Occupational Health and nurses

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I recently had to stay off work because of illness, and returned with a lift restriction of 30lb that would basically last forever. Occupational Health got the physician report and put me back on full duty, which was a huge surprise. After a little investigation, it seems the nursing job description says we must be able to lift 20lb, that's it. I was dumbfounded. What's the lifting limit in your job description?

[AJJKRN]

This would be interesting to know especially since my old chronic neck injury is currently giving me a run for my livelihood even with using good body mechanics religiously.

[BBP42]

My last job (Rehab facility) I had to pass a physical at Occupational Health that included lifting a 50lb box from the floor to a shelf at eye level and pushing a sled across the room that weighed 100 lbs. My current job has no physical requirements in the job description as we do not lift/transfer patients.

[Orion81RN]

My last job (Rehab facility) I had to pass a physical at Occupational Health that included lifting a 50lb box from the floor to a shelf at eye level and pushing a sled across the room that weighed 100 lbs. My current job has no physical requirements in the job description as we do not lift/transfer patients.

I don't recall the exact number, but it was definitely way more than 20 lbs. I too had to pass a physical in the OT department.

Currently though, in private duty, with my company, its either 25 lbs or 30 lbs. Which is unrealistic when you are the only one there, no coworker on another unit to pull for help.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Look up cdc safe patient handling and mobility, NIOSH workplace, they caution having any weight limit because the research on weight limits was based on an ideal low risk situation for lifting a person and we know that most patient handling tasks do not occur under ideal circumstances. It's not NIOSH's recommendation to set a weight limit as a protective measure, they recommend setting a goal to eliminate all manual lifting.