NPR story on nursing injuries

Published

This was an interesting piece I listened to on NPR this week. I thought I'd share and see what nurses' opinions are on this. I've seen this subject on here numerous times. Let me know if the link does not work:

Hospitals Fail To Protect Nursing Staff From Becoming Patients : NPR

Hospitals Fail to Protect Nurses

And this is a bit of the actual transcript of the show. It was quite a long segment so I didn't want to waste too much space on the forum. You can click if the above link if you want to read in its entirety:

Over the next few weeks, we're taking a close look at one of the most dangerous jobs in America. Back and other injuries occur in this profession at far higher rates than even the construction industry. It also sees more of these injuries than law enforcement. And an NPR investigation finds many of the executives who run the companies where these workers are getting hurt are doing little to prevent it. NPR Danny Zwerdling shows us this troubling side of health care.

DANIEL ZWERDLING, BYLINE: OK, try to guess - who are these workers who get disabled so often by back injuries? I'll give you a moment to think about it. Time's up. We're talking about nursing employees who take care of you in the hospital and other settings. We're talking about nursing assistants and orderlies and registered nurses. Government surveys estimate there are more than 35,000 back and other injuries among nursing staff every year that are so bad the employees have to miss work. And they get those injuries mainly by moving and lifting patients.

SUNNY VESPICO: My name is Sunny Vespico. I'm a registered nurse. I herniated a disc in my back at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa.

ZWERDLING: NPR posted the note on Facebook, along with a couple other sites. We said if you're a nurse or a nursing assistant and you've suffered a back or other injury that's affected your life, will you please contact us?

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: Hi, Daniel.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Hi, Daniel.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: Hi, Daniel.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #3: Good morning, Daniel.

ZWERDLING: We heard from more than 800 people the first day, both women and men, although 90 percent of nursing staff are women.

KATIE HEINEMAN: My name is Katie Heineman. I am a certified nurse's assistant. I got hurt on the job at Providence Portland Medical Center.

ROBIN COHEN: My name is Robin Cohen. I'm from Rochester, N.Y., and I was working at Highland Hospital.

ZWERDLING: The three women you're going to hear now all sent us medical reports that document their injuries. And their injuries affect you, too, or anybody else who's been treated at a hospital. The insurance industry says that hospitals pay more workers' compensation to nursing staff who get hurt lifting patients than for any other kind of injury. And those costs get rolled into your hospital bill.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #4: I was moving a patient...

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #5: And I was pulling the patient back onto the stretcher.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #4: ...And immediately I felt a pop in my back and a pain down my leg.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #5: I felt an instant pain in my lower back...

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #6: And I had a hold of the sheet under the patient. I heard something loud pop in my right shoulder.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #5: ...Then was sent to a back surgeon.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #6: My case was transferred to an orthopedic surgeon.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #5: Currently have 60 percent disability.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #4: I am 36 years old. I've had three surgeries over the last two years. And only now after this third surgery, I might have a chance of being able to return to being a bedside nurse

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Specializes in adult psych, LTC/SNF, child psych.

I found it interesting that the research actually had nursing assistants and "orderlies" as the highest rate of injury within the profession and not licensed nurses, but they only seem to have interviewed nurses.

The piece wasn't earth shattering but I think getting it out there on public radio is a good thing and helps reach a wide audience. Just my $0.02.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

Thanks for posting this. I wanted to listen to it when I heard it advertised but was at work. Nice to see some truth about the matter getting out there. Maybe some day things will be different.

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This is why I lift weights routinely. I focus on dead lifts and squats. Noone cares about you and noone is going to coddle you. The real world is a "at your own risk" place. Protect yourself.

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Specializes in Informatics / Trauma / Hospice / Immunology.

Where I work we have the same policy as Chrysler. You are instructed never to lift more than 35 pounds. We also have no lift team. We do have lots of lift equipment which is pretty easy to use though it isn't used so far.

My philosophy is that there is never a crisis that involves moving someone (except maybe OB when the cord is compressed). Patients yell, bargain, cry, and reason with you about how you should help move them immediately without help. It seems uncaring to not help, but that is exactly what we must do to protect them and ourselves. Wait for help. Use equipment. Take your time. They may have to have that bowel movement in bed or on the floor, but you have to focus on safety. This is difficult when patients want to fight past you to the restroom and can't walk.

What do do you guys do without equipment or immediate support?

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
What do do you guys do without equipment or immediate support?

The patient waits. Is it ideal, no... but it's my back. On a handful of occasions the patient has gotten upset that I'm not willing to lift them alone... but it's my back. I'm one that will tell a patient, "No. I'm not doing this by myself."

On one of the ICU fora, a while back someone asked about the RotoProne bed. Someone responded that in their hospital they prone their patients manually! I wondered when I read that, they're not willing to pay to rent the bed, but are willing to pay for workman's comp?

I did injure my back on the job (LTC CNA) when I was 18 years old. I hadn't yet voted in my first election, and I had already injured my back. Never again. :no:

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
Where I work we have the same policy as Chrysler. You are instructed never to lift more than 35 pounds. We also have no lift team. We do have lots of lift equipment which is pretty easy to use though it isn't used so far.

We have lift equipment on the floors, not in the ER. Our HR requires that you be able to lift 50 pounds. I am on light duty for a time, after an illness (chemo is not fun, just throwing that out there :yeah:); and will have to demonstrate being able to lift 50#s before returning to full duties.

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