Nursing is a difficult job. In addition to your vast knowledge, you also have to care for people when they are not feeling their best.
Often, your patients need exhausting levels of support that can range from emotionally to physically draining. While it may not be a surprise when you go home with back pain, you may start to wonder how much is too much.
Here’s what you should know about back pain from your regular job duties.
Knowing when it’s work-related
One of the challenges with workers’ compensation and back pain is establishing when you experienced an injury. Since many people experience back pain on and off the job, it can be difficult to show that your pain came from one of your tasks at work.
Typically, when filing for workers’ compensation, insurers will look for evidence, such as:
- A signed note from your doctor stating you received the injury at work
- Prescribed pain treatment
- Statements from witnesses who saw the incident
- Coworkers who witnessed actions that could lead to repetitive stress injuries
Typically, insurers will try to establish that you injured your back before the incident at work, claiming that it was a pre-existing condition.
The importance of seeking treatment
Back pain can be challenging to deal with. Back pain may start small and become increasingly unbearable; in other cases, you may experience a significant event that causes your pain.
No matter how your pain starts, it is essential to seek treatment as soon as possible to get the care you need. Additionally, seeking treatment means establishing a history of care for your injury when you need to make a claim.
While back pain may be common in your job, it does not necessarily mean that you do not qualify for workers’ compensation to support your recovery. You should talk to a skilled professional about your claim and what you need to do.