What are the most common injuries in the health care industry?
Health care workers, particularly nursing home workers, suffer very high rates of back injuries. According to the Federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, sprains and strains are the leading cause of injuries in nursing homes. Health care workers are also exposed to blood borne pathogens, such as HIV and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) through needlesticks and use of other sharps, as well as other infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza. Injuries from workplace violence are common among health care workers who have direct contact with patients, as well as those who have to deal with the public at large.
