As NPR's recent in-depth report demonstrated,
nurses are some of the most oft-injured workers -- and those injuries can be serious. From back injuries due to patient handling, to standard
slip-and-falls, nursing can be a hazardous profession.
So what happens when nurses are injured on the job? Can nurses collect workers' compensation insurance?
Covered Caretakers
While state workers' compensation laws can differ, nearly every
employer is required to have some form of insurance to compensate employees who are injured on the job. Employers who don't comply with workers' comp laws can face fines, criminal prosecution, or civil liability.
The nursing profession is no different. Hospitals, clinics, surgical centers, and in-home medical care providers should have
workers' comp insurance to cover their nursing staff.
There are specific guidelines to
determining if an injury is compensable as well as
standard procedures for filing a workers' comp claim that injured employees must follow. In addition, if an employer has workers' comp insurance, this generally means that
an injured employee can't sue over an injury, and is entitled only to workers' comp benefits.
Lifting More Than Spirits
The recent focus on nursing injuries has been on safe patient handling, and the injuries that can occur when nurses are lifting and moving patients. According to Colin J. Brigham, Vice President of Safety Management and Ergonomics for consulting firm
1Source Safety and Health Inc., the "primary loss-producing source for workers compensation insurers in this space is patient handling."
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which creates employee safety guidelines for businesses, has also been studying safe patient handling. OSHA has
online resources on patient lifting hazards, relevant legislation, and starting safe patient handling programs, and published a guide to
worker safety in hospitals.
Nurses spend their lives taking care of patients, and sometimes need to be taken care of themselves. If you've been injured while nursing, you may want to consult with an experienced workers' comp attorney today.
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