Self-care helps nurses avoid workplace injuries

Nurses in North Carolina care for other people all day long. To stay healthy and strong, it’s important that nurses care for themselves too. Practicing good self-care is also an important way that nurses can avoid common workplace injuries.

Getting enough sleep

Nurses often work long shifts under stressful conditions. The best way to prepare for this type of work is to get a full night’s sleep. When a nurse doesn’t get enough sleep, they risk coming to work fatigued. Workplace accidents are much more common when people are fatigued, and patient safety can also be in jeopardy when caregivers are drowsy.

Nourishment

To be in it for the long haul, nurses need more than energy drinks and vending machine snacks on their breaks. Nourishing whole foods and probiotics can help nurses to stay healthy and energized on the job without crashing later. To keep energy levels up naturally, it’s also important that nurses make time for outdoor walks and exercise.

Asking for help

Asking for help on the job can ease stress levels, and it may also help a nurse to avoid a serious workplace accident that requires workers’ compensation. When nurses don’t ask for help during overwhelming situations, they may risk an injury. Sometimes a nurse needs help lifting a heavy patient, dealing with a potentially violent patient or just managing too many patients at once.

Taking time to heal

If you suffer an injury on the job, it’s important that you let your body fully recover before going back to work. Returning to work too early can aggravate unhealed injuries and make the problem much worse. Filing a workers’ compensation claim and getting adequately compensated for your downtime may allow you to take the recovery time that you need. Contact a work injury attorney for help today.