"Two of my good friends, who are top critical care nurses, can no longer work in that area because of back injuries. We can't afford to lose them." - Nurse Practioner at a large medical center.
Retention [and recruitment] of health care workers for most health care organizations has become a top priority1. Several factors are contributing to what many perceive as a "nursing shortage crisis,"2 including an aging workforce, low enrollments in studies related to care giving, an array of employment options for traditional care givers, demographics of the "baby boomers" moving through the system with a smaller employment pool behind, an ever-aging population with an increased acuity of health problems, strong regulatory requirements, rising health care costs, and increased fiscal constraints. As of 1998, the average age of working nurses increased from 37.7 to 41.9 years old.3 Madeline Wake, dean of Marquette University's nursing school states "Right now there is a serious problem, but nothing like what it is going to be in a few years. Fifty percent of the current nursing work force will reach retirement age in the next 15 years."
Some studies are showing that there is a direct relationship between caregiver staffing and quality of care.4 Michael Hodgson, the Director of the VA occupational health program states "The cost of [staff] injuries and illnesses represents money taken away from patient care and the families of employees."5
The incidence rate of back and shoulder injuries in health services continues to be significantly higher than in private industry, with a rate of 80 for back injuries as compared to a rate of 46.9 for private industry and 14.2 for shoulders as compared to 10.4.6 "Health care workers, representing a growing industrial sector, have increasing rates of nonfatal injuries and illnesses."7 They face health exposures that include needle stick injuries, latex allergies, on-the-job stress, and musculoskeletal disorders. According to NIOSH, "although it is possible to prevent or reduce health care worker exposure to these hazards, health care workers actually are experiencing increasing numbers of occupational injuries and illnesses. Rates of occupational injury to health care workers have risen over the past decade. By contrast, two of the most hazardous industries, agriculture and construction, are safer today than they were a decade ago."8 Back injuries may not be the most frequent injury to caregivers, but they are the most costly. Injury. Lifting and moving patients accounted for 34–36% of the number of injuries in hospitals and 66–69% of costs.9,10
"When I go home at night I feel bad that I can't lift my children when they greet me at the door. The first thing I have to do is have a soak in the tub," - a Critical Care nurse.
