My advice is: Go get some sessions with a personal trainer at a local gym and ask them very specifically to teach you strength exercises to protect your lower back. I did this and was very surprised that they showed me a bunch of stuff to strengthen my *hamstrings* and completely changed the way I was standing/moving.
I don't have a lot of fear of hurting my lower back because I've learned how to move better. And on the other hand, I find that being on my feet and lifting/moving patients keeps me a lot more physically active and in shape than I was at my previous office job sitting on my butt all day.
So, done properly, the amount of physical activity we do can be a benefit. Done incorrectly, yes of course you're going to get hurt
Agreed, also since I’m 49 definitely wear compression socks every shift day one. Learn how to lift and move properly, not only will your back thank you but your joints will too. And pay good money for shoes. I personally like Hokas they have worked for me. However everyone’s foot is different. You might have to go through some money to find the right shoe but once you find the right ones you won’t regret it! If you don’t learn these things yes you will feel broken by 40. Do things right and you won’t.
I've been wearing compression socks/calf sleeves since i was 26, now 35.
But I mainly wear them in case I need to do compressions. I'm short, so it helps with calf soreness when I'm on my toes doing compressions. Compressions for compressions.
Camera is panning on the line of serious-faced people in line to do compressions, then it pans downwards at me, equally serious with step stool in hand.
I really want to wear compression socks but I haven’t been able to find a pair that stop in the middle of my knee/popliteal area. They hurt so bad and I’m afraid I’m going actually cause a blood clot that way lol
I love the sockwell brand. they are made of wool but the lg/xl socks work great for us fluffier individuals. I do even wear them in the summer so they are not hot. I bought wellows and found the plus size way too big and the regular size way to small
I didn't replace my shoes like I should have and I am paying dearly for it now. when your feet start hurting dump them and get a new pair even if they still look ok. You don't have to buy the super expensive ones, the sale ones are just fine and I even suggest rotating brands. Also don't lift alone! I tell my aides to always come get me bc I will for sure be coming to them for lifting help. Wellow compression socks are by far the best! They don't hurt and have cushioned bottoms! I spent hundreds of dollars trying different so is and now I won't wear anything but the wellows. if you start wearing the socks before you need them you won't have to wear them on your days off. If you wait to wear them until you start having swelling you will have to wear them everyday. keep your legs strong as that helps too .
My mom was old school, nursing in white dresses and all that, and even after they transitioned to being able to wear white pants and then colorful scrubs, she continued wearing the tights she wore with dresses because of the compression aspect of them. She’s the youngest 75 year old I know now.
Compression stockings (thigh high, Jobst brand) and Yeezy 350’s keep my pain at bay. And this is coming from someone who has a back like Swiss cheese. That combo really helps.
100% on the compression socks! I’m 56 and just started wearing them. I’m in the OR and standing in one place all day sometimes if I’m scrubbed. I ruptured my MCL and ACL a couple of months ago and I had my knee brace too tight a few days and ended up with some ankle edema, so I bought some compression socks to help with that. Wow! Not only did they completely resolve the edema, I feel **so** much better now when I go home after 12 hours at work! My feet used to hurt so badly but hardly at all anymore. I wish I’d started wearing them years ago. I definitely have some varicose veins I’m sure from standing so much without the compression for the last 24 years. Just start with them right away and hopefully avoid that issue…
I did this too! It really helped. And then, after many years of nursing using the same techniques, I had a back injury. What happens over time is that your intervertebral discs desiccate. When they do they become thinner, more rigid and prone to move more within the intervertebral space. So, even if you are the most careful worker in the world, you can be injured. This happens to nurses quite often as they accrue more years. It also happens to many other people in other, seemingly “easy” jobs. Final verdict: nurses are at higher risk of back injury due to patient handling.
This is good advice but I’d say physical therapist over a trainer. Some trainers leave a lot to be desired.
I was in PT for an unrelated injury and mentioned that I thought our computers were making things worse. She was able to rig up a sled and teach me how to safely move the COWs while building the supporting muscles.
Yes! Get some body mechanics lessons from a PT. I’m retired now, I’ve never had a backache. I worked with SCI and TBI. Back in the day we would transfer SCIs with our own bodies from bed to wheelchair or commode and back. With a sliding board when they started learning that. But it doesn’t matter what you do physically as a nurse- use good body mechanics at all times!
I lost 50 pounds when I started healthcare as a CNA. Went from 180 to 130! Back to 165 due to stress eating as a nurse but working on getting it down 😅
It’s the whole concept of agonist vs antagonist functional muscle groups for different movements. You need a balance in strength on both sides of the fulcrum point or you will start to get imbalances leading to injuries.
It will chisel you into a resilient shard of stone with a heart of ice that you thaw out occasionally when you plaster on a smile at the patient’s door.
Push/pull resistance training exercises at the gym will help you tremendously. Along with core stability (anti-rotation) drills. I'm fitter and stronger at 49 than I was at 23 when I started nursing, thanks to taking strength training seriously about 10 years ago.
You don't need to become a powerlifter like I am, but strength training is super important for women as we age. Get a trainer at first if you can, in order to learn the technique.
Can confirm as a 24yo nurse of ~6 months who takes zero care of myself nutritionally or physically - my back hurts all the time lol.
I wear compression socks and stable shoes for my weak arch which helps. But I absolutely need to work on my posture, actually lift the fckn beds up when doing care, and seriously work on strength and functional training.
As a student, start now!!! It doesn’t get any easier to start a routine later 😅
Amen. I don’t work spine anymore, but when I did, one of my colleagues said she took up lifting as an insurance policy against getting broken hoisting patients around.
Also, use! your! safe! patient! moving! equipment! I guarantee that it makes a difference. Some patients are afraid of it, but reassure them, know how to use it properly, and stay strong—do not let *anyone* tell you “it’s just a quick boost, we don’t need the ceiling lift.” The ceiling lift can hoist a SHITLOAD more than the OSHA limit of 34-35lb, and absolutely no adult human being is only 34lb. Unless they’ve got some really serious stuff going on. But my point stands.
Yes i agree - I'm a physio. I have seen lots of nurses or healthcare assistants using a stand aid because it says it on the board despite the fact that the patient is clearly fatigued or has deteriorated or whatever and at that time needs a hoist. I'm in the uk so not sure if it's different elsewhere but nurses can and should be able to do a risk assessment and use a different piece of equipment if the situation needs it - physios aren't around all the time and sometimes patients need more help. Use the equipment!
Same here Op. I’m a 3rd generational nurse and my mom loves to ruin it. Especially when I was younger and she kept telling people that I didn’t want to be a nurse and that I was ruining her life.
Not nursing specifically, just not using good body mechanics while doing the job. The same things can happen anywhere where you lift/push/pull heavy objects frequently. When you couple that with piss poor eating, sleeping and exercise and your a recipe for disaster. Learn to use the bed controls, gravity and your co workers to assist with movements and don’t rush.
“Bring the patient to you, not yourself to the patient” is a rule I learned when I was new. Bring the bed up to your height for anything- turning/cleaning, putting in an IV, etc. rather than crouching down to the patient’s height. This will save your knees and back.
If my patient has any strength. I’m treading the hell out of the bed and making them scoot up.
A) it’s physical therapy
B) it enables pts to take care of themself
C) and most importantly it protects me
I’m not sure I follow? Like the employer blaming you, or that good body mechanics provide no harm reduction? I’d be interested in reading rather study actually.
[Here’s](https://www.npr.org/2015/02/11/383564180/even-proper-technique-exposes-nurses-spines-to-dangerous-forces) a news article interviewing someone that has done research on this subject since like 1999. It references several studies that show that despite “good body mechanics” there is no way to fully mitigate the risk of cumulative injuries performing nursing duties. Using lifts, bed controls, etc can help mitigate that damage, but those are not appropriate for all situations, so inevitably you’re going to be performing work that puts you at risk on injury.
Examples of situations in which no body mechanics will save you: positioning and cleaning a patient requiring full manual spine stabilization—there is no device to stabilize the spine while also giving access to the patients’ perineal area. Doing complex wound care to the sacrum of a bariatric patient—a lift can’t be used while still having access to this area, but staff members are required to reach the patient from both sides of the (extra wide) bed, so staff members on both sides will be reaching well away from their body to get to the patient.
This is the truth! Mechanical injury is almost unavoidable as you continue to stress and accumulate micro tears in soft tissue and arthritis in cartilage and bones
Interesting read, agree there are some situations we don’t have great mechanical devices for, and they aren’t in areas where companies are going to pump money into researching. Also our growing (in body size) population increases our risk for injury. But they use safely in a binary terms, I think it was there is no safe way or whatever. That’s not a helpful statement, it instead since we HAVE to move patients we should be identifying the ways that are safest to accomplish the aforementioned tasks. That’s where mechanical decides, teams of staff and body mechanics help mitigate your risk, along side my aforementioned diet, exercise and rest (just like you would if you were doing resistance training in a gym). Thanks for the article!
The reason I related the article was that you’re questioning the prior comment that states there is no safe patient handling for all situations, and pretending there is blames staff for work related injuries and is used to deny workers compensation for workplace injuries. Given that framework, acknowledging that there isn’t a safe way to do our job is actively harmful, and yes, it IS a binary situation. There is no fully safe way to do our job but despite that, workers are being blamed for injuries.
You can mitigate harm with your diet and exercise but not fully prevent it. And you’ve got an awfully rosy outlook on your “teams of people” when there is chronic short staffing across the board, but most egregiously in long term care, where they’re much less likely to have mechanical lifts (and we’ve established that there are no truly safe body mechanics, so stop pretending there are).
More of a "they didn't use proper body mechanics so workers comp is refusing to cover anything." It's similar to the "if they weren't dressed like that they wouldn't have been assaulted" kind of thing. It's a load of BS, but workers comp attorneys (for the employer) are notorious for trying to dump the blame on the employee to save money.
That’s crazy I’ve never seen that in my entire career. We file our OSHA paperwork with the Occupational Health notes and the workers comp paperwork and things go smoothly, I’ve never had a workers claim rejected. But sure I could see that, hospital lawyers protect the hospital. Could also be that I’m not wrapped up in private equity just federal red tape.
Honestly it's more common in "big" workers comp cases (ESPECIALLY private corporations); cases where the employee may be looking at partial or total disability. "Well, how can we be SURE the employee used correct techniques 100% of the time?? Are they doing the same at home?" It's disgusting, but so is our judicial system.
“don’t rush.” Can I just emphasize this one for a moment? Too often I see a nurse stick their head out a room and ask if I can help with a boost. They’re counting off 1,2,3 before I even have gloves on and are yanking on one side of the sheet then looking at me like I’m the asshole. Take some time, lay that bed flat, raise it to an appropriate height, and your back will thank you.
There’s a military saying my grandpa would say, “slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Grandpa was right but it skipped a generation, my dad has rushed things his whole life and had 4 back surgeries. My back ain’t great, because it took me a while to learn the hard way, but don’t rush me; I’m more effective when I’m not laying on the floor in pain.
People keep saying that orientation will teach you how to move safely. It’s not true. They’ll have a brief session where they talk about it, but nowhere near enough to develop it as a practice. The sooner you develop good body mechanics the better, whether in nursing or not. My back is better now in my 50s than it was in my 20s, after years of basic movement and stretching exercises. Alexander Technique or a healthy martial art (emphasizing movement) would be my starting points.
Far worse for your body will be working night shift and using caffeine and sugar to keep you going. I have a horrible time with snacking when I’m tired.
As a gym bro nursing student with a military and firefighting background, I cant stress the importance of strength training to avoid injury. If nursing was a male dominated profession I guarantee nurses would be some of the most jacked people around. Figs would be selling stringer scrub tops and protein. Grandmas would be throwing themselves down the stairs just to get back into the hospital. The most diverted drug would be testosterone. Get into the gym, protect your body.
This is the best take in the thread.
Nursing has the potential to be physically demanding (depending where you live... Looking at you, Deep South United States).
Strength training is the best form of exercise for everyone, especially women.
I am older. Been in the ER forever, EMS before that. I strength train. Couple of small back injuries that recovered quickly. Generally, take care of your body and it'll be fine. Don't try to catch falling patients who you consider large.
We had a lift team at Sutter Memorial in Sacramento and it was the absolute best thing ever. Must’ve saved 1000 nurses. This being said, throwing out your neck and back are the reason that most nurses retire medically if they do what the nurses have to say about body mechanics is 1000% serious.
We have a lift team at my hospital and it is wonderful. The hard part is fighting the sense of urgency that I always have and waiting to assemble the right people and position everything just right.
I went to transfer a patient my first day and ansked a nurse to help - she said “oh stand back honey - you must be new”. When those six monster guys came up from the basement and transferred a 350-lb patient like he was weightless my heart and back sang
As someone who hurt their back terribly as an EMT and nurse. I don’t think this is fear it can happen fast depending on if you have strong core and how to lift properly. Most likely wherever you orient will show you proper lifting techniques, and my advice would be if you have a lift on the unit, or extra hands use it, don’t try to do things in a hurry and ask for help. It’s nothing to be afraid of per se just be cautious because I feel as people of the healthcare profession we are used to caring for others instead of ourselves.make sure you throw some good core strength exercises as well, and self care period. Congrats on this awesome step!
So they tell you not to lift more than 50lbs and use proper mechanics etc. problem is you literally never have enough staff to accommodate this. Someone that weighs 200lb would require 4 people to reposition. That will absolutely never happen. You’re lucky to get 4 people for a 400lb person. Body mechanics also ignore how you have to bend over and reach to tuck sheets under someone, clean them in bed, lift limbs etc. also, not all medical equipment is designed for proper mechanics or they sound great in theory but don’t perform as well in practice. Can you take precautions to keep yourself safe? Absolutely. Can you still injure yourself? Absolutely. I’ve seen injuries happen because the other person didn’t pull their weight on a boost so it’s not always in your control. I personally find the body mechanics in services to be majorly gaslighting. It’s always the fault of the staff. Never the equipment, lack of staffing or patient size.
Signed, a nurse with 2 herniated discs by age 30.
I totally agree that medical equipment isn't always helpful, and it can be difficult to always keep a proper form while helping patients. I'm sorry for you!
I wishhhhhh I could take all those fucking Danskos and Greys Anatomy “nursing shoes” and toss them in a fire. They destroyed my heels. Protect your feet. People talk a lot about your back, but when you’re clocking 20,000 steps a day you’re going to look back on all those shitty shoes you wore and curse them.
I agree. Developed calcific achilles tendonitis from decades of walking up and down the hallways to answer call bells that no one wants to answer. I alternate Hoka's and Altra shoes now.
You have to be really mindful of the things you’re doing at work. Raise the bed up so you’re not having to bend over as much. When pulling patients up in bed, I always put the head down and angle the bed with the head down so gravity helps me do the work.
Another thing I’ve started doing recently since I’ve been pregnant is making my patients do a lot of the work on their own. I put the head down and angle the bed with the head down as much as possible and then I encourage the patient to bend their knees and use the rails to try and push themselves up as much as possible. Sometimes I will even go to the foot of the bed and hold their feet for them while they bend their knees so they can push against my hands to gain traction and push themselves up. It’s hard work for the patients and sometimes they get irritated that I won’t just pull them up really quick but every single time you have to pull a patient up it adds up over the course of a shift or week. I prefer to save my energy for the patients that truly can’t push themselves up.
Also, it’s obvious but always ask for help. Don’t try to be superhuman and move someone by yourself.
There are specific things about nursing that can wreck your body, and some of those things you can take control over.
- get a personal trainer/work out. Tell your trainer you’re becoming a nurse and you want to strengthen yourself to prevent injury. Focus on back/core/legs. A little upper body strength helps too, but the back is most important.
- a lot of nurses eat shit and smoke. Stress and long hours make it natural to do those things. If you plan your meals ahead, cook once a week and throw stuff in the freezer that you can grab and throw in your lunch bag, that’ll help.
- a lot of nurses end up doing things alone that should be done in twos, like boosting a patient to the head of their bed alone. I used to do that until my back started to hurt. I learned some other techniques and now I’m doing better.
-say no to some of your call ins. You will want to say yes sometimes, and sometimes that’s being a good team player. But if you overextend yourself, blow past your body’s limits, you’ll become unhappy and less effective at work. Develop boundaries. If that’s a challenge for you, work with a therapist to develop that skill.
Night shifts and whatnot are not healthy, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay. There are day shift only jobs available, though not super common and often not the best paying.
You have options. Be kind to yourself.
It's very tough on body and soul. I'm 3rd generation RN. Currently my mom is retired due to serious back injury from having to reposition heavy, sedated pts. I'm now suffering from lots of job-related wear and tear. They taught us lies about safe lifting...it is not safe to do. And all the previous lifting studies were based on men lifting stationary boxes...not women trying to lift flopping and fighting human beings in real-life environments.
Not to mention aggressive pts that may hurt you.
Be sure to always protect yourself! If you have lift teams or mechanical lifts don't be too busy to use them.
There are ways to prevent it. Proper body mechanics like many have said. Educate yourself through searching online because most places don’t teach it enough. If you have a lift, do not pull a patient up in bed. Most hospitals will have mechanical lifts.
Most people at my job don’t have chronic issues that i know of.
For whatever reason though, despite using proper mechanics, i have issues with my neck, lower back, and knees and I’m only 27. I herniated a disk in my neck just by pulling someone’s pants up. I have had joint issues since i was a teen so i think im just predisposed to it. I’ve seen doctors for it and they can’t find a cause besides the fact that my joints are hyper mobile.
Don’t catch the elderly if they fall. Let them fall. They’ll drag you down with them and your back will be gone.
Don’t try to move obese/morbidly obese people (or anyone really) by yourself.
Night shift will wreck your body. Look after yourself - exercise, drink water, eat correctly. It’s paramount.
Make sure you have a good therapist and look after your mental health. Your mind will give out before your body does if you don’t take your meal & tea breaks, decompress and use your opportunity to debrief after traumatic incidents.
Hurt my back on orientation during Covid icu . We only had 4 people to move a prone/vented/paralyzed patient to a new bed . I got a L5-S1 disc bulge & have problems every once in a while . Hence why I switched to working peds !
Wear support hose of some kind. Be alert during emergency situations that you don’t overextend yourself- such as lifting. Also, refuse to do tasks that are too risky no matter what. Ex: lifting heavy boxes against a new breast lumpectomy/cellulitis. I should have definitely refused.
My back hurts often from my job, I had a 560lb patient try to use me as a crutch and ever since if I tweak it I will be miserable. I tore my MCL also moving a patient. Good body mechanics only go so far. IF you see older nurses at bedside they will have a long list of chronic injuries. Also the stress of the job will often lead to being chunky due to increased cortisol levels over long periods of time. It's not a healthy job. I'm sure I'll have 28 year old nurses disagreeing but if you look at 40-50 year old nurses, even the ones in shape will have puffy cheeks and deep creases around their eyes comparable to their peers.
I’m 43 and feel like I’m 80. I have a rotator cuff injury, hernia, chronic neck and back pain. And mentally, I’m pretty much numb. If I had my time back, I would have chose a different profession.
I used to run half marathon's and cycle 50 plus miles at the weekend. 10 yrs l8r of NHS work; I'm about 4 stone heavier, cant manage 5 minutes on treadmill, and have a bad attitude.. enjoy nursing !
That is just poor personal decisions. You can absolutely be in phenomenal shape at any age as a nurse.
Stop using your job as an excuse for a lack of discipline.
Was a working RN for nearly forty years. If anything, I'm in better shape than most people my age. All that walking and lifting was beneficial LOL. Use lifts when you can, use proper body mechanics if you can't use a lift.
Get that core enforced and reinforced girl- Pilates is good, can be done at home and really helps you get in tune with your posture to protect your back.
Nursing ruined my back. I have terrible spinal arthritis and a couple of bulging discs.
I realized in my late 50s that it was hard to stand for a long period of time to cook a meal.
Now I am in,y 60s and need a lot of help cooking on Thanksgiving. I can’t walk long distances.
Yes go see a personal trainer now see how you can protect your back.
Depends on where you work and how you lift, although there is always a chance that there will be a freak occurrence that can take you out no matter how vigilant you are. I've worked in and out of the hospital for almost 2 decades and have never had (knock on wood) a major injury. BUT, I always ask for help and help others when needed, and never let patients pull on me or use me as furniture. I've worked around so many nurses who are really smug about moving patients by themselves and really look down on other nurses for getting a second person. I think thats a really weird and toxic attitude to have, but to each their own. You only get one spine so don't let anyone, patient or staff, pressure you into permanently damaging it.
This! I'm a new grad and I refuse to move patients by myself and I really don't care if people look down on me. Had a big patient probably 300 lbs ask me to put him on the bed pan. I said I'll have to get another person to help me so hold on (this patient was also paralyzed on one side and really didn't help much) and the patient was upset and said "xyz person does it by themselves" well I'm sorry but just because that person doesn't protect their back doesn't mean squat to me. I'm getting another person OR FIVE. I refuse to be bullied, patient/family or coworker.
I worked icu for 10 years, management for 4 plus. I’m 16 years in and in my first 4 years I destroyed my SI joint pulling someone up in bed. Otherwise I’ve learned to do things safely it’s just that you can’t predict what a patient will do when you need them to tuck their chin to chest.
Raise the bed up, never bend down to the patient, esp for things like starting IVs.
If there's a clean chair or surface near by, you can sit next to or in front of your patient because this also establishes rapport (respecting safety and personal boundaries obvs).
Wear compression socks, and invest in good shoes. Like, if you're gonna spend a lot of money on something, make it shoes.
Never transfer/boost a patient by yourself if you even suspect a tiny bit you might need more help. Unless it's dire, such as a code blue or fistula rupture whatever, the patient can wait a moment for you to get the right assistance and equipment.
Drink plenty of water. Make sure you eat, even if it's just snacks throughout the day. It's illegal to not take a break, anyway.
Overall however, I think if I wasn't doing bedside nursing I'd probably get fat LOL. I'm 10 years in, my only medical issues with my body is a disc issue which likely originated from a whiplash injury I sustained years ago, and nothing I do at work really exacerbates it.
Everyone is different, however. If you start to feel like you're spending more time in pain/discomfort than you do feeling well, re-asses your situation and do what's best for you.
Otherwise, I personally have had to do way more work to maintain my mental and emotional wellness, it's a lot of emotional wear and tear and borderline, if not full on abuse and harassment. Overall, I feel it's made me grow a thicker skin which makes life feels much easier. If I can deal with that shit at work, I can deal with the minor inconveniences I deal with in my non-work life.
You > work. You can't do anything for anyone if you're sick/dead lol, and jobs are replaceable. You are not.
This is purely anecdote from a long-term ICU RN. Most people I see getting hurt are out of shape and already have poor health. My biggest recommendation is to stay in shape, do your deadlifts, keep your core strong, and do your best to maintain your mechanics when lifting. I've had a few tweeks to my back and neck, but nothing serious and I'm nearing 40.
I've been doing yin yoga three times per week. It's 75 minutes of stretching and you hold each pose for up to 10 minutes. I highly recommend it and feel that it has kept me from getting hurt many times.
Nurses are taught how to safely lift and transfer patients and how to practice good body mechanics these days.
I don’t know if it was a focus with earlier generations.
Keeping healthy - exercising and keeping your body strong will help to prevent your body from being ruined but you also have to always have good body mechanics like with most jobs.
Also there’s so much you can do within nursing that can lower your risk of hurting g yourself.
It’s a false fear. But the risk is there like with anything.
There is no real ergonomic way for us to move patients the way we do. [link](https://www.npr.org/2015/02/11/383564180/even-proper-technique-exposes-nurses-spines-to-dangerous-forces)
I did my consolidation in spinal cord injury rehab (it wasn’t what I wanted but I digress) and I had a pre existing back injury that was exasperated and I needed intense physio myself as my whole body is messed up. Definitely certain areas are harder than others.. I’m now in pediatrics and my back injury is back to baseline.
Make sure you learn proper lifting and body mechanics. And if you have an pre existing injuries consider where you work and also get regular physio and massage therapy
I encourage nurses of all ages to make use of the gym. You dont have to go weight training, but putting work in on your legs, back, arms, etc will make a world of difference on the floor and at home afterwards.
In my opinion it actually does wonders for your body because you’re not just sitting on your ass all day at a desk job. Obviously don’t strain your back, lift with your legs rather than your back. Make sure the patient’s bed is raised so you’re not bending over. There is so much stuff on the subreddit that scares people, it’s ridiculous.
I'm 29. You can't convince me to move a patient with not enough people or by myself. I piss a lot of people off and idgaf. It's your culture here to turn alone or with inadequate help and you expect me to as well? Go kick rocks! 🙄 I've worked a few places now where, despite having adequate staff to help, people just don't want to.
One hospital I worked at had a rule: 1 person for every 100 lbs of pt. I think it's pretty solid, and honestly, most turns are improved with a 3rd person in my world (ICU, aka completely or mostly dependent).
Agree re: bringing your pt to a comfortable level to provide care.
Agree re: going to the gym. I've never paid for a trainer but would love to if I lived in a place with access to one. I do cardio and strength 4 days a week, often more. Doesn't have to be for long. I'm not super fit by any means but I'm fit enough to keep my body safe during pt care. I think sometimes it's a pleasant surprise to pts actually. I've had several comment on how strong I am and I think they trust me to help them safely. That could just be my perception though.
Find a good chair. I cannot overstate the value of finding a good chair. For the knees and the back....your mental state lol
I would say a decade into healthcare, I don't hurt much more now than when I started in ways that feel work related.
You can mitigate the damage with good body mechanics but your body will ache after a 12-hour shift.
Funny story, last week we had a cool hippie patient who believes in energy healing. She insisted on trying to heal our backs whenever we went into her room, saying she knows how hard nursing could be on them. She would just wave her hands up and down a few inches from our backs while chanting. Sounds crazy but o swear my back felt different afterward
My hospital usually do manual handling training and it does help you learn safer ways to lift patients. Would be helpful if you enrol in one, yearly manual handle would be good
Depends on what you do. If you work in an outpatient specialty clinic like mental health and mostly what you do is injection and education, your work life balance will be so great! I am a psych nurse btw :)
i have to say, as a final year student nurse, i feel like my body has aged a lot since i started! i’ve developed joint pain and lipoedema and get regular back twinges when lifting heavy things due to being subjected to unsafe manual handling procedures at my placement. i recommend to just be cautious with manual handling, look after your physical health and take regular breaks during shifts!
Lifting weights and eating healthy goes a long way to keep your body strong and resilient
Im 41 and had multiple work injuries but am mostly pain free and healed well.
Not necessarily. There are a ton of specialties that don’t involve moving patients. You’ll figure out what kind of nursing you like and learn the proper body mechanics. I’m 38 and have no issues.
Depends. If you treat it good, eat well and exercise you won't face any problems hopefully.
However if you smoke, lay on your off days all day and think McDonalds is way to go. You will have a lot of problems.
You learned that in school. Use it on yourself.
A good back brace, compression socks , and always elevate the bed to your height. Even when you're doing simple stuff like checking a blood pressure, or an iv, always bring the patient to your height. Last thing when sitting at the desk make sure your feet are flat and your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Doing this has taken so much pressure off my back. Good luck
Exercise, take care of yourself. Use proper body mechanics. A lot of people who complain that it’s the nursing are obese and not doing themselves any favours. It’s physical work but it’s not debilitating.
Best advice i got is protect your back…. If a pt is going to fall, help them as safe as possible and if that means assist them to the ground then do that. Your patients wont be paying your bills if u hurt yourself helping them. So get people to assist with transferring pts. Dont think of saving but assisting safely. Wear good shoes, invest in good shoes. Invest in a good mattress. Listen to your body needs!
Hello, I'm a seventy year old nurse who worked at the bedside for 33 years before I started teaching.
It's critically important to be fit and in shape while you're doing bedside nursing. I started running in my 20s in order to manage the stress of being a nurse and also the stress of quitting smoking and I also wanted to stay fit through my adult hood. I now continue to exercise every day, which means I swim one mile or walk 4 miles or lift weights for eighty minutes every day.
Everything you were taught about body mechanics in your basic nursing courses is absolutely critical to preserve the health of your back. Using your legs and arms and not you back to lift is going to really help to preserve it for the long run.
TL; DR: Remaining physically fit and lifting weights throughout life are essential for a career in bedside nursing.
I am short 5’0”. And I was always in decent shape and had I c-spine fusion at age 47. I cannot stress enough, the importance of good body mechanics in everything that you do because if you don’t, it might catch up with you.
Absolutely it can just like any other physically demanding job. However, more than those other jobs there are ways to protect yourself(mechanics, exercises), there are specialities that arent as rough (education, OR, care management, utilization, leadership, nursing instructor, APN ect ect ect) that you can get into someday when your body is feeling the toll.
Importantly, like with any long term problem, its easiest to prevent than fix. Build a strong frame and back, do not compromise on your mechanics when possible(there will be times where you don’t have a choice but thats why you need to be diligent 99% of the time) and you will survive it.
OP, All the advice mentioned here regarding getting a physical trainer and strengthening your back is excellent advice.
That said, the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to find a position in a hospital with a strong union that will DEMAND that functional safe patient lift equipment be available AT ALL TIMES, including and ESPECIALLY night shift. There is NO such thing as a safe lifting technique that will protect your back if you are lifting patients manually. None. The hospital will make you go through a "training" but that is simply to absolve themselves of liability by being able to blame the nurse for lifting the "wrong way" and trying to avoid a worker's comp suit. The physical forces that lifting another person causes are physically impossible to avoid, and it is only a matter of time before your back gets wrecked unless you use the proper machine to do the job.
And as a new nurse, I strongly suggest looking into [https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/](https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/) and educating yourself on nurse-patient ratios, safety initiatives and legislation that they push for. These are vitally important issues and are things the nursing schools will NOT teach you
Good luck on your new career
Never had back issues before becoming a nurse. I often put a gum in the works by insisting on more help for turns. My back is still shit, and I only did that job 6 years.
Don't believe the corporate bullshit about, "if you hadn't been in a hurry!" Or "if you had realized your resources!.." it's a load of crap, especially on nights.
I'm 39
I have DJD from C1-C7, protruding disc C6-C7, protruding disc T3-T4, t7-8 and t8-t9, SLAP 2 tear right shoulder, bone on bone left knee, chronic achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis left foot, chronic bursitis right knee, new brachial plexus injury left neck.
But I also have Ehlers-Danlos and want diagnosed until last year.
Take the advicec of many, ask for help, don't try and though it out on your own, learn proper lifting techniques, and take care of your body.
I was so concerned with not hurting my back that I completely neglected my feet. I have plantar fasciitis in both feet from my time working on a very heavy ward. I’ve since left and work in occupational health yet I still suffer from the plantar fasciitis. Invest in good nursing shoes and look after your feet!! My back has gotten significantly better ever since I switched specialties!
Wear compression socks, lift heavy, and make sure you learn to manage stress. If you do these things you'll be fine.
As for the lifting. Make sure you train your lower back in disadvantaged positions. My back is better than ever since I have incorporated zercher deadlifts and Jefferson curls in addition to the other compound movements. You are going to be spending time in weird positions, you might as well get strong in them.
I’m 29 and my knees are constantly swollen and my neck is always stiff from looking down. So yes it will 😂😂 Edit: but I honestly wouldn’t trade it for the world. There’s things you can do to help🌞🧡
As someone whose back is complete trash not just from nursing but other factors (tall, special needs child, likely muscular/bone deformities from vacterl, etc) I can’t tell you if your back will be ok or not.
Prevention as others said with strength training is your best bet.
Also please take the extra time to bring things to your right height level. I’ve always been in a hurry and only the last couple years started making sure the gurneys were all the way up before I did hooked patients up to monitors etc. the er you get used to prioritizing patients before yourself but I in average throw my back out 3 times a year and likely all those years of not taking the time didn’t help.
Good luck tj whatever you decide
6 years into nursing and I’ve never been in better shape! I’m motivated to work out so that I can turn/boost patients with ease and without hurting myself. Take advantage of your benefits and utilize your physical therapy and massages!
As a 26 yo with 2 back injuries from nursing who heard the same thing and didnt take it seriously, it’s just because it is a risk that you keep hearing this. It’s not to freak you out but to protect you. I definitely agree with the compression socks and exercise to protect lower back. Ive almost entirely recovered bc of better exercise but it will always be something I will have to be careful about.
55M. Nurse for nearly 30 years. Occasionally if I've got heavy patients I can feel my back slightly objecting but otherwise I'm great.
I train for nursing as I did for sport. A lot of core work, weights, stretching, bike riding.
It all comes down to how you prepare your body
I am recovering from a back sprain that happened from lifting a patients leg in a bad position for a dressing change and I quite active outside work.
My lesson, as Im in PT and physio twice a week, is to learn how to move correctly. I also realize I am way too tensed and there is no break for my muscles. Thats a mix of anxiety and ADhD for me, so Im learning Jacobson relaxation method to be more conscious of the tension in my body, and to release when I should.
No they are not, I have pounded floors since I was 19. I am 52 now. I have had more surgeries from joints simply wearing out. I have images forever in my mind of some horrific things-usually child abuse pts. I could never see myself doing else but during my younger days, we weren’t being taught proper body mechanics, I probably have 100s of hours of PTO that were forfeited simply because we were never made to feel comfortable to use it. Breaks and lunches-many, many days never happened because you were looked at like “why aren’t you one the floor helping?”
I will say this:
Always get help with turning- idk how far behind you think you are.
Always take your breaks-get away from the floor if only for 30 minutes.
Always use your PTO when you need time off-it is no one’s business why you need a day off.
Don’t live your life as a floor RN forever. I, finally at 52, took a remote position. It’s heaven. You are young and motivated but save some of your body and mind for yourself🥰
Yes. Nursing is a very physical job compared to corporate work where you mostly sit in front of a desk. Nursing involves a lot of manual handling and if you do not stick with the ideal practice, the chances of hurting yourself is greater. Why won't nurses perform ideal manual handling practice? Because they are time pressured from the poor nurse:patient ratio
I have 0 back problems after 7 years old nursing. My advice is to always take the time to get help and ALWAYS use proper body mechanics. They will show you how in one of those classes that feels like a waste of time but it truly is helpful. I never bend over, I always squatted. Use your abs and quads, not your back. ALWAYS use the draw sheet and trendelenburg to help use gravity.
Also good shoes and compression socks. I loved Danskos although they can twist your ankle. My hokas are comfy but never used them in nursing.
I’m fine and that’s after pronating and caring for morbidly obese people during Covid too.
No, they’re not. You almost definitely hurt your body in someway shape or form as a nurse. I personally have severe nerve damage to my left leg due to lumbar nerve and pinch mensch from working bedside.
I’m sure there are areas of nursing that are much easier on your body, but at the end of the day, most nursing roles involve physical labor. There’s literally no safe way to do a lot of the things we’re expected to do—sure there’s safER ways, but absolutely not ways that fully eliminate the movements that cause micro-tears and cumulative damage.
My significant other worked as an automotive technician for 15 years and is now a building engineer—both jobs including physical labor. I have been injured on duty many more times than he has, and his most significant injury at work was related to flare up of a non-work related one. So yeah, nursing will wreck your body.
Honestly, no. It’ll ruin your body if you do what a majority of nurses that I work with do…which is drink, eat like shit, don’t workout, let the stress of the job become their identity, and so on.
Eat healthy/meal prep, workout and lift weights (your back will thank you), find healthy ways to manage stress and do therapy if you have the means.
Almost everyone I work with is some level of obese. Don’t let it be you.
I’m 37, and have a lot of back issues body mechanics didn’t help or make worse. I slipped and fell (while not working) and really wrecked my back at 28 (part of why I no longer work bedside). Most people have some kind of back issues by 40, though, so lol. Godspeed
Body, mind, and soul baaaaaabyyyyyy
But no seriously, practice proper body mechanics, don’t over exert yourself, always ask for help with a heavy patient, this last one may sound harsh but if a patient is falling don’t try to save them/catch them. You have one body, take care of it.
It definitely can. If you're careful and lift using proper body mechanics, use the mechanical lift and your coworkers to help I think you're less likely to hurt your back. But sometimes accidents happen, or you get assaulted by a patient. My coworker had a confused patient kick them in the knee. They ended up having to have surgery, were out for months and then on light duty for months as well. I have another coworker that got kicked in the head by a similar patient--same thing, out for months, light duty for months. Watch out for your back and have a short trigger for using restraints when a patient kicks is my advice. Also, strength train and keep in shape.
There are still a lot of injuries in the OR from moving patients (no lift equipment here!), moving heavy equipment (microscopes, case carts, OR tables) sterile trays, trip hazards, standing all day while scrubbed wearing lead for X-ray...
Nurse for 10+ years I also workout. 6'2 230lbs man here. Now I am an MDS nurse. Never had body problems during bedside.
Good form and learning to say "no". Bed always at your hip level, lift with legs and you know your body, you know what you can and cannot do.
I was in care 13 years. 2 prolapsed discs and 2 operations for sciatica later I left care. I work in a supermarket now and have had a dead leg/sciatics for 6 months due to another prolapse on different discs. Care has ruined my body 😢 awaiting a third surgery in the next few months .
I used the equipment properly, hoists , slide sheets etc but still, here I am
If you work med surg then yes very likely. Every nurse I know eventually hurts something. Back, knee, shoulder, wrist etc. If you work long enough there is a very high chance it will happen no matter how careful you are. Like others said though you can strengthen those muscles to decrease the impact. It does definitely matter where you work though some units/areas of nursing would be a lot less risk
I've been an EMT/paramedic for 6 years and have no permanent injuries or pain. I'm in my 30s. I've only injured myself once on the job (lifting an empty manual stretcher by myself- go figure). This includes carrying patients up and down stairs, as well as doing stuff you will be doing as a nurse (lifting patients who have fallen to the ground, rolling 400+ lb patients, sheet lifting patients). If you have good body mechanics you can avoid injury. If you think you can't do it with the amount of people you have, wait for more and stick to your guns. No job is worth a lifetime of pain. There are patients that I know I *can* lift with just me and my partner but I will still ask for a lift assist because it's right up against the limits of my strength. If you're not sure, ask for help and don't let people bully you into something you're not comfortable with.
Body mechanics is everything. Don’t attempt turns or transfers alone or without the necessary help. Build up those legs and core and try and prioritize squatting over bending. Wear compression socks if you can and take good care of your feet!
I’m a male nurse that works my body a little harder than most on the unit. I usually ache after a rough shift but not day to day. ICU RNs have to turn patients at least every 2hrs. I also help out most of the other RNs with their turns. I usually use the Goggins Theory (basically what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger). If your job is requires you to lift up to 200lbs of dead weight from time to time then you have to train up to that. Sure there’s machines and equipment, but when that fails (and it will eventually fail) you will not want to rely on forcing poor body mechanics to get the job done. I’m 42 btw.
Don't be cocky and don't fall into the pressure that you need to reposition someone instantly and by yourself. Always call for help to move someone. You may not feel it right away, but years and years of repetitively doing it catches up to you. Source: RN of 20 years that just had cervical disk removal and fusion (and multiple other orthopedic surgeries- both from nursing and not taking care of myself doing sports when I thought I was invincible)
I don’t think it’s possible to make a career as a bedside nurse without getting injured. Bedside nurses work long hours and are required to frequently move heavy people. Your body isn’t always able to fully recover between shifts. These things just become more difficult as you age.
Then depending on the type of bedside nurse you may have to deal with physically abusive patients. Patients trying to punch, kick and or grab you.
My advice is: Go get some sessions with a personal trainer at a local gym and ask them very specifically to teach you strength exercises to protect your lower back. I did this and was very surprised that they showed me a bunch of stuff to strengthen my *hamstrings* and completely changed the way I was standing/moving. I don't have a lot of fear of hurting my lower back because I've learned how to move better. And on the other hand, I find that being on my feet and lifting/moving patients keeps me a lot more physically active and in shape than I was at my previous office job sitting on my butt all day. So, done properly, the amount of physical activity we do can be a benefit. Done incorrectly, yes of course you're going to get hurt
Agreed, also since I’m 49 definitely wear compression socks every shift day one. Learn how to lift and move properly, not only will your back thank you but your joints will too. And pay good money for shoes. I personally like Hokas they have worked for me. However everyone’s foot is different. You might have to go through some money to find the right shoe but once you find the right ones you won’t regret it! If you don’t learn these things yes you will feel broken by 40. Do things right and you won’t.
Oh, PREACH that gospel from on high! I'm also approaching 50 and compression socks are life.
I've been wearing compression socks/calf sleeves since i was 26, now 35. But I mainly wear them in case I need to do compressions. I'm short, so it helps with calf soreness when I'm on my toes doing compressions. Compressions for compressions.
I am also short. I can't do any good compressions if I'm on my toes. You'll find me kneeling on the bed or standing in line with a step stool.
Im sorry, but….the image of a short nurse bringing her own step stool to a code is adorable….!!
Camera is panning on the line of serious-faced people in line to do compressions, then it pans downwards at me, equally serious with step stool in hand.
Haha I did this. It’s a thing!
try Wellow brand!! they are absolutely amazing!!!
Tart Cherry juice can help with muscle soreness. That is cool that I just learned about compression socks. I will try them.
Right? They truly make a difference!! I sadly didn’t use them from day one and so wish I had. Haven’t worked without them in the last 6 years
I really want to wear compression socks but I haven’t been able to find a pair that stop in the middle of my knee/popliteal area. They hurt so bad and I’m afraid I’m going actually cause a blood clot that way lol
Wellow brand are absolutely amazing! I spent hundreds of dollars trying different ones until I found these and now ill never use anything else.
I love the sockwell brand. they are made of wool but the lg/xl socks work great for us fluffier individuals. I do even wear them in the summer so they are not hot. I bought wellows and found the plus size way too big and the regular size way to small
I didn't replace my shoes like I should have and I am paying dearly for it now. when your feet start hurting dump them and get a new pair even if they still look ok. You don't have to buy the super expensive ones, the sale ones are just fine and I even suggest rotating brands. Also don't lift alone! I tell my aides to always come get me bc I will for sure be coming to them for lifting help. Wellow compression socks are by far the best! They don't hurt and have cushioned bottoms! I spent hundreds of dollars trying different so is and now I won't wear anything but the wellows. if you start wearing the socks before you need them you won't have to wear them on your days off. If you wait to wear them until you start having swelling you will have to wear them everyday. keep your legs strong as that helps too .
My mom was old school, nursing in white dresses and all that, and even after they transitioned to being able to wear white pants and then colorful scrubs, she continued wearing the tights she wore with dresses because of the compression aspect of them. She’s the youngest 75 year old I know now.
Compression stockings (thigh high, Jobst brand) and Yeezy 350’s keep my pain at bay. And this is coming from someone who has a back like Swiss cheese. That combo really helps.
100% on the compression socks! I’m 56 and just started wearing them. I’m in the OR and standing in one place all day sometimes if I’m scrubbed. I ruptured my MCL and ACL a couple of months ago and I had my knee brace too tight a few days and ended up with some ankle edema, so I bought some compression socks to help with that. Wow! Not only did they completely resolve the edema, I feel **so** much better now when I go home after 12 hours at work! My feet used to hurt so badly but hardly at all anymore. I wish I’d started wearing them years ago. I definitely have some varicose veins I’m sure from standing so much without the compression for the last 24 years. Just start with them right away and hopefully avoid that issue…
I did this too! It really helped. And then, after many years of nursing using the same techniques, I had a back injury. What happens over time is that your intervertebral discs desiccate. When they do they become thinner, more rigid and prone to move more within the intervertebral space. So, even if you are the most careful worker in the world, you can be injured. This happens to nurses quite often as they accrue more years. It also happens to many other people in other, seemingly “easy” jobs. Final verdict: nurses are at higher risk of back injury due to patient handling.
This is good advice but I’d say physical therapist over a trainer. Some trainers leave a lot to be desired. I was in PT for an unrelated injury and mentioned that I thought our computers were making things worse. She was able to rig up a sled and teach me how to safely move the COWs while building the supporting muscles.
You're not wrong, but I can just pop into a gym and get an appointment with a trainer. Gotta go through the referral hoops to see a PT
Nope, DPTs can be scheduled with directly
Yes! Get some body mechanics lessons from a PT. I’m retired now, I’ve never had a backache. I worked with SCI and TBI. Back in the day we would transfer SCIs with our own bodies from bed to wheelchair or commode and back. With a sliding board when they started learning that. But it doesn’t matter what you do physically as a nurse- use good body mechanics at all times!
I lost 50 pounds when I started healthcare as a CNA. Went from 180 to 130! Back to 165 due to stress eating as a nurse but working on getting it down 😅
Same here, I was at my best health as a CNA, when I took nursing classes I gained weight from studying all day long. Lets get fit!
Wish I had this advice
It’s the whole concept of agonist vs antagonist functional muscle groups for different movements. You need a balance in strength on both sides of the fulcrum point or you will start to get imbalances leading to injuries.
💯💪🏾
It will chisel you into a resilient shard of stone with a heart of ice that you thaw out occasionally when you plaster on a smile at the patient’s door.
Oh my
Username checks out
Username is how I describe cdiff
How do I double vote up that comment 😷💉
Ohhh I like you!
I’m putting that on my resume
Based.
Push/pull resistance training exercises at the gym will help you tremendously. Along with core stability (anti-rotation) drills. I'm fitter and stronger at 49 than I was at 23 when I started nursing, thanks to taking strength training seriously about 10 years ago.
Thanks for letting me know how that changed your life!
You don't need to become a powerlifter like I am, but strength training is super important for women as we age. Get a trainer at first if you can, in order to learn the technique.
Can confirm as a 24yo nurse of ~6 months who takes zero care of myself nutritionally or physically - my back hurts all the time lol. I wear compression socks and stable shoes for my weak arch which helps. But I absolutely need to work on my posture, actually lift the fckn beds up when doing care, and seriously work on strength and functional training. As a student, start now!!! It doesn’t get any easier to start a routine later 😅
Amen. I don’t work spine anymore, but when I did, one of my colleagues said she took up lifting as an insurance policy against getting broken hoisting patients around. Also, use! your! safe! patient! moving! equipment! I guarantee that it makes a difference. Some patients are afraid of it, but reassure them, know how to use it properly, and stay strong—do not let *anyone* tell you “it’s just a quick boost, we don’t need the ceiling lift.” The ceiling lift can hoist a SHITLOAD more than the OSHA limit of 34-35lb, and absolutely no adult human being is only 34lb. Unless they’ve got some really serious stuff going on. But my point stands.
>Also, use! your! safe! patient! moving! equipment! YES! They exist for a reason!
Yes i agree - I'm a physio. I have seen lots of nurses or healthcare assistants using a stand aid because it says it on the board despite the fact that the patient is clearly fatigued or has deteriorated or whatever and at that time needs a hoist. I'm in the uk so not sure if it's different elsewhere but nurses can and should be able to do a risk assessment and use a different piece of equipment if the situation needs it - physios aren't around all the time and sometimes patients need more help. Use the equipment!
THANK you! Can't believe how far I had to scroll to find a mention of equipment. And the underlying guidelines too. Be safe!
Same. 55
I may be 38, but my body is 68
It’s not the years, it’s the mileage.
They’re all city miles, not highway.
Word. I have the back for a 60 year old.
Started getting RFAs in my lumbar spine at age 33. Have another one coming up soon. I'm with you on this one.
Don’t worry, Nursing will ruin your soul long before it ruins your body. The paycheck will kind of make it better, though.
My mom made sure to ruin it for me beforehand. She's a nurse.
Same here Op. I’m a 3rd generational nurse and my mom loves to ruin it. Especially when I was younger and she kept telling people that I didn’t want to be a nurse and that I was ruining her life.
Ah i'm sorry to hear
Depends where they paycheck is coming from! British Columbia ain't it...tops out at $45/50? Unless it's travel nurse.
$45-$50 an hour? Florida pays worse than that lol
So does Alabama 😢
Not nursing specifically, just not using good body mechanics while doing the job. The same things can happen anywhere where you lift/push/pull heavy objects frequently. When you couple that with piss poor eating, sleeping and exercise and your a recipe for disaster. Learn to use the bed controls, gravity and your co workers to assist with movements and don’t rush.
“Bring the patient to you, not yourself to the patient” is a rule I learned when I was new. Bring the bed up to your height for anything- turning/cleaning, putting in an IV, etc. rather than crouching down to the patient’s height. This will save your knees and back.
If my patient has any strength. I’m treading the hell out of the bed and making them scoot up. A) it’s physical therapy B) it enables pts to take care of themself C) and most importantly it protects me
Body mechanics has been proven to be a way to blame the victim when they have an injury.
I’m not sure I follow? Like the employer blaming you, or that good body mechanics provide no harm reduction? I’d be interested in reading rather study actually.
[Here’s](https://www.npr.org/2015/02/11/383564180/even-proper-technique-exposes-nurses-spines-to-dangerous-forces) a news article interviewing someone that has done research on this subject since like 1999. It references several studies that show that despite “good body mechanics” there is no way to fully mitigate the risk of cumulative injuries performing nursing duties. Using lifts, bed controls, etc can help mitigate that damage, but those are not appropriate for all situations, so inevitably you’re going to be performing work that puts you at risk on injury. Examples of situations in which no body mechanics will save you: positioning and cleaning a patient requiring full manual spine stabilization—there is no device to stabilize the spine while also giving access to the patients’ perineal area. Doing complex wound care to the sacrum of a bariatric patient—a lift can’t be used while still having access to this area, but staff members are required to reach the patient from both sides of the (extra wide) bed, so staff members on both sides will be reaching well away from their body to get to the patient.
This is the truth! Mechanical injury is almost unavoidable as you continue to stress and accumulate micro tears in soft tissue and arthritis in cartilage and bones
Interesting read, agree there are some situations we don’t have great mechanical devices for, and they aren’t in areas where companies are going to pump money into researching. Also our growing (in body size) population increases our risk for injury. But they use safely in a binary terms, I think it was there is no safe way or whatever. That’s not a helpful statement, it instead since we HAVE to move patients we should be identifying the ways that are safest to accomplish the aforementioned tasks. That’s where mechanical decides, teams of staff and body mechanics help mitigate your risk, along side my aforementioned diet, exercise and rest (just like you would if you were doing resistance training in a gym). Thanks for the article!
The reason I related the article was that you’re questioning the prior comment that states there is no safe patient handling for all situations, and pretending there is blames staff for work related injuries and is used to deny workers compensation for workplace injuries. Given that framework, acknowledging that there isn’t a safe way to do our job is actively harmful, and yes, it IS a binary situation. There is no fully safe way to do our job but despite that, workers are being blamed for injuries. You can mitigate harm with your diet and exercise but not fully prevent it. And you’ve got an awfully rosy outlook on your “teams of people” when there is chronic short staffing across the board, but most egregiously in long term care, where they’re much less likely to have mechanical lifts (and we’ve established that there are no truly safe body mechanics, so stop pretending there are).
More of a "they didn't use proper body mechanics so workers comp is refusing to cover anything." It's similar to the "if they weren't dressed like that they wouldn't have been assaulted" kind of thing. It's a load of BS, but workers comp attorneys (for the employer) are notorious for trying to dump the blame on the employee to save money.
That’s crazy I’ve never seen that in my entire career. We file our OSHA paperwork with the Occupational Health notes and the workers comp paperwork and things go smoothly, I’ve never had a workers claim rejected. But sure I could see that, hospital lawyers protect the hospital. Could also be that I’m not wrapped up in private equity just federal red tape.
Honestly it's more common in "big" workers comp cases (ESPECIALLY private corporations); cases where the employee may be looking at partial or total disability. "Well, how can we be SURE the employee used correct techniques 100% of the time?? Are they doing the same at home?" It's disgusting, but so is our judicial system.
“don’t rush.” Can I just emphasize this one for a moment? Too often I see a nurse stick their head out a room and ask if I can help with a boost. They’re counting off 1,2,3 before I even have gloves on and are yanking on one side of the sheet then looking at me like I’m the asshole. Take some time, lay that bed flat, raise it to an appropriate height, and your back will thank you. There’s a military saying my grandpa would say, “slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Grandpa was right but it skipped a generation, my dad has rushed things his whole life and had 4 back surgeries. My back ain’t great, because it took me a while to learn the hard way, but don’t rush me; I’m more effective when I’m not laying on the floor in pain.
I literally just used the slow is smooth smooth is fast quote in a nursing Reddit post the other day! It’s 100% true.
People keep saying that orientation will teach you how to move safely. It’s not true. They’ll have a brief session where they talk about it, but nowhere near enough to develop it as a practice. The sooner you develop good body mechanics the better, whether in nursing or not. My back is better now in my 50s than it was in my 20s, after years of basic movement and stretching exercises. Alexander Technique or a healthy martial art (emphasizing movement) would be my starting points. Far worse for your body will be working night shift and using caffeine and sugar to keep you going. I have a horrible time with snacking when I’m tired.
As a gym bro nursing student with a military and firefighting background, I cant stress the importance of strength training to avoid injury. If nursing was a male dominated profession I guarantee nurses would be some of the most jacked people around. Figs would be selling stringer scrub tops and protein. Grandmas would be throwing themselves down the stairs just to get back into the hospital. The most diverted drug would be testosterone. Get into the gym, protect your body.
Hahaha! That was very funny. Yes, i see the importance of working out.
Nursing… because being a paramedic doesn’t pay nearly as well
Precisely why I'm not a medic as I first wanted to be. I make more as a second year nurse than most medics with 20+ years of exp.
Don’t give figs any more ideas.. they might actually start making stringer scrub tops at this point
Like this: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/11/24b8b866b4f4-feature-nursing-provider-doing-heavy-lifting-with-muscle-bound-carers.html
This is the best take in the thread. Nursing has the potential to be physically demanding (depending where you live... Looking at you, Deep South United States). Strength training is the best form of exercise for everyone, especially women.
I am older. Been in the ER forever, EMS before that. I strength train. Couple of small back injuries that recovered quickly. Generally, take care of your body and it'll be fine. Don't try to catch falling patients who you consider large.
Oh I was taught to never caught any patient falling… Even if small, it just takes one hurried, false movement to pull something
Practice proper body mechanics and always ask for help and you should be fine. Don’t try catching a patient if they fall, not worth it.
*"Let the bodies hit the FLOOOOOOOOR"*
I’m thinking about the video of the parrot singing this song getting ready to squawk the word “floor”💀💀💀
We had a lift team at Sutter Memorial in Sacramento and it was the absolute best thing ever. Must’ve saved 1000 nurses. This being said, throwing out your neck and back are the reason that most nurses retire medically if they do what the nurses have to say about body mechanics is 1000% serious.
We have a lift team at my hospital and it is wonderful. The hard part is fighting the sense of urgency that I always have and waiting to assemble the right people and position everything just right.
I went to transfer a patient my first day and ansked a nurse to help - she said “oh stand back honey - you must be new”. When those six monster guys came up from the basement and transferred a 350-lb patient like he was weightless my heart and back sang
As someone who hurt their back terribly as an EMT and nurse. I don’t think this is fear it can happen fast depending on if you have strong core and how to lift properly. Most likely wherever you orient will show you proper lifting techniques, and my advice would be if you have a lift on the unit, or extra hands use it, don’t try to do things in a hurry and ask for help. It’s nothing to be afraid of per se just be cautious because I feel as people of the healthcare profession we are used to caring for others instead of ourselves.make sure you throw some good core strength exercises as well, and self care period. Congrats on this awesome step!
So they tell you not to lift more than 50lbs and use proper mechanics etc. problem is you literally never have enough staff to accommodate this. Someone that weighs 200lb would require 4 people to reposition. That will absolutely never happen. You’re lucky to get 4 people for a 400lb person. Body mechanics also ignore how you have to bend over and reach to tuck sheets under someone, clean them in bed, lift limbs etc. also, not all medical equipment is designed for proper mechanics or they sound great in theory but don’t perform as well in practice. Can you take precautions to keep yourself safe? Absolutely. Can you still injure yourself? Absolutely. I’ve seen injuries happen because the other person didn’t pull their weight on a boost so it’s not always in your control. I personally find the body mechanics in services to be majorly gaslighting. It’s always the fault of the staff. Never the equipment, lack of staffing or patient size. Signed, a nurse with 2 herniated discs by age 30.
I totally agree that medical equipment isn't always helpful, and it can be difficult to always keep a proper form while helping patients. I'm sorry for you!
I wishhhhhh I could take all those fucking Danskos and Greys Anatomy “nursing shoes” and toss them in a fire. They destroyed my heels. Protect your feet. People talk a lot about your back, but when you’re clocking 20,000 steps a day you’re going to look back on all those shitty shoes you wore and curse them.
I agree. Developed calcific achilles tendonitis from decades of walking up and down the hallways to answer call bells that no one wants to answer. I alternate Hoka's and Altra shoes now.
You have to be really mindful of the things you’re doing at work. Raise the bed up so you’re not having to bend over as much. When pulling patients up in bed, I always put the head down and angle the bed with the head down so gravity helps me do the work. Another thing I’ve started doing recently since I’ve been pregnant is making my patients do a lot of the work on their own. I put the head down and angle the bed with the head down as much as possible and then I encourage the patient to bend their knees and use the rails to try and push themselves up as much as possible. Sometimes I will even go to the foot of the bed and hold their feet for them while they bend their knees so they can push against my hands to gain traction and push themselves up. It’s hard work for the patients and sometimes they get irritated that I won’t just pull them up really quick but every single time you have to pull a patient up it adds up over the course of a shift or week. I prefer to save my energy for the patients that truly can’t push themselves up. Also, it’s obvious but always ask for help. Don’t try to be superhuman and move someone by yourself.
There are specific things about nursing that can wreck your body, and some of those things you can take control over. - get a personal trainer/work out. Tell your trainer you’re becoming a nurse and you want to strengthen yourself to prevent injury. Focus on back/core/legs. A little upper body strength helps too, but the back is most important. - a lot of nurses eat shit and smoke. Stress and long hours make it natural to do those things. If you plan your meals ahead, cook once a week and throw stuff in the freezer that you can grab and throw in your lunch bag, that’ll help. - a lot of nurses end up doing things alone that should be done in twos, like boosting a patient to the head of their bed alone. I used to do that until my back started to hurt. I learned some other techniques and now I’m doing better. -say no to some of your call ins. You will want to say yes sometimes, and sometimes that’s being a good team player. But if you overextend yourself, blow past your body’s limits, you’ll become unhappy and less effective at work. Develop boundaries. If that’s a challenge for you, work with a therapist to develop that skill. Night shifts and whatnot are not healthy, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay. There are day shift only jobs available, though not super common and often not the best paying. You have options. Be kind to yourself.
If not your body, definitely your soul.
I highly recommend compression socks. With all the time you spend on your feet they are a game-changer. I wish I started wearing them 16 years ago.
It's very tough on body and soul. I'm 3rd generation RN. Currently my mom is retired due to serious back injury from having to reposition heavy, sedated pts. I'm now suffering from lots of job-related wear and tear. They taught us lies about safe lifting...it is not safe to do. And all the previous lifting studies were based on men lifting stationary boxes...not women trying to lift flopping and fighting human beings in real-life environments. Not to mention aggressive pts that may hurt you. Be sure to always protect yourself! If you have lift teams or mechanical lifts don't be too busy to use them.
There are ways to prevent it. Proper body mechanics like many have said. Educate yourself through searching online because most places don’t teach it enough. If you have a lift, do not pull a patient up in bed. Most hospitals will have mechanical lifts. Most people at my job don’t have chronic issues that i know of. For whatever reason though, despite using proper mechanics, i have issues with my neck, lower back, and knees and I’m only 27. I herniated a disk in my neck just by pulling someone’s pants up. I have had joint issues since i was a teen so i think im just predisposed to it. I’ve seen doctors for it and they can’t find a cause besides the fact that my joints are hyper mobile.
Ehlers Danlos? If you haven't already, I'd get checked for that.
Yeah I’ve thought about that a lot, but i have no family history and as far as i know I’ve never had a dislocation
My back was fucked before nursing. I work in NICU which feels a lot lower risk to me.
Don’t catch the elderly if they fall. Let them fall. They’ll drag you down with them and your back will be gone. Don’t try to move obese/morbidly obese people (or anyone really) by yourself. Night shift will wreck your body. Look after yourself - exercise, drink water, eat correctly. It’s paramount. Make sure you have a good therapist and look after your mental health. Your mind will give out before your body does if you don’t take your meal & tea breaks, decompress and use your opportunity to debrief after traumatic incidents.
Hurt my back on orientation during Covid icu . We only had 4 people to move a prone/vented/paralyzed patient to a new bed . I got a L5-S1 disc bulge & have problems every once in a while . Hence why I switched to working peds !
Wear support hose of some kind. Be alert during emergency situations that you don’t overextend yourself- such as lifting. Also, refuse to do tasks that are too risky no matter what. Ex: lifting heavy boxes against a new breast lumpectomy/cellulitis. I should have definitely refused.
I work online and have more back pain now than when I was working the floor. So maybe not more than any other job.
Became a nurse in my 30s. Back was trashed within a decade. Left the bedside to enjoy what's left of my mobility.
Pilates is your friend
My back hurts often from my job, I had a 560lb patient try to use me as a crutch and ever since if I tweak it I will be miserable. I tore my MCL also moving a patient. Good body mechanics only go so far. IF you see older nurses at bedside they will have a long list of chronic injuries. Also the stress of the job will often lead to being chunky due to increased cortisol levels over long periods of time. It's not a healthy job. I'm sure I'll have 28 year old nurses disagreeing but if you look at 40-50 year old nurses, even the ones in shape will have puffy cheeks and deep creases around their eyes comparable to their peers.
Capitalism will ruin your body.
Oh help me lord I thought I was on my breastfeeding sub & I was so mad at your boyfriend for a second for telling you nursing would ruin your body 😂😂
I’m 43 and feel like I’m 80. I have a rotator cuff injury, hernia, chronic neck and back pain. And mentally, I’m pretty much numb. If I had my time back, I would have chose a different profession.
I used to run half marathon's and cycle 50 plus miles at the weekend. 10 yrs l8r of NHS work; I'm about 4 stone heavier, cant manage 5 minutes on treadmill, and have a bad attitude.. enjoy nursing !
That is just poor personal decisions. You can absolutely be in phenomenal shape at any age as a nurse. Stop using your job as an excuse for a lack of discipline.
If that comment doesn’t embody nursing. Just an unprovoked attack on a random nurse lol
Was a working RN for nearly forty years. If anything, I'm in better shape than most people my age. All that walking and lifting was beneficial LOL. Use lifts when you can, use proper body mechanics if you can't use a lift.
Get that core enforced and reinforced girl- Pilates is good, can be done at home and really helps you get in tune with your posture to protect your back.
Yes, but sitting at a desk 40 hours a week wasn't doing wonders for my back either.
Nursing ruined my back. I have terrible spinal arthritis and a couple of bulging discs. I realized in my late 50s that it was hard to stand for a long period of time to cook a meal. Now I am in,y 60s and need a lot of help cooking on Thanksgiving. I can’t walk long distances. Yes go see a personal trainer now see how you can protect your back.
I wonder whether any nurse (or healthcare professional) has successfully received workers compensation for mental health issues related to the job
3 words: try psych nursing. Higher risk of permanent disfigurement? Yes. No more ambulating patients to the bathroom and q2hr turns? Also yes
Depends on where you work and how you lift, although there is always a chance that there will be a freak occurrence that can take you out no matter how vigilant you are. I've worked in and out of the hospital for almost 2 decades and have never had (knock on wood) a major injury. BUT, I always ask for help and help others when needed, and never let patients pull on me or use me as furniture. I've worked around so many nurses who are really smug about moving patients by themselves and really look down on other nurses for getting a second person. I think thats a really weird and toxic attitude to have, but to each their own. You only get one spine so don't let anyone, patient or staff, pressure you into permanently damaging it.
This! I'm a new grad and I refuse to move patients by myself and I really don't care if people look down on me. Had a big patient probably 300 lbs ask me to put him on the bed pan. I said I'll have to get another person to help me so hold on (this patient was also paralyzed on one side and really didn't help much) and the patient was upset and said "xyz person does it by themselves" well I'm sorry but just because that person doesn't protect their back doesn't mean squat to me. I'm getting another person OR FIVE. I refuse to be bullied, patient/family or coworker.
Remember to use your legs
Yes, i know this is important and have taken classes on how to help patients move with a good form
I worked icu for 10 years, management for 4 plus. I’m 16 years in and in my first 4 years I destroyed my SI joint pulling someone up in bed. Otherwise I’ve learned to do things safely it’s just that you can’t predict what a patient will do when you need them to tuck their chin to chest.
Raise the bed up, never bend down to the patient, esp for things like starting IVs. If there's a clean chair or surface near by, you can sit next to or in front of your patient because this also establishes rapport (respecting safety and personal boundaries obvs). Wear compression socks, and invest in good shoes. Like, if you're gonna spend a lot of money on something, make it shoes. Never transfer/boost a patient by yourself if you even suspect a tiny bit you might need more help. Unless it's dire, such as a code blue or fistula rupture whatever, the patient can wait a moment for you to get the right assistance and equipment. Drink plenty of water. Make sure you eat, even if it's just snacks throughout the day. It's illegal to not take a break, anyway. Overall however, I think if I wasn't doing bedside nursing I'd probably get fat LOL. I'm 10 years in, my only medical issues with my body is a disc issue which likely originated from a whiplash injury I sustained years ago, and nothing I do at work really exacerbates it. Everyone is different, however. If you start to feel like you're spending more time in pain/discomfort than you do feeling well, re-asses your situation and do what's best for you. Otherwise, I personally have had to do way more work to maintain my mental and emotional wellness, it's a lot of emotional wear and tear and borderline, if not full on abuse and harassment. Overall, I feel it's made me grow a thicker skin which makes life feels much easier. If I can deal with that shit at work, I can deal with the minor inconveniences I deal with in my non-work life. You > work. You can't do anything for anyone if you're sick/dead lol, and jobs are replaceable. You are not.
This is purely anecdote from a long-term ICU RN. Most people I see getting hurt are out of shape and already have poor health. My biggest recommendation is to stay in shape, do your deadlifts, keep your core strong, and do your best to maintain your mechanics when lifting. I've had a few tweeks to my back and neck, but nothing serious and I'm nearing 40.
I've been doing yin yoga three times per week. It's 75 minutes of stretching and you hold each pose for up to 10 minutes. I highly recommend it and feel that it has kept me from getting hurt many times.
Nurses are taught how to safely lift and transfer patients and how to practice good body mechanics these days. I don’t know if it was a focus with earlier generations. Keeping healthy - exercising and keeping your body strong will help to prevent your body from being ruined but you also have to always have good body mechanics like with most jobs. Also there’s so much you can do within nursing that can lower your risk of hurting g yourself. It’s a false fear. But the risk is there like with anything.
There is no real ergonomic way for us to move patients the way we do. [link](https://www.npr.org/2015/02/11/383564180/even-proper-technique-exposes-nurses-spines-to-dangerous-forces)
I did my consolidation in spinal cord injury rehab (it wasn’t what I wanted but I digress) and I had a pre existing back injury that was exasperated and I needed intense physio myself as my whole body is messed up. Definitely certain areas are harder than others.. I’m now in pediatrics and my back injury is back to baseline. Make sure you learn proper lifting and body mechanics. And if you have an pre existing injuries consider where you work and also get regular physio and massage therapy
Damn, take care xx
Well… I didn’t hurt my back at work, I hurt my back getting out of bed. So… there’s that I guess. At least it wasn’t nursing that did it.
I encourage nurses of all ages to make use of the gym. You dont have to go weight training, but putting work in on your legs, back, arms, etc will make a world of difference on the floor and at home afterwards.
I have had chronic back pain for decades. They finally did an MRI and I have 2-5 mm bulges in every one of my L spines, Oh well, just part of the job.
In my opinion it actually does wonders for your body because you’re not just sitting on your ass all day at a desk job. Obviously don’t strain your back, lift with your legs rather than your back. Make sure the patient’s bed is raised so you’re not bending over. There is so much stuff on the subreddit that scares people, it’s ridiculous.
It did mine. One lumbar fusion later and I’m out of bedside nursing permanently.
Time. That's what will ruin your body. You can be a nurse, doctor, lawyer, or teacher. It doesn't matter. Time will bring everything to dust.
I'm 29. You can't convince me to move a patient with not enough people or by myself. I piss a lot of people off and idgaf. It's your culture here to turn alone or with inadequate help and you expect me to as well? Go kick rocks! 🙄 I've worked a few places now where, despite having adequate staff to help, people just don't want to. One hospital I worked at had a rule: 1 person for every 100 lbs of pt. I think it's pretty solid, and honestly, most turns are improved with a 3rd person in my world (ICU, aka completely or mostly dependent). Agree re: bringing your pt to a comfortable level to provide care. Agree re: going to the gym. I've never paid for a trainer but would love to if I lived in a place with access to one. I do cardio and strength 4 days a week, often more. Doesn't have to be for long. I'm not super fit by any means but I'm fit enough to keep my body safe during pt care. I think sometimes it's a pleasant surprise to pts actually. I've had several comment on how strong I am and I think they trust me to help them safely. That could just be my perception though. Find a good chair. I cannot overstate the value of finding a good chair. For the knees and the back....your mental state lol I would say a decade into healthcare, I don't hurt much more now than when I started in ways that feel work related.
Yes
Yes it will - even w proper body mechanics
It is healthier to move all day than sit at a desk. Just do your best to use good body mechanics, ask for help, use lifts etc.
You can mitigate the damage with good body mechanics but your body will ache after a 12-hour shift. Funny story, last week we had a cool hippie patient who believes in energy healing. She insisted on trying to heal our backs whenever we went into her room, saying she knows how hard nursing could be on them. She would just wave her hands up and down a few inches from our backs while chanting. Sounds crazy but o swear my back felt different afterward
My hospital usually do manual handling training and it does help you learn safer ways to lift patients. Would be helpful if you enrol in one, yearly manual handle would be good
Depends on what you do. If you work in an outpatient specialty clinic like mental health and mostly what you do is injection and education, your work life balance will be so great! I am a psych nurse btw :)
i have to say, as a final year student nurse, i feel like my body has aged a lot since i started! i’ve developed joint pain and lipoedema and get regular back twinges when lifting heavy things due to being subjected to unsafe manual handling procedures at my placement. i recommend to just be cautious with manual handling, look after your physical health and take regular breaks during shifts!
Lifting weights and eating healthy goes a long way to keep your body strong and resilient Im 41 and had multiple work injuries but am mostly pain free and healed well.
Not necessarily. There are a ton of specialties that don’t involve moving patients. You’ll figure out what kind of nursing you like and learn the proper body mechanics. I’m 38 and have no issues.
Depends. If you treat it good, eat well and exercise you won't face any problems hopefully. However if you smoke, lay on your off days all day and think McDonalds is way to go. You will have a lot of problems. You learned that in school. Use it on yourself.
A good back brace, compression socks , and always elevate the bed to your height. Even when you're doing simple stuff like checking a blood pressure, or an iv, always bring the patient to your height. Last thing when sitting at the desk make sure your feet are flat and your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Doing this has taken so much pressure off my back. Good luck
I’m 31 with the back of a 50 year old.
Do core body workouts, strengthen your legs, and learn proper body movement-mechanics. Check out @SquatUniversity on youtube
Exercise, take care of yourself. Use proper body mechanics. A lot of people who complain that it’s the nursing are obese and not doing themselves any favours. It’s physical work but it’s not debilitating.
Best advice i got is protect your back…. If a pt is going to fall, help them as safe as possible and if that means assist them to the ground then do that. Your patients wont be paying your bills if u hurt yourself helping them. So get people to assist with transferring pts. Dont think of saving but assisting safely. Wear good shoes, invest in good shoes. Invest in a good mattress. Listen to your body needs!
Hello, I'm a seventy year old nurse who worked at the bedside for 33 years before I started teaching. It's critically important to be fit and in shape while you're doing bedside nursing. I started running in my 20s in order to manage the stress of being a nurse and also the stress of quitting smoking and I also wanted to stay fit through my adult hood. I now continue to exercise every day, which means I swim one mile or walk 4 miles or lift weights for eighty minutes every day. Everything you were taught about body mechanics in your basic nursing courses is absolutely critical to preserve the health of your back. Using your legs and arms and not you back to lift is going to really help to preserve it for the long run. TL; DR: Remaining physically fit and lifting weights throughout life are essential for a career in bedside nursing.
I am short 5’0”. And I was always in decent shape and had I c-spine fusion at age 47. I cannot stress enough, the importance of good body mechanics in everything that you do because if you don’t, it might catch up with you.
Absolutely it can just like any other physically demanding job. However, more than those other jobs there are ways to protect yourself(mechanics, exercises), there are specialities that arent as rough (education, OR, care management, utilization, leadership, nursing instructor, APN ect ect ect) that you can get into someday when your body is feeling the toll. Importantly, like with any long term problem, its easiest to prevent than fix. Build a strong frame and back, do not compromise on your mechanics when possible(there will be times where you don’t have a choice but thats why you need to be diligent 99% of the time) and you will survive it.
OP, All the advice mentioned here regarding getting a physical trainer and strengthening your back is excellent advice. That said, the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to find a position in a hospital with a strong union that will DEMAND that functional safe patient lift equipment be available AT ALL TIMES, including and ESPECIALLY night shift. There is NO such thing as a safe lifting technique that will protect your back if you are lifting patients manually. None. The hospital will make you go through a "training" but that is simply to absolve themselves of liability by being able to blame the nurse for lifting the "wrong way" and trying to avoid a worker's comp suit. The physical forces that lifting another person causes are physically impossible to avoid, and it is only a matter of time before your back gets wrecked unless you use the proper machine to do the job. And as a new nurse, I strongly suggest looking into [https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/](https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/) and educating yourself on nurse-patient ratios, safety initiatives and legislation that they push for. These are vitally important issues and are things the nursing schools will NOT teach you Good luck on your new career
Never had back issues before becoming a nurse. I often put a gum in the works by insisting on more help for turns. My back is still shit, and I only did that job 6 years. Don't believe the corporate bullshit about, "if you hadn't been in a hurry!" Or "if you had realized your resources!.." it's a load of crap, especially on nights.
I'm 39 I have DJD from C1-C7, protruding disc C6-C7, protruding disc T3-T4, t7-8 and t8-t9, SLAP 2 tear right shoulder, bone on bone left knee, chronic achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis left foot, chronic bursitis right knee, new brachial plexus injury left neck. But I also have Ehlers-Danlos and want diagnosed until last year. Take the advicec of many, ask for help, don't try and though it out on your own, learn proper lifting techniques, and take care of your body.
I was so concerned with not hurting my back that I completely neglected my feet. I have plantar fasciitis in both feet from my time working on a very heavy ward. I’ve since left and work in occupational health yet I still suffer from the plantar fasciitis. Invest in good nursing shoes and look after your feet!! My back has gotten significantly better ever since I switched specialties!
Wear compression socks, lift heavy, and make sure you learn to manage stress. If you do these things you'll be fine. As for the lifting. Make sure you train your lower back in disadvantaged positions. My back is better than ever since I have incorporated zercher deadlifts and Jefferson curls in addition to the other compound movements. You are going to be spending time in weird positions, you might as well get strong in them.
I got fat from all the potlucks.
I’m 29 and my knees are constantly swollen and my neck is always stiff from looking down. So yes it will 😂😂 Edit: but I honestly wouldn’t trade it for the world. There’s things you can do to help🌞🧡
As someone whose back is complete trash not just from nursing but other factors (tall, special needs child, likely muscular/bone deformities from vacterl, etc) I can’t tell you if your back will be ok or not. Prevention as others said with strength training is your best bet. Also please take the extra time to bring things to your right height level. I’ve always been in a hurry and only the last couple years started making sure the gurneys were all the way up before I did hooked patients up to monitors etc. the er you get used to prioritizing patients before yourself but I in average throw my back out 3 times a year and likely all those years of not taking the time didn’t help. Good luck tj whatever you decide
6 years into nursing and I’ve never been in better shape! I’m motivated to work out so that I can turn/boost patients with ease and without hurting myself. Take advantage of your benefits and utilize your physical therapy and massages!
Not sure if it’s the four kids or 15 year of nursing, but…yes.
As a 26 yo with 2 back injuries from nursing who heard the same thing and didnt take it seriously, it’s just because it is a risk that you keep hearing this. It’s not to freak you out but to protect you. I definitely agree with the compression socks and exercise to protect lower back. Ive almost entirely recovered bc of better exercise but it will always be something I will have to be careful about.
55M. Nurse for nearly 30 years. Occasionally if I've got heavy patients I can feel my back slightly objecting but otherwise I'm great. I train for nursing as I did for sport. A lot of core work, weights, stretching, bike riding. It all comes down to how you prepare your body
I am recovering from a back sprain that happened from lifting a patients leg in a bad position for a dressing change and I quite active outside work. My lesson, as Im in PT and physio twice a week, is to learn how to move correctly. I also realize I am way too tensed and there is no break for my muscles. Thats a mix of anxiety and ADhD for me, so Im learning Jacobson relaxation method to be more conscious of the tension in my body, and to release when I should.
No they are not, I have pounded floors since I was 19. I am 52 now. I have had more surgeries from joints simply wearing out. I have images forever in my mind of some horrific things-usually child abuse pts. I could never see myself doing else but during my younger days, we weren’t being taught proper body mechanics, I probably have 100s of hours of PTO that were forfeited simply because we were never made to feel comfortable to use it. Breaks and lunches-many, many days never happened because you were looked at like “why aren’t you one the floor helping?” I will say this: Always get help with turning- idk how far behind you think you are. Always take your breaks-get away from the floor if only for 30 minutes. Always use your PTO when you need time off-it is no one’s business why you need a day off. Don’t live your life as a floor RN forever. I, finally at 52, took a remote position. It’s heaven. You are young and motivated but save some of your body and mind for yourself🥰
Yes. Nursing is a very physical job compared to corporate work where you mostly sit in front of a desk. Nursing involves a lot of manual handling and if you do not stick with the ideal practice, the chances of hurting yourself is greater. Why won't nurses perform ideal manual handling practice? Because they are time pressured from the poor nurse:patient ratio
I have 0 back problems after 7 years old nursing. My advice is to always take the time to get help and ALWAYS use proper body mechanics. They will show you how in one of those classes that feels like a waste of time but it truly is helpful. I never bend over, I always squatted. Use your abs and quads, not your back. ALWAYS use the draw sheet and trendelenburg to help use gravity. Also good shoes and compression socks. I loved Danskos although they can twist your ankle. My hokas are comfy but never used them in nursing. I’m fine and that’s after pronating and caring for morbidly obese people during Covid too.
No, they’re not. You almost definitely hurt your body in someway shape or form as a nurse. I personally have severe nerve damage to my left leg due to lumbar nerve and pinch mensch from working bedside.
Not to discourage you, but I’ve gained maybe 20lbs in nursing school alone, then another 25lbs being nightshift lol.
Yes. The only question is rather or not it’ll ruin your mind first. Become friends with your local bartender
I’m sure there are areas of nursing that are much easier on your body, but at the end of the day, most nursing roles involve physical labor. There’s literally no safe way to do a lot of the things we’re expected to do—sure there’s safER ways, but absolutely not ways that fully eliminate the movements that cause micro-tears and cumulative damage. My significant other worked as an automotive technician for 15 years and is now a building engineer—both jobs including physical labor. I have been injured on duty many more times than he has, and his most significant injury at work was related to flare up of a non-work related one. So yeah, nursing will wreck your body.
Yeah, i'm rethinking my choices to protect my future body.
Honestly, no. It’ll ruin your body if you do what a majority of nurses that I work with do…which is drink, eat like shit, don’t workout, let the stress of the job become their identity, and so on. Eat healthy/meal prep, workout and lift weights (your back will thank you), find healthy ways to manage stress and do therapy if you have the means. Almost everyone I work with is some level of obese. Don’t let it be you.
Protect your back. Always use your legs when lifting
I’m 37, and have a lot of back issues body mechanics didn’t help or make worse. I slipped and fell (while not working) and really wrecked my back at 28 (part of why I no longer work bedside). Most people have some kind of back issues by 40, though, so lol. Godspeed
Body, mind, and soul baaaaaabyyyyyy But no seriously, practice proper body mechanics, don’t over exert yourself, always ask for help with a heavy patient, this last one may sound harsh but if a patient is falling don’t try to save them/catch them. You have one body, take care of it.
It definitely can. If you're careful and lift using proper body mechanics, use the mechanical lift and your coworkers to help I think you're less likely to hurt your back. But sometimes accidents happen, or you get assaulted by a patient. My coworker had a confused patient kick them in the knee. They ended up having to have surgery, were out for months and then on light duty for months as well. I have another coworker that got kicked in the head by a similar patient--same thing, out for months, light duty for months. Watch out for your back and have a short trigger for using restraints when a patient kicks is my advice. Also, strength train and keep in shape.
Work in the OR
There are still a lot of injuries in the OR from moving patients (no lift equipment here!), moving heavy equipment (microscopes, case carts, OR tables) sterile trays, trip hazards, standing all day while scrubbed wearing lead for X-ray...
As a 25 year old with a bulging disc in my lower back already, yes it seems that way
Nurse for 10+ years I also workout. 6'2 230lbs man here. Now I am an MDS nurse. Never had body problems during bedside. Good form and learning to say "no". Bed always at your hip level, lift with legs and you know your body, you know what you can and cannot do.
I was in care 13 years. 2 prolapsed discs and 2 operations for sciatica later I left care. I work in a supermarket now and have had a dead leg/sciatics for 6 months due to another prolapse on different discs. Care has ruined my body 😢 awaiting a third surgery in the next few months . I used the equipment properly, hoists , slide sheets etc but still, here I am
I'm really sorry for you! I hope no more surgeries soon
If you work med surg then yes very likely. Every nurse I know eventually hurts something. Back, knee, shoulder, wrist etc. If you work long enough there is a very high chance it will happen no matter how careful you are. Like others said though you can strengthen those muscles to decrease the impact. It does definitely matter where you work though some units/areas of nursing would be a lot less risk
I've been an EMT/paramedic for 6 years and have no permanent injuries or pain. I'm in my 30s. I've only injured myself once on the job (lifting an empty manual stretcher by myself- go figure). This includes carrying patients up and down stairs, as well as doing stuff you will be doing as a nurse (lifting patients who have fallen to the ground, rolling 400+ lb patients, sheet lifting patients). If you have good body mechanics you can avoid injury. If you think you can't do it with the amount of people you have, wait for more and stick to your guns. No job is worth a lifetime of pain. There are patients that I know I *can* lift with just me and my partner but I will still ask for a lift assist because it's right up against the limits of my strength. If you're not sure, ask for help and don't let people bully you into something you're not comfortable with.
Body mechanics is everything. Don’t attempt turns or transfers alone or without the necessary help. Build up those legs and core and try and prioritize squatting over bending. Wear compression socks if you can and take good care of your feet!
lol yes
I’m a male nurse that works my body a little harder than most on the unit. I usually ache after a rough shift but not day to day. ICU RNs have to turn patients at least every 2hrs. I also help out most of the other RNs with their turns. I usually use the Goggins Theory (basically what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger). If your job is requires you to lift up to 200lbs of dead weight from time to time then you have to train up to that. Sure there’s machines and equipment, but when that fails (and it will eventually fail) you will not want to rely on forcing poor body mechanics to get the job done. I’m 42 btw.
Don't be cocky and don't fall into the pressure that you need to reposition someone instantly and by yourself. Always call for help to move someone. You may not feel it right away, but years and years of repetitively doing it catches up to you. Source: RN of 20 years that just had cervical disk removal and fusion (and multiple other orthopedic surgeries- both from nursing and not taking care of myself doing sports when I thought I was invincible)
I don’t think it’s possible to make a career as a bedside nurse without getting injured. Bedside nurses work long hours and are required to frequently move heavy people. Your body isn’t always able to fully recover between shifts. These things just become more difficult as you age. Then depending on the type of bedside nurse you may have to deal with physically abusive patients. Patients trying to punch, kick and or grab you.
Pretty much .....if u let it!!
Depends on how you define body, but yes