The outcome of occupational rehabilitation of injured NSW nurses: study report

The nursing workforce has a high risk of injury in the workplace due to a very active and heavy manual handling workload and associated hazards. Previous studies have focused on the problem of manual handling injuries in a range of professions. This study focused specifically on the nursing workforce and the experience of occupational rehabilitation from two perspectives: Return to work coordinators and injured nurses. Occupational rehabilitation is a complex process involving several stakeholders. The employer, insurer, return-to-work coordinator, various medical and allied health service providers, the injured person and their colleagues all contribute to this process. The study has included participants representing a range of health care facilities and working environments. Nurse participants were recruited from a range of specialty areas of practice and across a range of nursing roles or classifications.