With more than 3.1 million registered nurses in the United States, nursing is this country’s largest health care profession. The job is widely respected and is extremely important for the successful care and treatment of patients. Unfortunately, the nursing profession is not without its health and injury risks. In fact, the CDC reports that the rate of musculoskeletal injuries caused by overexertion is higher in healthcare occupations than in any other industry. Hospital workers are injured at a rate that is twice that of the average of all professions, and for nursing home workers, the rate is three times higher. The Grueling Demands of the Job Nobody can deny that nursing can be a very demanding job that includes a lot of physical exertion. Any time you over-exert yourself, you are at greater risk of workplace injuries. In an article about nursing injuries, Professional Safeguard Resources® lists some of the factors responsible for injuries and illnesses suffered by nurses. These include: • Frequent long and demanding shifts • Fatigue caused by standing for long periods of time • The need to take on the work of two people due to inadequate staffing • Larger patient loads per shift due to the increased longevity of the elderly • Inadequate enforcement and monitoring of patient weight handling procedures by management • Employer/employee lack of education on the use of appropriate biomechanics as applied during lifting, moving, supporting, turning and transporting patients Patient lifting and moving has become even more difficult in recent years as the average weight of Americans has been continuously increasing and the morbidly obese are more likely to need medical care.
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