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Tips to avoid nursing injuries

On Behalf of | Oct 1, 2021 | Workers' Compensation

Being a nurse in New Jersey can be both incredibly rewarding and incredibly exhausting. If you are a nurse, chances are you work long hours on your feet under stressful conditions. To minimize injuries at work, try to keep these safety tips in mind:

Be careful of slip-and-fall accidents

Slip and fall accidents lead to a lot of workers’ compensation claims in many occupations, including yours. When the conditions at your hospital or clinic get busy and cluttered, you may be at a greater risk of slipping or tripping on something.

You may be able to avoid a lot of slip-and-fall accidents by wearing supportive shoes, practicing good body mechanics and keeping your walkways clear. Getting enough sleep and remembering to take your breaks can also help.

Speak up if you notice hazards

Sometimes you don’t have time to clear a cluttered area by yourself while caring for several patients. If you need help throughout your day, remember to speak up and ask for it. You should also remember to ask for help if you need to move a heavy patient or if you are caring for a patient who might become violent.

Remember to practice self-care

Getting run down isn’t safe for you or the patients you care for. One of the best things that you can do to avoid being injured at work is to keep yourself in good physical and mental health. That means eating well, drinking enough water, getting plenty of rest and taking a little time each day to do something that makes you happy.

If are injured at work, take time off to recover

One of the worst things an injured worker can do is return to work before they are fully recovered. This can put you at risk of aggravating the initial injury and getting injured again. If you were injured at your nursing job, your missed workdays may be compensable under your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance coverage.