If you work in the health care field as a nurse, CNA or caregiver in Springfield, you might not realize the type of injuries you might sustain from your job. Nurses and caregivers provide vital services to patients of all ages. Not all the people they care for are nice and docile. Also, their work environments and job duties leave them vulnerable to injury.
Though you have been fortunate enough to avoid accidents and injuries at work thus far in your career, you should not rule out the likelihood of an incident happening. The workplace is full of hazards. Here is a brief overview of a few types of workplace injuries that nurses and caregivers have an elevated risk of.
Needle and puncture wounds
If you administer medications and perform medical procedures, you could end up with needle and puncture injuries from sharp medical instruments. These may not seem like major injuries. However, if you were to accidentally poke yourself with a contaminated needle, you could end up acquiring bloodborne infectious diseases from your patients.
Assault and violence injuries
You must treat all patients who need your care, but not all patients are cooperative. Some of them might even be criminals. There is also the risk that your patients’ family members may attack or assault you.
Repetitive stress injuries
Your job duties may require you to lift and transport patients and perform other duties that can strain and injure your musculoskeletal system. This puts you at risk of repetitive stress and strain injuries. The risk increases when understaffing, high patient loads and inadequate training are factors.
There are many other types of injuries health care workers and caregivers are in danger of receiving in workplace accidents. Some hazards and work environments can lead to the development of less obvious injuries, chronic health conditions and mental ailments. Workers who suffer injuries while performing their jobs are eligible for workers’ compensation. If your injuries result in disability, you may also qualify for disability benefits.
