ABSTRACT
In 1999, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) identified healthcare patients as the source of 72,363 injuries and illnesses requiring time off work, including 59,002 musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) with the trunk and back as the body parts most often affected. In the year 2000, healthcare patients caused time away from work for 10,983 registered nurses and 44,854 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants with “overexertion” and “overexertion in lifting” identified as leading events for time lost. Also in 2000, of 129 occupations with time away from work due to MSDs, the BLS ranked nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants second with 44,660 MSDs, registered nurses sixth with 12,074 MSDs, and licensed practical nurses eighteenth with 5598 MSDs. A footnote listing inclusion of sprains, strains, tears, back pain, etc., specifies that, while herniated spinal discs may be considered MSDs, they are classified elsewhere, indicating that the actual number of musculoskeletal injuries to healthcare workers may be greater than shown by these figures (https://www.bls.gov).
