Nurses' and Therapists' Experiences with Occupational Musculoskeletal Injuries

Abstract

Occupational musculoskeletal injuries are costly to the health care industry. It is estimated that 12% of nurses leave the profession annually because of back injuries. With the use of grounded theory methodology, 15 nursing personnel and physical therapists were interviewed about their perceptions of occupational musculoskeletal injuries. Analysis of the data identified major themes, including feelings of fear and frustration; chronic issue and part of the job; love of the profession and concerns about continuing in the profession; increased risk of injury; compliant with treatment; negative impact on quality of life; negative feelings about the occupational health department; and educational needs. A theory began to emerge in which health care workers accepted occupational injuries as part of the job and took no action or initiated only minor interventions to prevent work-related injuries. The study indicates a need for education and better communication.