The Sorry State of Safety in Health Care (Infographic)

When people complain that the nation’s health care system is “broken,” usually they’re speaking from the patient’s point of view. Often overlooked, however, is the high rate of workplace injuries and illnesses among nurses, hospital workers and other caregivers.

An infographic created by Boca Raton, Fla.-based Medical Staffing Network Healthcare LLC calls attention to the state of occupational safety in the health care field. Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a 2013 Gallup report, the snapshot reveals that:

• Occupational illnesses among health care workers account for 23.4 percent of all U.S. cases.
• Injuries and illnesses among healthcare workers constitute 21 percent of all U.S. cases.
• The largest number of incidents reported occurred in hospitals.
• Sprains, strains and tears are the most frequent types of injury among health care workers.
• As a result of workplace injuries or illnesses, health care workers spent approximately 168,000 days away from work (from 2010 through 2012).