Earning a living as a nurse in Connecticut comes with certain health risks. Some of those risks result from your direct interactions with ill patients. Others are the result of you having to shift those heavy patients or move them in and out of bed.
Per HealthLeaders Media, lifting-related injuries are becoming increasingly common among professionals in your line of work. Your chances of suffering one also depend to some degree on where, exactly, you work. If you work in a hospital, your chance of experiencing a lift-related injury is twice as high as it is across all other industries. If you work in a nursing home, your chance of suffering a lift-related injury is three times as high as that seen among all other professions.
Why the problem persists
As the number of adults who are obese or 65 or older grows, so, too, does the number of U.S. patients who need to lift assistance and help to get around. Currently, Americans over 85 are the nation’s fastest-growing age group, and a large number of these individuals require extra mobility help.
How your employer might protect you
Some health care environments encourage team lifting to ease the strain on health care workers. However, finding enough employees who are available to lift a patient when the need arises is difficult. Some hospitals, nursing homes and other health care employers are working to protect their workers by investing in lift-assistance equipment. However, the price of this equipment means it is out of reach for some providers.
Lifting-related injuries have the potential to impact many areas of your life. If yours makes it hard for you to make a living or otherwise perform basic functions, you may be able to obtain workers’ compensation to cover related expenses.
