Hospitals too often fail to keep workers safe

Hospitals are supposed to be places of healing and safety – but hospitals are actually highly dangerous places to work. Hospital employees are exposed to all kinds of dangers, from infectious diseases to violent attacks.

Are hospitals doing everything they can to protect their workers? Not by a long shot.

Hospitals are not investing in their biggest resource

Hospitals pour money into new buildings and the latest in high-tech equipment whenever they can, but they’re generally not investing enough into staffing. Nurses have been leaving hospitals in droves because of poor hospital management, which is only increasing the problems with understaffing. Some of the biggest complaints that hospital employees have are:

• Inadequate training: With so many senior nurses already out the door, it’s difficult for junior nurses to get the proper on-the-job training they need regarding safety protocols that can reduce accidents and injuries.
• Inflexible schedules: The understaffing is so serious that many nurses find themselves pushed to accept working hours that are unsustainable over the long haul. Many nurses view this as an overall indicator that their safety simply isn’t an administrative priority.
• Violent attacks: Far too many nurses face violence from patients and their families. In some cases, particularly when a patient is confused and disoriented, that may be expected – but hospitals continuously fail to take steps to prevent nurses and other employees from getting injured when a patient or their family members are clearly aggressive.

Health care workers are a whopping five times more likely to suffer injuries due to workplace violence than workers in any other industry. And this is only one of the hazards that they face regularly.

If you’re a hospital employee who has been injured at work, you have every right to claim workers’ compensation benefits during your recovery. Seeking legal guidance is a good way to get started.