Back Injuries Among Nurses May End Career

According to surveys by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are tens of thousands of back and other injuries among nursing employees every year. Many of these injuries are severe enough that an employee must miss work or have to give up working altogether.

It may come as some surprise that nursing assistants and orderlies each suffer roughly three times the rate of back and other musculoskeletal injuries as construction laborers. In fact, BLS data reflects that nurses and nursing assistants suffer from more MSD injuries than any other occupation.

The number one reason why nursing employees get these injuries is by doing their everyday jobs of moving and lifting patients. Lacking proper lifting machinery or adequate staff, healthcare workers risk injury when helping patients get in and out of bed, particularly if the patient is among the growing number who suffer from obesity. Nursing employees in a typical hospital lift heavy patients a dozen or more times every day, some of whom weigh in at 300 lbs. or more.

Despite the growing problem, little action has been taken by hospitals and clinics across the country to protect healthcare workers from these types of back and neck injuries. Although some states are providing a legal means for healthcare workers to push back, injuries of healthcare professionals persist in many hospitals and clinics nationwide. Unfortunately, for healthcare workers across the country, these injuries are not mere inconveniences – they are often life altering and career ending.

Contact an Experienced Iowa Nursing and Healthcare Back Injury Attorney

If you work in the medical industry and have been injured at work, contact the Iowa workers’ compensation and personal injury law offices of John T. Hemminger for help today. If you have been hurt at your Iowa workplace, you may be eligible for compensation to aid in your recovery and cover your lost wages. Call us today for a free consultation at 515-283-2116.