Have you injured yourself while working?

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 29, 2016

I herniated a disc while working. I felt it pop. A colleague of mine experienced a rotator cuff injury when a patient dramatically clutched her arm while throwing herself on the floor. No fractures that I know of, although a former colleague got a black eye, allegedly from being punched and another was bitten by the patient's pit bull whom the patient's son insisted upon bringing in to visit.

And then there was a good friend, who was shot in the buttocks while running away.

allnurses Guide · Oct 1, 2016

Anyone here injured themselves while working? Like a fracture?

About 10 years ago A psych patient punched me in the face and I had a orbital fracture of the left eye socket. I healed and went back to work. Left psych for a while and am back now at that same facility. I told this story to my new PCP last year and she laughed and said - "You could have parlayed that into a lifetime disability claim (Migraines)" Silly me, I guess I'll just keep working until I retire.

Hppy

tweetRN2009 · Oct 2, 2016

I caught a patient that was falling and ended up with avascular necrosis in my shoulder and ended up needing a shoulder replacement.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Oct 2, 2016

I caught a patient that was falling and ended up with avascular necrosis in my shoulder and ended up needing a shoulder replacement.

Ouch! That sounds painful.

CelticGoddess, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2016

Anyone here injured themselves while working? Like a fracture?

Yes, in a most spectacular fashion. I fell over a half-door that kept the residents out of the nurses station. I was running to get an IV start kit for a code and next thing I knew, I was looking up at the ceiling. The result was a radial head fracture and a dislocated knee cap. I sat up, looked at the stunned techs and announced "I think I broke my arm". It was a few minutes before I realized that my knee hurt. And being the stubborn nurse that I am, I kept telling my supervisor I was going to let Carl drive me to the ED. Fortunately, they overrode me. Good news: EMS was on scene so they took me to the hospital. I was out of work for 6 weeks and on light duty for another 4.

The only other fracture I have had was a broken coccyx. Fractures hurt~

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 10, 2016

Why do you ask?

Anyone here injured themselves while working? Like a fracture?

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 10, 2016

3 separate incidents:

1. Broken arm & torn rotator cuff

2. Broken hand & wrist

3. Broken ankle

... and I have what is essentially an "office job" in Staff Development.

BeckyESRN · Oct 11, 2016

I broke my wrist. I was walking around the end of the bed, the patient was beside the bed in a reclining chair, he kicked his IV pole, it tripped me, I caught myself on the window ledge. It didn't hurt immediately, I finished up what I was doing and went to draw up IV lasix in the next room and couldn't do it because if the sudden crazy pain. It sucked. Employee health said that it was fine, but I knew something was wrong. I made an appt with ortho, they found the fracture on the x-ray and made me wear a brace for 8 weeks.

Catcar1963 · Oct 13, 2016

Yes, broke my leg leaving a patient's home. Surgery, a month in a rehab facility, and 3 more months non-weight bearing. Funny thing is, I was subbing for the regular nurse on the case, who broke her ankle at the same house the week before.

NurseStorm, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2016

Yes, I had unstable c1, c2 (type 2/3 odontoid) fractures sustained in a fall chasing a pediatric patient that ran from me :| (It was basically a head dive into a wall because I didn't quite get a hold of his arm). Knocked me unconscious, and I knew not to get up when I came to the first thing I said (after saying yes to the psych attendant asking if I could speak..) was "I can't get up, I need to protect my c-spine..". Although I was stunned when they said c1/c2 as the only time I had mostly heard of c1/c2 fractures the person was either a) a quadraplegic or b) dead due to respiratory effort ceasing. So I know I was "lucky" ; although at the same time INCREDIBLY unlucky.

ohiobobcat · Oct 14, 2016

Yes, I had unstable c1, c2 (type 2/3 odontoid) fractures sustained in a fall chasing a pediatric patient that ran from me :| (It was basically a head dive into a wall because I didn't quite get a hold of his arm). Knocked me unconscious, and I knew not to get up when I came to the first thing I said (after saying yes to the psych attendant asking if I could speak..) was "I can't get up, I need to protect my c-spine..". Although I was stunned when they said c1/c2 as the only time I had mostly heard of c1/c2 fractures the person was either a) a quadraplegic or b) dead due to respiratory effort ceasing. So I know I was "lucky" ; although at the same time INCREDIBLY unlucky.

Wow!! Thank goodness you are OK!!

I got punched in the face by an aggressive 24 year old male patient (anoxic brain injury) on a physical rehab floor. No significant injury other than a swollen lip.

One of my coworkers tripped over a wire from a computer cart and broke her leg.