Nursing is an admirable career. Nurses work hard and serve people every day, but due to this, they are particularly susceptible to injuries. Ironically, many nurses are at risk of becoming patients themselves. There are many injuries a nurse could suffer from due to performing their daily duties and tasks, leading to expensive hospital bills and unwanted time off of work.
Statistics
According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 35,000 nurses suffer an injury at work every year. In fact according to a study from NPR, healthcare workers like nursing assistants and orderlies are three times more likely to suffer a back or other skeletal injury than construction workers.
Hospitals consistently see the highest numbers of work-related injuries according to OSHA. Also according to OSHA, approximately 80 percent of nurses say they have consistent musculoskeletal pain.
Common injuries
Many of these injuries occur when nurses attempt to move patients. Back and other skeletal injuries can happen during lifting heavy objects. Other common injuries nurses can suffer from include:
- Joint injuries
- Slip and falls
- Herniated discs
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Sharps injuries from needles, including infections
These injuries can be severe, especially if left untreated. As a nurse, you would encourage your patients to seek medical attention for injuries, so you should not behave any differently.
Many nurses suffer injuries so severe they miss work. This leads to lost wages and piling medical bills. If you found yourself in a sort of role-reversal where you became a patient at your own hospital, due to a work-related injury, you might deserve worker’s compensation. Do not hesitate to explore your options.
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