Workers’ Compensation And Nursing Injury Claims
Nurses suffer work-related injuries at a markedly high rate and are exposed to a wide range of hazards at work. Some types of nurses can be at particularly high risk of injury, especially those who work in emergency settings and those who have frequent contact with patients suffering from developmental disabilities, degenerative diseases, and mental health conditions. If you were injured while working in a nursing job, you should get in touch with a West Palm Beach workers’ compensation lawyer who can help you to understand your options. In the meantime, we want to provide you with more information about nursing jobs and injuries in South Florida.
What Do Nurses Do?
Nurses are routinely required to perform work-related tasks that put them at risk of serious injury. To understand how those injury risks arise, it is important to learn more about the types of work-related tasks that nurses do. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) explains that registered nurses (RNs) generally “provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their families.” More specifically, nurses are frequently tasked with the following job duties according to the BLS:
- Observing patients and assessing their health conditions;
- Recording medical histories of patients, including their symptoms;
- Coordinating patient care and contributing to patient care plans;
- Administering medications and treatments to patients;
- Collaborating with physicians and other health care providers on patient care plans;
- Operating different types of medical equipment and devices;
- Monitoring various types of medical equipment;
- Performing diagnostic tests on patients;
- Assisting patients who have disabilities and chronic conditions;
- Providing specialized care to specific types of patients, for example, such as pediatric patients, psychiatric and mental health patients, patients seeking to overcome addictions, and patients who require critical care.
Registered nurses work in a wide range of health care facilities, and the specific facility a nurse works in can impact the nurse’s risk of injury on the job. The BLS reports that about 60 percent of nurses work in hospitals, about 20 percent in ambulatory health care services, about 6 percent in nursing homes, approximately 6 percent in government facilities, and another 6 percent in educational services.
Common Injuries Among Nurses
What types of injuries are most common among nurses? According to the BLS, since nurses spend a significant amount of time on their feet, walking around facilities, and lifting patients and materials, they can be at risk of back injuries. In addition, nurses are routinely at risk of injuries caused by liquid spills on health care facility flooring like slips and falls, as well as exposure to harmful diseases, chemicals, and radiation. The following are some of the most common injuries among nurses:
- Back injuries, including repetitive motion injuries and traumatic back injuries;
- Slips and falls, or trips and falls;
- Exposure to harmful substances like pathogens and hazardous chemicals; and
- Assaults by patients or other parties in health care facilities.
Contact a West Palm Beach Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Assistance with Your Case
If you were injured while working as a nurse, you should be sure to report your injury to your employer within 30 days as required by Florida law. Then, you should get in touch with one of the experienced West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorneys at the Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A. to begin working on your claim.
Sources:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0440/0440ContentsIndex.html
bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm
