Work hazards every Minnesota nurse should be aware of

Nursing is often seen as a difficult role, but many people don’t realize that it’s considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States. That’s according to a report from NPR, and it details the main causes for these workplace hazards that anyone working in nursing should be aware of.

There are myriad reasons why people end up in the hospital – from giving birth, to severe injuries, to recovering from a traumatic medical emergency like a heart attack. It’s rarely a place that anyone wants to be.

Patients endangering those trying to help them

It’s unfortunate that, often, hospital staff like nurses are forced to bear the brunt of their irate patients’ frustrations. This abuse is unearned and unhelpful in these professionals’ attempts to provide care to their patients. Nurses should be aware of when they are entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Sometimes, it doesn’t seem to matter how hard a nurse works or how good they are at their job; since most patients are there at the hospital to receive bad news or deal with serious health problems, nurses aren’t going to be dealing with people who are at their happiest. This is why, sadly, being assaulted by patients is one of the most common workplace hazards that nurses should be wary of.

A physically laborious job

Another aspect that puts nurses at such a high risk every day they go to work is the sheer physically demanding nature of the job. Since nurses are on their feet all day for extensive shifts, hustling from room to room and often lifting or repositioning equipment or bending over monitors, there’s ample opportunity for these health care workers to strain themselves.

Understaffing hurts everybody

A lack of sufficient numbers of health care workers on staff puts added strain on the individual nurses, filling in shifts and picking up extra slack by taking on more jobs than they would normally have to. This might lead to fatigue which often causes workplace accidents, putting everyone at risk of injury and necessitating a workers’ compensation claim.

In many ways, nursing is a dangerous line of work. There are countless hazards for those who put themselves on the front lines to keep everyday citizens healthy and safe. Nurses should be aware of the dangers that exist in their workplace to help them be avoided and prevent themselves from becoming another statistic.