Nursing & Healthcare Worker Injuries: Why They’re Among the Most Common in Ohio

Why Healthcare Worker Injuries Are So Common — Especially During the Holidays

Nurses, STNAs, hospital techs, and other healthcare professionals face unique physical and emotional demands.
During the holiday season, those pressures increase due to:

• Higher patient loads
• Fewer staff members on schedule
• More patient transfers and more complex cases
• Increased infectious exposure
• Fatigue from overtime and long shifts

These conditions make injuries more frequent — and more severe. Luckily, Ohio workers’ compensation covers healthcare workers just like any other occupation.

Below are the most common types of injuries — and how to protect yourself if you’re hurt.

Lifting & Patient-Handling Injuries

Nursing and patient-handling jobs involve constant:

• Transferring patients
• Repositioning
• Lifting from beds, wheelchairs, or floors
• Pushing medical equipment
• Responding to emergencies

These tasks frequently lead to:

• Lower back injuries
• Herniated discs
• Sciatica
• Shoulder and rotator cuff tears
• Knee injuries
• Muscle strains and sprains

During holiday staffing shortages, nurses often work short-handed, meaning more lifts, fewer breaks, and higher risk.

Are lifting injuries covered by workers’ comp?

Yes — as long as the injury occurred while performing job-related tasks.
Even if you have a prior condition, worsening it at work may qualify.

Assault in Healthcare Settings

Violence against healthcare workers has increased across Ohio.
This includes:

• Hitting
• Biting
• Kicking
• Scratching
• Being grabbed or shoved
• Weapon-related incidents

These assaults may come from:

• Confused patients
• Patients under the influence
• High-stress situations in ERs or psychiatric units
• Family members or visitors

Injuries can include:

• Fractures
• Soft tissue damage
• Concussions
• Psychological trauma (when tied to a physical injury)

Is assault covered by workers’ compensation?

Yes — assaults in the course of employment are fully compensable.
You may qualify for both physical and psychological treatment.

Infectious Exposure Claims

Healthcare workers face constant exposure to:

• COVID-19
• Flu
• MRSA
• Hepatitis
• Bloodborne pathogens
• Other infectious agents

In the winter months, rates rise as hospitals and clinics fill with patients.

When can an infectious disease be an approved Ohio workers’ comp claim?

Exposure must be:

1. Work-related,
2. Identifiable, and
3. Medically documented.

A doctor must link the infection to your workplace exposure, not community spread.

Proper documentation is key (more on that below).

What Documentation Matters for Nurses & Healthcare Workers

Healthcare injury claims often get challenged because employers or BWC question:

• When the injury occurred
• Whether it was caused by work
• Whether symptoms existed before

Here’s the documentation that helps protect your claim:

1. A clear incident report

File it immediately, even if symptoms seem minor.
This includes:

• Lifting incidents
• Assaults
• Needle sticks
• Bloodborne exposures
• Respiratory exposures

2. Medical records that connect the injury to work

Tell every treating provider exactly how the injury happened and that it occurred at work.
This prevents denials based on vague or missing details.

3. Witness statements (if available)

Nursing teams often work together — coworkers can confirm the incident.

4. Security or incident logs

Particularly for assaults or emergency situations.

5. Exposure documentation

For infectious claims, keep:

• Exposure logs
• Patient charts (de-identified)
• Lab results
• Supervisor reports

6. Work schedules

Holiday overtime and short-staffing can support claims of fatigue-related injuries or heavier workloads.

The more thorough your documentation, the stronger your case.

Why Healthcare Workers Shouldn’t “Tough It Out”

Nurses and healthcare staff are known for caring about everyone else before themselves.
But pushing through pain or delaying reporting can jeopardize:

• Medical treatment
• Wage benefits
• Job security
• Future claims

And during the holidays — when staffing is already thin — injuries easily worsen without proper care.

Garson Johnson Helps Injured Healthcare Workers Across Ohio

If you’re a nurse or healthcare worker hurt on the job, you deserve protection, medical treatment, and financial support.

Garson Johnson has helped countless Ohio healthcare workers navigate:

• Lifting injuries
• Patient and visitor assaults
• Infectious exposure claims
• Denied or delayed claims
• Permanent disability evaluations
• Return-to-work issues

You don’t have to take this on alone.

Talk to an Ohio nurse injury attorney for a free consultation today.