This study aimed to identify the Brazilian scientific production (thesis and dissertations) about musculoskeletal disorders in nursing workers. The publications were searched in the Banco de Teses e Dissertações (thesis and dissertations collection) of the Portal CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - (Brazilian Government Agency) and the catalogues of the Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem ABEN (Brazilian Nursing Association). The period researched was 1978-2004. The criterion used to select the thesis and dissertations' abstract was the outcome "musculoskeletal" in nursing population. Eighteen studies matched the criterion. Regarding to the research approach, 2 of them presented a qualitative one, 1 quantitative qualitative one; and 15 quantitative one. The majority of them were from pos-graduated courses of Universidade de São Paulo and Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. The studies pointed out to the growing number of nursing workers who have became sick due to musculoskeletal disorders; as well as to the poor conditions of work as a risk factor for this.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders; Occupational Health; Nursing; Working Conditions
