Nurses are sometimes injured in violent attacks while on the job. This is in addition to the injury risks they face when providing care – such as back injuries when lifting heavy patients or needle sticks when administering medications. Even nurses who perform all of their duties without injury could still be hurt if they are assaulted by a patient, a visitor or a family member.
Concerningly, this has been happening more often lately. The assault rate was 2.59 per 100 nurses two years ago, one study claims. However, the following year, the rate went up to 2.71 assaults for every 100 nurses. Every hour, two nurses suffer injuries in these attacks, on average. It’s a staggering number and healthcare workers need to be aware of the risks.
Blaming the nurses
Unfortunately, many nurses report victim blaming. When they report the assault, for instance, they may be asked what they could have done differently. Did they make any mistakes or fail to de-escalate the situation?
Naturally, nurses do not always appreciate being blamed for the assaults when they are just trying to provide patient care. Navigating physical assaults and de-escalation procedures are not supposed to be part of the job description.
Nurses who are in this position need to know what legal options they have. Getting injured on the job, even through an assault, may open the door to a workers’ compensation claim, for instance. A nurse who needs medical care and misses time at work may need compensation for those bills and lost wages. They can often get this through workers’ comp and/or potentially through a third-party lawsuit targeting the person who committed the assault.
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