The health risks and hazards associated with certain occupations are well-known, such as those associated with firefighting, law enforcement, and military service. However, a worker of any industry could fall victim to an on-the-job industry, including nurses. Nurses who suffer from injuries or illnesses as a result of their work should contact a work injury lawyer as soon as possible. A work injury lawyer located in Douglasville can assist with workers’ compensation claims and ensure that injured nurses receive the maximum compensation they’re entitled to.
Musculoskeletal Injuries
Musculoskeletal injuries are attributable to repetitive strain and overexertion, and they are quite common in the healthcare field. In fact, nurses suffer from these types of injuries at a higher rate than individuals in the construction industry do. Repetitive strain injuries can easily be caused by lifting and transferring patients, bending over patients, pushing wheelchairs and gurneys, and performing various procedures. When lifting equipment isn’t available at the hospital, nurses are more likely to suffer from injuries. When nurses consult a work injury lawyer about these injuries, they should be sure to mention if the hospital has safe patient handling policies in place and whether lifting equipment is available.
Sharps Injuries
Sometimes, injuries sustained at hospitals by nurses can cause serious illnesses and perhaps even wrongful death. Sharps injuries can transmit HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other blood-borne pathogens. Hospitals have a responsibility to ensure that all staff members are properly trained in the safe handling and disposal of sharps.
Hazardous Drug Exposure
The health risks of improper exposure to chemotherapy drugs are well known to nurses. However, many other drugs can pose a safety hazard. Antivirals, anticonvulsants, progestins, estrogens, contraceptives, and bone resorption inhibitors are just a few of the potentially hazardous drugs that nurses may be improperly exposed to. A few of the adverse outcomes that may result from exposure may include allergic reactions, dizziness, vomiting, fetal loss, infertility, and congenital malformations.
