Workplace Injuries for Nurses

Nursing is a dangerous job. Hospitals and healthcare facilities are busy with patients and other healthcare professionals. There are countless hazards that present the potential for debilitating injury or even death. There is patient lifting, which requires several nurses, several times a day.

Nursing has its risks regardless of whether your job is in a hospital, a nursing home, a patient’s home, or a clinic. It is important that nurses and health care providers take care of themselves as they would a patient.

Common Nursing Injuries

cuts

Even minor cuts are dangerous if left untreated. Cuts can become infected due to the amount of bacteria a nurse is exposed to on a daily basis in the hospital setting. Even paper cuts can cause significant injuries if left untreated. Nurses handle sharp objects every day, such as knives, needles, sutures, and other sharp instruments. The frequency with which sharp tools are handled can lead to a diminished appreciation of their danger.

sprains

Back injury is the most frequently reported injury by nurses. Getting patients on and off beds, gurneys, stretchers and wheelchairs is an everyday occurrence. With proper training, injuries do occur due to the frequency of activity. Wrist sprains are also common; cause typing, typing and lifting.

Burns

Sterilizers and autoclaves with extremely hot surfaces present a serious burn injury hazard. Too often, the nurse tends to her own wounds in order to return to serving others as soon as possible. Enlisting the help of another healthcare professional will greatly decrease the potential for infection. In a hospital setting, infection is often a greater danger than the initial injury.

slip and falls

Hospital floors are hard surfaces designed to facilitate the movement of wheels on stretchers and medical carts. It also makes cleaning and disinfection more effective. Unfortunately, these benefits also put nurses at great risk for slips and falls. A wet floor is often to blame for falls that result in head injuries and broken bones. Nurses sometimes opt for comfortable running shoes for their long shift, but these shoes lack support for lateral movement, making angular sprains common.

Death

The cause of death in nursing injuries varies greatly. It ranges from a slip and fall with head injury to infection from a communicable disease.

Workers Compensation for Nurses

Health professionals dedicate their lives to serving others. They see real accidents every day that permanently change lives. Employers require workers’ compensation insurance to pay financial damages to those who suffer work injuries.