As an occupational group, nurses have never left the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ top ten list of those jobs with high risk of occupational injuries and illnesses.  Even so, no nurse should have to work in an unsafe environment where staffing is inadequate and RNs are literally risking life and limb, in some cases, just to do their jobs and care for patients. 

You have the right to a safe and healthy workplace.  And UAN can help by providing the tools nurses need to make their workplaces safe for themselves and their patients.

Learn more about staff nurses and workplace health and safety:

• How the Union Can Help
  Your union is your most important resource to create a safe environment for patient care.
• Musculoskeletal Injuries
  Over a third of all nursing personnel have had a musculoskeletal injury due to the cumulative effects of patient handling and activities putting stress on the back, neck, and shoulders. 
• Workplace Violence
  There are more non-fatal assaults in health care than in any other industry in the United States.  Nearly a half million RNs report that they have been victims of workplace violence.
• Long Working Hours and Insufficient Staffing
  These factors compound nurses’ risk of musculoskeletal injuries, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. 
• Infectious Disease
  Registered nurses regularly confront serious infectious diseases—both new and established—such as MRSA, TB, and flu.  Nurses will be on the frontline of an avian flu outbreak—but will OSHA protect them?  
• Needlesticks and Bloodborne Pathogens
  Although the number of needlestick injuries among health care personnel has dropped, the CDC estimates that hospital workers sustain 1,000 needlesticks per day.
• Environmental Health Care