In order to clarify the energy metabolism of the nursing care, oxygen intake and heart rate during six different nursing works (back care, shampoo, foot bath, change of gown, change of sheet and bed making) were measured in four healthy nursing students aged from 19 to 20. The relative metabolic rate (R.M.R.) for each of the works was calculated as an index of the work intensity.
The results obtained are as follows;
1) The means and standard deviations or R.M.R. of the six nursing works were 1.92±0.22 in back care, 1.99±0.24 in shampoo, 2.00±0.21 in foot bath, 2.23±0.13 in change of gown, 2.58±0.30 in change of sheet and 2.61±0.38 in bed making.
2) The increases of heart rate in the works which require the movement of whole body were greater than those of the works which mainly consist of the movements of the hands and forearms. In case of the works requiring the movement of whole body, the values of R.M.R. were above 2.0.
3) The correlation between R.M.R. and the mean value of heart rate in the six nursing works was statistically significant at 1% level.
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