Development And Validation Of Behavioral Risk Assessment Scale For Work Related Musculoskeletal Pain Among Nursing Professionals (BRASM-N)

Work related musculoskeletal disorders are a significant occupational health issue among nurses, who frequently face physical demands such as lifting patients, prolonged standing, awkward postures, and repetitive movements. These physical tasks, when combined with behavioral and psychological factors like poor body mechanics, insufficient sleep, stress, and lack of self care, considerably increases the risk of musculoskeletal pain in nurses. Despite their prevalence, behavioral contributors to work related musculoskeletal disorders are often overlooked in occupational health protocols.

The study aims to bridge the gap by developing and validating a standardized tool to assess behavioral risk factors contributing to work related musculoskeletal disorders among nurses. The study follows a mixed method design involving literature review, expert panel evaluation, and psychometric testing for content and construct validity, along with reliability measures such as test-retest and inter-rater assessments.

The scale development includes domain such as lifestyle, ergonomics, physical workload, psychological stress, organizational factors, and preventive health behavior. The study will include 220 female nurses aged 27-35 years , working full time in hospitals , with a recent history of musculoskeletal pain .The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire is used to identify pain region , while the BRASM-N scale evaluates associated behavioral risks.

The study emphasizes the urgent need for behavioral interventions in addition to ergonomics modifications to reduce the burden of work related musculoskeletal disorders . By providing a reliable and valid tool assessment , this research supports early identification and targeted behavioral change strategies for nurses.