It is common for nurses in Pennsylvania and other states to experience work-related injuries. Some of these injuries can stop you from working for quite some time, depending on the severity; others might be permanent and affect you for life. Here is what you need to know about the common type of injuries in the nursing field and your legal rights as a worker.
Common types of injuries in the nursing field
Overextension is the most common type of injury that nurses face today. According to the study, nurses are six times more likely to experience bodily injuries than workers in all the other fields. Other common incidents for nurses include:
- Slip, trip and fall injuries – Wet floors and obstacles, such as loose cords, are common in the hospital environment. In fact, the National Center for Biotechnology Information considers this as the second largest proportion of nurses’ injuries.
- Violent injuries from people – This could come from hostile patients, other employees or people not working at the institution. This problem is very common, but many nurses fail to report it due to strict corporate models and profit-driven institutions. Other reasons for failure to report include belief that the process could take a while or that it would amount to nothing.
- Equipment injuries – Nurses can accidentally collide with equipment or get pierced by a needle as they work. This type of injury is hazardous because it could expose you to life-threatening infections.
What to do when you are hurt
If you have been injured on the job, file a workers’ comp claim. In Pennsylvania, nurses are eligible for workers’ compensation regardless of who’s at fault.
You can also file a personal injury claim. If someone other than a co-worker or employer gets you hurt, you can sue them for additional damages not covered by workers’ comp benefits. For example, if you were using a defective device and got hurt in the process, you can sue the manufacturer.
Even if you are always careful while working, accidents do happen. If you get injured at work and don’t know what to do next, you can speak to an attorney to understand your rights and your options.