Common work injuries for nurses and CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistant).

On Behalf of | Jul 8, 2020 | Workers' Compensation

Any work environment has the potential to leave an employee with a lifelong injury. Even office jobs can have lasting consequences for employees. Nurses and CNAs especially have a lot of risks on the job, but what are they?

Workplace injuries for nurses can be severe and frequent. More than 19,000 injuries occur in nurses each year that require at least one day off from work to recover. The types of damages that a nurse can incur come in all forms. Knowing what kinds of injuries are possible can help prevent an injury from occurring.

Slip-and-falls

Hospitals are fast-paced and dangerous place for even the most experienced medical professionals. Liquids like saline, cleaning fluids, or water can remain on the floor after a hectic situation, causing someone in a hurry to suffer a severe fall. These injuries can shatter a wrist or hip and take months or longer to recover fully.

Lower back injuries

Nurses and CNAs have a lot of heavy lifting to do on the job. From boxes of medical supplies to helping patients in and out of beds, if a nurse or CNA has difficulty with the task, they can suffer injuries that keep them from ever lifting heavy objects again.

Repetitive motion injuries

Performing the same task over and over again takes a toll on the body. Relatively stress-free jobs like typing can result in carpal tunnel syndrome if a person is not careful. These injuries can also develop in knees, ankles, wrists, or other joints.

Exposure

Nurses come into contact with a lot of sick and injured people. Exposure to severe illnesses can result in a nurse or CNA becoming sick. If a nurse gets cut or injured by needles or other equipment with bodily fluids, they may contract a disease. Exposure can also occur from direct contact with patients.

Practice caution in hospitals

Patients are not the only ones who are at risk in the emergency room. Nurses or CNAs can suffer from many different types of workplace injuries. When these injuries occur, a victim should seek an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to pursue recovery.

WARNING: THIS IS A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF LAW AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. FOR ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AND SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY.

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