What injuries or illnesses of yours has been the result of being a nurse?

[mikethern]

For example, back injuries, hypertension, etc?

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

Lots of upper respiratory and GI stuff over the years. My immune system is pretty good now though.

No back injuries; I did fall and have some SI pain for a while, and it was at work, but in a factory, not a hospital; slipped on some steps. I got epicondylitis, but that was while I was teaching nursing, from lugging heavy books!

I did lacerate a finger once, opening a medicine vial, and had to have two stitches.

As for the arthritis, hypertension, depression, and etc, well, I think I would have acquired those regardless.

[Devil_Duckie, LVN]

You're absolutely right Steph....I should have been more specific; nurses are at a high risk for injury but it certainly isn't the most dangerous job out there. According to one article I looked up, logger and Alaskan crab fisherman are the two most dangerous jobs.

Anyways, we went on a tangent, back on track.

[EmmaG, RN]

health care is the second-fastest-growing sector of the u.s. economy, employing over 12 million workers. women represent nearly 80% of the health care work force. health care workers face a wide range of hazards on the job, including needlestick injuries, back injuries, latex allergy, violence, and stress. although it is possible to prevent or reduce health care worker exposure to these hazards, health care workers actually are experiencing increasing numbers of occupational injuries and illnesses. rates of occupational injury to health care workers have risen over the past decade. by contrast, two of the most hazardous industries, agriculture and construction, are safer today than they were a decade ago.

[color=#333399]today more than 5 million u.s. hospital workers from many occupations perform a wide variety of duties. they are exposed to many safety and health hazards, including violence. recent data indicate that hospital workers are at high risk for experiencing violence in the workplace. according to estimates of the bureau of labor statistics (bls), 2,637 nonfatal assaults on hospital workers occurred in 1999-a rate of 8.3 assaults per 10,000 workers. this rate is much higher than the rate of nonfatal assaults for all private-sector industries, which is 2 per 10,000 workers.

several studies indicate that violence often takes place during times of high activity and interaction with patients, such as at meal times and during visiting hours and patient transportation. assaults may occur when service is denied, when a patient is involuntarily admitted, or when a health care worker attempts to set limits on eating, drinking, or tobacco or alcohol use.

key findings for 2006 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work:

- nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants, had 49,480 days away from work cases and a rate of 526 per 10,000 workers, which was more than four times the total for all occupations.

fifty-six percent of the injuries and illnesses to these workers involved health care patients, of which 86 percent were due to overexertion.

education and health services also had no change in the overall number of cases or the incidence rate for those cases when compared to 2005. in this sector, healthcare and social assistance accounted for 94 percent of injuries and illnesses. there were nearly four times the number of injuries and illnesses to women (145,370) than to men (36,800).

the u.s. department of labor defines a musculoskeletal disorder (msd) as an injury or disorder of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, or spinal discs. msds do not include disorders caused by slips, trips, falls, motor vehicle accidents, or similar accidents.

the overall rate for all msd cases was 39 per 10,000 workers in 2006. the trade, transportation and utilities sector had 34 percent of the msd cases followed by the education and health services sector with 20 percent, the vast majority of these in health care and social assistance (69,880).

http://www.bls.gov/

[EmmaG, RN]

Ah, I forgot about my latex allergy. That is definitely due to work-place exposure.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

My borderline hypertenion is probably from the stress of nursing (but my own bad habits as well). :)

I have plantar fascitis on my right heal probably from having a job where I'm on my feet, and walking around barefoot around my hard tiled floor at home.

Basically though so far so good. I have a good strong back and hope to keep it through exercise and yoga. I did some research for a class and the stats for nurses and CNA's, particularly CNA's in LTC were grim.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Plantar fasciitis and increased anxiety. I also get aggreviated quicker.

[hollyvk, BSN]

Ankle fx (chasing post-suicide attempt pt escaping from unlocked acute care facility).

Working nocs: weight gain, chronic headaches, sleep deprivation, gastritis ----> gastric ulces (2!)

HollyVK

[nurseinlimbo]

I don't know about other facilities, but despite the statistics, our employer refuses to recognize neck, shoulder and back injuries as work related. As a result, PCAs either work injured, or take up sick time until it runs out, rather than being able to utilize Worker's Compensation.

[Chloe'sinNYNow]

the back injury i suffered a year and a half ago moving a 200 kg patient was directly related to work.

hypertension -- probably.

dh's ulcerative colitis was a work-related injury. he got a face full of projectile diarrhea while cleaning up an incontinent patient. turns out the patient had c. diff. the c. diff triggered uc -- i didn't realize how awful an illness that could be! he nearly died before we got that all worked out, diagnosed and treated! he missed 3 months of work and our bills piled up and savings evaporated.

and the fact that we don't have our own child is work related. after having cervical ca and several cryosurgeries and a lasar cone, i had a narrow window of opportunity to get pregnant. dh got stuck with a dirty needle from an hiv+, hep c+ patient right when we were trying to get pregnant. (patient's husband grabbed his arm as he was drawing blood, causing the injury.) and that was the end of that. kinda hard to conceive using condoms!

omg ruby vee!!!! how can you not be angry after all that?

[Ahhphoey]

Thankfully, I have never been badly injured, though did have a few muscle strains that only caused mild discomfort. I don't know if this is related to nursing, but I am developing a lot of joint aches. The knuckle on one hand is continuously swollien and sore; some days I can barely use my hands becuase they're so sore and my wrists swell. My co-workers think I'm exagerating, but they have actually seen the swollen wrists and this weird red streak that goes down them and the swollen knuckle. A nurse practitioner thought it was a pinched nerve. I thought it may be arthritis, but no doctor, neither the ones I work with or my PCP agrees with that theory. I felt like this because the symptoms are only present in the colder months, but in the spring and summer everything is fine except that one swollen knuckle. I think it has something to do with the physical requirements of ICU nursing, but really can't be sure; I do know that I never had these symptoms before going to ICU which requires a lot more pushing and pulling that my job on med-surg.

[twinmomoftwins]

4 needlesticks

3 backsprains

2 large bunions

and 1 head lac to my noggin

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I have had a seperated shoulder which still has pain after a few days in a row and lifting heavy pts. I have had many back strains. Migraines ( they got better after I left my first nursing job.) Anxiety and depression.

I have knee pain that is not due to a work injury but being on my feet all the time dosen't help much when you have avascular necrosis to your knee. I also have hypertension (probably would have had that anyway since my family has a hx of young HTN).

I have also been hit,slapped,kicked,punched by Little ol' ladies and little ol' men who are confused and are stronger than they look. I tried to start a IV when I first graduated on a lady and she reached for my stethoscope and tried to choke me with it. I did get the IV though.

It is always fun to try restraining a confused elderly pt, they are much stronger at that time than they look.