If you work in a care home, you will be exposed to a range of hazards. It’s easy to forget about protecting your own health when you are so focused on protecting that of your residents.
Yet if you get injured or sick, you might not be able to work. Here are some things to watch out for:
Lifting injuries
Bending down to lift patients, make beds and so on can take a massive toll on your back over time.
As many care homes are short-staffed, you may not always have the teammates you need to help you lift. A back injury could affect you for years to come.
Contagious illnesses
The clients you care for may make a lot of visits to hospitals where they are exposed to all sorts of diseases. As you will have close physical contact with them when they return, you could easily catch anything they caught.
Some of your patients may need regular injections. If the needles are not disposed of properly, you could suffer a needlestick injury. The needle could transmit an infection to you.
Injuries due to patient violence
Some residents may have mental health issues that make them quick to anger. Others might be unhappy about being confined to a home. They might lash out at you in frustration when you try to get them to do something. Just because they need help with daily life does not signify they are weak, and they may also be much bigger than you.
If you are injured while employed to care for others, consider legal help to seek workers’ compensation.