Workers’ Compensation for Injured Nurses

Healthcare professionals have tough jobs. Nurses are among the hardest working employees out there, and they contribute to your overall health care even more than you might realize. They work long shifts, they make sure we get our medicine, they hold our hands when we need some extra TLC and share a laugh when we are feeling better. Because of the many strenuous demands made on nurses’ bodies every day, they are likely to suffer work-related injuries fairly often.

At Larry Pitt & Associates, P.C., we are proud to represent nurses who have been injured on the job. Our skilled workers’ compensation lawyers have worked with RNs, LPNs, CNAs and nurse anesthetists who have suffered injuries related to or during the course of their work. Our team begins working with you from the first day, helping you prepare your documentation and collecting any evidence needed so you can receive the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.

Injuries Commonly Sustained by Nurses

Philadelphia is home to dozens of hospitals, clinics, private practices and specialists, almost all of which rely on nurses to help their patients recover as smoothly and painlessly as possible. Because of the hours they keep and the work they shoulder, nurses are at an increased risk of sustaining an injury through:

• Constant walking and running. Nurses don’t really get to sit down; they are walking, running or even just standing all day. This causes a lot of stress on the feet and ankles, and nurses are likely to suffer hairline fractures or swelling. Depending on how they stand, this can also contribute to back pain.
• Needle pricks. Nurses are the ones who administer shots and insert IVs. They are at the largest risk of pricking themselves with a needle, especially if the patient is struggling. Flimsy plastic gloves keep infections from spreading by eliminating skin-to-skin contact, but they are not thick enough to stop the point of a needle.
• Occupational exposure. Nurses are around sick people all day long; it comes with the territory. Undiagnosed infections can spread even when a nurse takes all the proper safety precautions. They are also at risk of exposure to toxic chemicals used in the course of treatment, such as those used in radiation treatments.
• Overexertion. Overexertion is one of the leading causes of injury in any field, but nurses are especially susceptible. ER and hospital nurses in particular work long, strenuous hours with few breaks, and can easily push their bodies too far. They can also suffer the effects of dehydration.
• Physical violence. Nurses bear the brunt of scared or angry patients who don’t want to be in a hospital, or don’t know where they are. A struggling patient, or one who is physically lashing out, can seriously injure a nurse.
• Repetitive stress. Certain actions – bending down to fix a bed, inserting IVs, constant typing on computers and machinery – can lead to long-term, permanent damage of the wrists, shoulder or other joints. Carpal tunnel and other repetitive stress injuries can ensue.
• Strained muscles and joints. Nurses at hospitals and nursing homes are often expected to move larger patients – either from a chair to a bed, from a bed to a bed, or even while the patient is within the bed (in the prevention of bedsores). Too much heavy lifting – sometimes done quickly out of necessity for the patient’s life – can cause strained muscles or joint problems.

Whether you are a Registered Nurse, a Licensed Nurse Practitioner, a Certified Nursing Assistant, or a nurse anesthetist in a hospital, Larry Pitt & Associates is here to help. Our experienced workers’ compensation lawyers are ready and able to assist you so you can obtain the benefits you need and deserve in order to protect yourself, your family and your future.