Suffering from any type of pain can make it difficult to carry out necessary tasks. Even if the pain begins as relatively minor, it could worsen if you participate in the same activities that initially caused the aggravation. In some cases, you may not have the ability to avoid all actions that lead to potential injury and pain as they may come as part of your work-related duties.

As a nurse, you certainly have many tasks that you repeat dozens of times a day. Because your job often requires you to help move patients and equipment, it likely comes as no surprise to you that the back pain you suffer also affects numerous others in your occupation. In fact, when it comes to workers' compensation claims for back injuries, nurses have the highest rates of claim.

Physically demanding

Though you may have entered this profession because you wanted to help people, you may not have fully considered the physical toll it would take on you. Registered nurses face a substantial risk of suffering from strains and sprains while on the job. In fact, you are more at risk for such injuries than individuals in the construction industry are. Additionally, according to the American Nursing Association, approximately 60 percent of nurses with job-related pain considered finding other work due to the physical nature of the job.

Help yourself avoid injury

Because you must carry out many physically demanding tasks in the course of your duties, you cannot avoid every situation that could potentially cause an injury. However, you could take steps that may help you lessen the likelihood of suffering an injury. These actions include:

• Seeking training for proper lifting and transferring techniques
• Bending your knees and using your legs for lifting
• Wearing proper footwear
• Obtaining assistance from other staff when moving patients
• Keeping your back in a neutral position
• Maintaining good muscle strength and flexibility

Even if you do make the effort to help yourself remain as safe on the job as possible, you could still suffer from serious back injuries. The pain from these injuries could make it nearly impossible for you to carry out your daily tasks, and you may worry about the financial impacts leaving your job or seeking medical treatment for your injuries could have. However, due to your job-related injuries, you may have reason to apply for workers' compensation benefits that could potentially help you with resulting financial burdens.