5 Common Healthcare Accidents at Work


Healthcare workers have a demanding profession that requires employees to work long hour shifts. Being such an unpredictable and fast-paced environment, there is a higher risk of medical professionals suffering from an accident at work. Suffering an accident at work due to negligence can be traumatic. Watching loved ones injured from these situations is difficult, particularly if the injuries are severe.
With the day-to-day requirements demanded from health professionals including quick movements, twisting, bending and heavy lifting, back injuries can easily occur. Whether a slipped disc or simple back pain, repetitive motions place a lot of stress on both the spinal cord and the back muscles.
Musculoskeletal injuries are a high risk factor for healthcare professionals, which translates to pain in nerves, tendons, and muscles caused by repetitive strain or overuse. The more affected areas are typically the wrists and hands, neck and shoulders, and forearms and elbows.
Common symptoms can be:
While initially these symptoms may only be noticeable when carrying out specific, repetitive actions, lack of treatment may worsen the symptoms and lengthen the periods of pain.
Also called sharps injuries, these types of injuries can also include broken equipment shards or scalpels. Used needles can carry viruses such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B, or HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). The NHS advises that a few steps should be followed if contaminated needles have pierced the skin:
With the potential of causing a wide number of serious injuries, slips and falls are common in the healthcare industry. Hospitals and other clinics have hazards that can cause slips, trips, and falls. Liquids are spilled on the floor and lead to slipping, with damaged flooring and medical tubing potentially causing trips and falls.
With healthcare professionals always being on the move, these slips, trips, and falls can lead to injuries such as fractures, especially if there are objects or medical equipment in the vicinity.
Head injuries due to an accident at work can be very debilitating and lead to lifelong issues. Some symptoms of a severe head injury can be seizures, loss of consciousness, memory loss, seizures, inability to focus eyes or abnormal eye movements, or disorientation.
Depending on the severity of the injury, long-term care and treatment may be needed. Whether you or a loved one has suffered an accident at work, you may wish to consider making a claim.