.
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Pierce, HM, Perry, L, Gallagher, R & Chiarelli, P 2019, 'Delaying voiding, limiting fluids, urinary symptoms, and work productivity: A survey of female nurses and midwives', Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 75, no. 11, pp. 2579-2590.
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Pierce, HM, Perry, L, Gallagher, R & Chiarelli, P 2018, 'Severity of urinary incontinence and its impact on work productivity among nurses and midwives in urban Australia.', Australian and New Zealand Continence Journal, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 7-15.

Pierce, H, Perry, L, Gallagher, R & Chiarelli, P 1970, '417 Limited fluid and restricted toileting are associated with reduced work productivity in women at work', Women, Health and Work, 32nd Triennial Congress of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH), Dublin, Ireland, 29th April to 4th May 2018, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, Dublin, Ireland.
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Pierce, H, Perry, L, Gallagher, R & Chiarelli, P 1970, ''HOLD TILL YOU BUST': A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF NURSES' EXPERIENCES OF URINARY SYMPTOMS IN THE WORKPLACE', NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Meeting of the International-Continence-Society (ICS), WILEY, PA, Philadelphia, pp. S151-S152.

Pierce, H, Perry, L, Gallagher, R & Chiarelli, P 1970, 'LIMITED FLUID INTAKE AND RESTRICTED TOILETING ARE BEHAVIOURS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED WORK PRODUCTIVITY FOR WOMEN WITH STORAGE LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS AT WORK.', NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, 47th Annual Meeting of the International-Continence-Society (ICS), WILEY, Florence, ITALY, pp. S430-S432.

Keywords: Nursing, workforce, pelvic floor, occupational health, continence

FOR Codes: Nursing not elsewhere classified, Urogenital System and Disorders, Nursing not elsewhere classified , Clinical health

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.