Job – Related Injuries for Nurses. It’s Scarier Than You May Think
Workers in the health field face an array of job-related injuries. However, it’s the nurses who seem to suffer the most. In fact, each year, nurses report approximately 35,000 back injuries and other serious injuries. These workers suffer more back and similar injuries that construction workers and virtually all other types of workers often suffer in various industries.
One of the largest workplace injury risks for nurses is having to lift and move patients. According to information from NPR, some of the issues may be that nursing patients are taught to lift their patient while keeping a straight back and bending their knees – which is a proven way to suffer an injury.
Research has proven there is no safe way to lift patients by hand. If a nurse attempts to do this, they are much more likely to suffer an injury – particularly a back injury. A better method is to use machinery and equipment for lifting and moving patients. While there are some hospitals that have invested in these machines, others have not, leaving nurses to face the risks and deal with the outcome.
Common Causes of Workplace Injuries for Nurses
There are several other problems that may cause injuries on the job for nurses. Some of these include:
- Improper or lack of training for the staff
- No machines, technology, or other support that would help with lifting and moving a patient
- The expectations that nurses have to lift and move patients
- Nurses at the front lines who interact with visitors or patients who become aggressive or violent
- Increased rate of obesity that cause patients to be heavier and more difficult to move
- No laws to prevent a nurse from lifting a patient who is extremely heavy
- Patients in a hospital that are released sooner than they should be and need more help getting out of bed
There are some nurses who report having to lift patients more than 15 times per day, which can cause an injury as time passes. Nurses, along with other experts have requested changes to protect medical workers; however, most experts agree that unless laws are created that require staff to make changes, the high rates of injuries among nurses are going to continue on.
On-the-Job Incidents May Cause Permanent and Serious Injuries
Some of the injuries sustained by nurses are career-threatening while others can be fatal. Serious back injuries, for example, may prevent a nurse from being able to get back to work and leave them with a lifetime of chronic pain. In these situations, most nurses report they receive benefits; however, the compensation doesn’t cover all the costs related to medical care, lost wages, and related expenses.
Have You Suffered an On-the-Job Injury in the Nursing Field?
If you are a nurse and you have suffered an injury while on the job, you should have full protection provided by the law. Additional information about receiving benefits after an injury at work can be found by contacting our workers’ compensation lawyers at Felice Trial Attorneys at (561) 444-8822.
Top