Work restrictions among healthcare providers in a northern Italian public academic hospital: an observational study

Background: Reduced work capacity in public hospitals has organizational repercussions, given the aging population, the shortage of healthcare workers, and the greater demand for healthcare services. In this study, we analysed the characteristics of staff assessed as "fit with restrictions" at a public academic hospital in northern Italy. We also aimed to identify individual and work-related variables that may be associated with the probability and timing of being "fit with restrictions". Methods: In this single-center observational study, sociodemographic data from staff employed in the Department of Healthcare Professions at our institution were analyzed using logistic regression to assess any associations between staff characteristics and the probability of being "fit with restrictions". Additionally, a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was fitted to investigate the potential association between staff characteristics and the timing of their first assessment as "fit with restrictions". Results: The study population was 2251 employees of which 18.4% (415/2251) were "fit with restrictions"; 56.1% (233/415) of nursing staff had at least one restriction, whereas 72.3% (300/415) of staff with restrictions had a permanent restriction. Sex was not associated with the probability of being "fit with restrictions" (odds ratio [OR] 0.75, 95%CI: 0.55 to 1.03). However, the probability was 22.9% lower (95%CI: 14.1% to 31.8%) for rehabilitation and technical healthcare staff compared to that of nurses and midwives. The Cox model showed an increase in the hazards of being "fit with restrictions" by a factor of 1.30 (95%CI: 1.02-1.68) for females. Conclusions: A significant proportion of nursing staff face mobility and posture restrictions, with older hires and greater seniority associated with higher probabilities of restrictions. These findings underscore the importance of addressing aging and workplace conditions in the public healthcare sector, particularly considering differences across job profiles and sex.