You spend your days with patients who need your care and guidance. You’re there when they need fluids, to eat or to get out of bed. You give them medications and make sure they’re safely in bed for the night.
As a nurse, your job almost never ends. That makes it stressful and more likely that you’ll get hurt on the job. In America, nursing is one of the most dangerous jobs due to the strain it places on workers.
What are some injuries nurses face?
It’s not uncommon for nurses to struggle with issues related to back injuries. Back and body injuries affect around 35,000 nurses every year. Lower back pain, musculoskeletal injuries and exhaustion also affect nurses regularly.
Nursing workers are among those most likely to suffer from strains and sprains, lost work days due to back injuries and other back-related injuries. Lower back injuries are the most common among nurses, with nursing personnel reporting more back injuries than in any other industry.
How often do nurses suffer injuries on the job?
Just over half of all nurses who responded stated that they suffered from chronic lower back pain. Thirty-eight percent of nurses suffered from back pain bad enough that it forced them to leave work.
The occupation is at risk because of injuries. Twelve percent of nurses reported that they were leaving the job because of back pain and another 25 percent decided to change jobs because of back, shoulder and neck problems.
Getting hurt on the job is simply a way of life for many nurses. It’s hard to move patients, and even with good technique, injuries still happen. Nurses are, fortunately, eligible for workers’ compensation if they’re injured. They can use it to obtain training for a new job and to afford the medical care needed.