Nurses in Pennsylvania Are at a High Risk of Workplace Injuries
Nurses working in Pennsylvania’s hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities have a tough job to do. They provide a high level of care to the elderly and sick, which can sometimes be detrimental to their own physical well-being. They also have to witness the most graphic and disturbing images, endure atrocious smells, and clean up messes that would challenge workers in many other settings.
To be a nurse is fraught with stress.
High Injury Rates for PA Healthcare Workers
Nurses as well as other healthcare employees are subject to higher rates of injury than various other worker groups in the US. In fact, in the situation of nursing assistants, the rate of workplace injuries is three times that of other workers.
According to data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the injury rate of nurses is on par with construction workers, firefighters, and police officers.
In 2016, the rate of illness and injury among nursing assistants was 337 for every 10,000 full-time employees.
Over-Exertion & Physically Demanding Tasks
The federal government and the state government in Pennsylvania have published reports showing that the high rates of injury suffered by healthcare workers are primarily due to over-exertion.
Healthcare employees in facilities across Pennsylvania are required to lift and move patients frequently. They must also continually rush to address the needs of patients. As a result, workers are at a higher risk of slipping and falling while rushing around and exerting their bodies physically day after day.
Workplace injuries compel some healthcare workers in Pennsylvania to leave their jobs for good, while others find it necessary to take a leave of absence for long periods to recuperate from their injuries.
Risk of Musculoskeletal Injuries
Nursing aides are more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems. In 2016, the rate of musculoskeletal disorders among nursing assistants was 181 for every 10,000 workers. As many as 9,927 injury claims for nursing assistants have been filed in the past five years. One-third of these claims cite over-exertion as the prime cause of injury.
The punishing work schedules and an increasing rate of injuries remain a key cause of higher employee turnover rates in the healthcare industry in PA. Nurses sometimes have to work around death, and sometimes they help bring people back to life — or fall short in that effort. There is a range of highs and lows in this job.
The Challenges of Understaffing at Nursing Homes
Charlene Harrington, professor emeritus at the Faculty of Nursing, University of California in San Francisco, notes that many residents undergoing treatment in nursing homes require a minimum of two nursing aides to help them move about.
Unfortunately, many long-term care homes lack sufficient manpower to provide that level of care. This means that in many situations, a smaller number of aides are expected to care for too many residents, considerably increasing the likelihood of injuries.
This problem is further exacerbated by the lack of adequate guidelines from state or federal governments regarding appropriate staffing ratios in healthcare facilities.
Contact a Workers’ Comp Lawyer in PA
According to the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, any worker in PA — including a nurse or another healthcare worker — is eligible for compensation against all types of work-related injuries and illnesses that occur during the course and scope of their work.
Prior to submitting a workers’ compensation claim, an injured healthcare worker in Pennsylvania should consult a lawyer who focuses on workers’ compensation law.