Does anyone have any studies and/or anecdotes re: pre-employment Fit for Duty (the basic 15” kind where the employee picks up boxes, etc according to job desc, ensures they can squat, etc) and the potential for reducing WC injuries by doing these pre-employment? As most clinics/hospitals do, our employee population is aging and getting heavier. It seems that many of them can’t bend to empty a Foley never mind the risk of running to codes, getting down on floor to do CPR, lifting/transferring/repositioning patients all day long, etc. It also seems that once I begin treatment of the injuries, there have been more pre-existing issues to deal with than in the past. I am trying to justify a $40 Fit for Duty exam as part of our pre-employment process.

Any thoughts on the matter, studies, or personal experiences would be appreciated.

Kim Thompson RN, BSN
Employee Health Nurse Manager
Medical Center of McKinney
4500 Medical Center Drive - MOB, Suite 105
McKinney, TX     75069

972- 540- 4218 (phone)

469 - 713- 8660 (fax)