Jane Smith Case

Response Post:

Unit 6 Case 5 – Worker’s Compensation Nurse Jane Smith is a 30-year employee of the Medical-Surgical Unit and injured her back transferring a post-op 250-lb patient from the gurney to the bed. Her co-workers who were present heard her complain about the pain in her leg immediately after the patient transfer. She did not report the injury at the time, but two days later, when she was unable to get out of bed due to back spasms, she called her nurse manager and reported the injury. Answer the following questions based upon your knowledge of worker’s compensation both from the literature and from your place of employment:

1. What is the likelihood that Nurse Smith will receive Worker’s Compensation?

Nurse Jane respectively did

the right thing by calling her nurse manager to report the injury when she felt her condition was from transferring a patient two days prior. The policy statement at Saint Vincent Hospital is as follows: if any/all accidents involving an associate or volunteer must be reported, whether or not an actual injury occurred at soon as possible, but no later than five days from the date of incident (Saint Vincent Hospital, 2015). Saint Vincent and Worker’s Compensation insurance only has 21 days to act after an incident (PA Worker's Compensation Employer Information [PDF], n.d.).
Based on the accident reporting policy and further evaluation by our Occupational Health department to determine if this injury was a result of the alleged work incident; it seems likely Nurse Smith would qualify for worker’s compensation.

Of course, there are determinants that would be evaluated during the Occupation Health assessment such as the previous history of back problems, previous work injury, medical issue, etc. to determine the association of current injury and the incident that occurred. This could be a single isolated incident or an injury that was caused by aggravation to previous trauma to Nurse Smith’s

back.
2. What will Nurse Smith be required to do with respect to evaluation and treatment of her injury?
Saint Vincent Hospital has the legal responsibility to provide initial medical treatment of any work-related injury that occurs within the scope of an associate’s normal job duties. The nurse would be scheduled to see a physician at the Occupational Health Department. Often employers have a designated list of medical providers that meet certain legal requirements. If Nurse Smith would choose to use a provider, not on the list, the employer may be relieved of its liability to pay for medical services rendered. If a determination could not be made by the physician at Occupational Health then the nurse would be sent to a third party for further evaluation.
3.

What options does she have for care in the future?

Nurse Smith will have the ability to use her primary care physician under her personal health insurance coverage. Likely if she needs any further therapy that will be at the recommendation of her primary care physician and under her coverage. Typically this would be after the determination of Occupational Health that her injury was work-related or not.

4. Will Nurse Smith be able to return to work in a “light duty “role in her current position? In a light duty role in another position? What would the light duty consist of in either of these positions?

Nurse Smith most likely will not be able to return to work in her current capacity. It would be a liability for Nurse Smith to continue to work on her unit with patient care. She appears to be a bedside nurse, therefore, it would be difficult to provide care with an injured back for there is a risk of further injury and she probably has lifting, bending, and twisting restrictions. Saint Vincent will typically try to find an applicable job for the employee while under light duty restrictions. The nurse may be asked to other jobs such as office work, chart reviews, etc.

5. What financial compensation with Nurse Smith has while on Worker’s

Compensation?
Under Worker’s Compensation, the nurse will receive wage-loss benefits based on her pre-injury average weekly wage (PA Worker's Compensation Employer Information [PDF], n.d.). Typically work will try to be found within the organization to minimize lost workdays. Wage-loss benefits must commence within 21 days of the employer’s awareness of incident, uncles the claim is denied.
6. What financial compensation will Nurse Smith have if it is determined that she cannot resume her prior job and there are no other jobs at the hospital that she is qualified to do?
Only if the case is determined a Worker’s Compensation case will Nurse Smith receive compensation if a job cannot be found.