The Most Common Work Injuries Among Healthcare Workers

 Posted on November 13, 2024 in Workers' Compensation

Being a healthcare worker, like a nurse or CNA, can be dangerous. Healthcare workers are much more likely to be injured on the job than most people. Nursing is a physically demanding profession, especially for those who work in elder care or bedside nursing. Nurses and nurses’ aids often bear the brunt of the physical labor that needs to be done, like helping patients ambulate or change positions in bed. Healthcare workers who are injured on the job may be eligible for workers’ compensation. If you are a healthcare professional who got hurt at work, you should immediately contact an experienced Joliet, IL workers’ compensation attorney.

Back Injuries and Patient Care 

Back injuries are one of the most common types of bodily harm healthcare workers sustain while working. Hospital staff may not have the equipment needed to safely move bariatric patients, forcing them to attempt to manually help these patients change positions or stand up. Some patients are instructed to walk only with a two-person assist, but the hospital may not have enough staff to allow two people to assist one patient. Nurses and CNAs are commonly injured when a patient they are assisting starts to fall and the healthcare worker intervenes.

Back injuries can be debilitating and may never fully heal. It is not uncommon for nurses and nurses’ aids to leave the profession due to serious back injuries. If you are in this situation, you may qualify for long-term disability and compensation for loss of earning capacity.

Assault Injuries Among Medical Workers

Physical violence has become increasingly common in hospital settings. Nurses who work in the emergency department, inpatient psychiatry, geriatric care, and the ICU are the most likely to be assaulted. Healthcare workers who are attacked by a patient or visitor can suffer serious injuries like broken bones and head trauma. Illinois has instituted the Health Care Violence Prevention Act to try to reduce workplace violence in hospitals.

Repetitive Stress Injuries 

Repetitive stress injuries are common among people who provide direct patient care. Joints in the hands and wrists can become inflamed, or workers can develop problems like carpal tunnel syndrome. Back injuries can also be caused by repetitive bending and reaching.

Needle Sticks and Lacerations

Working around sharp equipment puts some healthcare workers at risk of sustaining lacerations and puncture wounds. Accidental sticks with used needles can be incredibly dangerous and require prompt medical care.

Contact a Joliet, IL Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Nurses

McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC is committed to providing aggressive representation to healthcare workers who were injured on the job. Our experienced Will County, IL workers’ compensation attorneys will fight to get you all the compensation you are entitled to. Contact us at 815-727-0100 for a complimentary consultation.