Work hardening in an early return to work program for nurses with back injury

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Nursing Safety

Background:

• Back injuries are a significant concern for nurses in tertiary care settings.
• Comprehensive programs are needed for effective prevention and management of back injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the effect of work hardening on morbidity and work status in nurses with back injuries.
• To evaluate the outcomes of an interdisciplinary program including work assessment and work hardening.

Main Methods:

• Nurses with back injuries and >4 days of time loss underwent work assessment.
• Work placement decisions included work hardening, modified work, or return to regular work.
• Pain, disability, and lifting tolerance were monitored during interventions and compared between assessments.

Main Results:

• Seven nurses participated in work hardening.
• All participants showed increased lifting capacity.
• Pain and disability scores decreased, with all nurses returning to full shifts within 6 months.

Conclusions:

• Work hardening is an effective component of workplace injury management for nurses.
• Early, on-site interventions, including work hardening and modified work, facilitate return to work.
• This approach supports the concept of maintaining injured individuals in the workplace.