For nurses and other healthcare workers, there are many workplace hazards. These include needlesticks, exposure to dangerous chemicals or drugs, and even common hazards like wet floors that lead to slip-and-fall accidents.
But one of the main ways that people in this industry suffer harm is through patient handling. Lifting, moving and repositioning patients elevates their risk of serious back injuries. Nurses often have lower back injuries that cause them to miss time at work. Repeated injuries could also lead to chronic lower back pain. They can have an effect on their entire life, even outside of work.
Why is patient handling so hazardous?
One hazard is simply that the patients may weigh more than the nurses themselves. A nurse will try to provide the appropriate care and assistance that the patient needs, but they may find themselves lifting significantly more weight than people in other industries. People who apply for jobs are often asked if they can lift 50 pounds or more, for example, but a nurse could be dealing with patients who weigh well over 150 pounds.
Additionally, patients may be in a fragile health condition that means that they cannot provide as much assistance to move on their own. They could be suffering from an injury or an illness, for instance, or simply dealing with the effects of old age. Certain medications can make people clumsy and cause them to have trouble with balance as they recover, which could lead to a fall.
In other words, patients are counting on nurses to do a lot of sudden lifting, often in awkward and difficult positions, and this significantly increases the chances of a serious back injury. Nurses who have suffered harm need to know what legal options they have to seek appropriate workers’ compensation benefits.