Since our organization is self-insured for WC, we place the injured worker back in their home department and instruct the manager to accommodate the restrictions. Our department pays the salary of the injured employee while on restrictions
as to not penalized the home department for productivity. If it is a situation as David described, that individual would not be allowed to do patient care, but sedentary work.
Alternatively, the manager could find another department for the injured worker. If the manager, determines there is no work of any kind and wants to send them home, we inform her/him that they will pay their salary while at home. This
typically deters non-accommodation.
This may be different for organizations that are not self-insured, but we have other entities with insurance policies and follow the same guidelines.
Hope this information helps.
Jerry L. Burleson, RN, MBA
Manager, Employee Health and Clinic
New Hanover Regional Medical Center
PO Box 9000
Wilmington, NC 28403-9000
(910) 667-5663 – Office
(910) 612-8770 – Cell
(910) 667-5695 – Fax
Leading our Community to Outstanding Health
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces@mylist.net]
On Behalf Of Mora, Jennifer
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2019 4:12 PM
To: MCOH/EH <mcoh-eh@mylist.net>
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] Duty Restrictions for Nursing/CNA
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Hi-
In the last couple years, we have changed our policy to let employees return to work with restrictions. If an employee is returning to work with restrictions, then we need to assess to see if they are safe to
be working. See attached chart for how we assess the employee/work restrictions. The employee needs to have support within the department and we generally don’t let more than one person in a department return with restrictions.
When we have an employee that has work restrictions, the following people discuss the restrictions to determine if the employee is able to return with the restrictions: employee health RN, Human Resource Manager,
VP of patient services, and department manager. Each employee’s restrictions are reviewed on a case by case basis.
I hope that helps,
Jen
Jennifer Mora MSN, RN
Business Health and Wellness Coordinator
Stoughton Hospital
900 Ridge Street
Stoughton, WI 53589
Office 608-873-2204
Cell 608-235-4239
From: MCOH-EH <mcoh-eh-bounces@mylist.net>
On Behalf Of Cockrum, MD David S
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2019 2:59 PM
To: MCOH/EH <mcoh-eh@mylist.net>
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Duty Restrictions for Nursing/CNA
Recently I placed a nurse on lifting restrictions due to a work-related back injury. The supervisor would not allow her to return to work, stating that lifting restrictions were not allowed at all for nursing staff. After she started to
improve, I moved the restrictions up so that they matched the maximum required lifting in the job description. Still, the supervision refused to let the nurse RTW.
When I discussed this with supervision, the response was that all nursing staff must be able to assist/catch a patient who is falling. I certainly understand this line of reasoning, but it is not consistent with the published job description
by which we assess fitness for duty upon hire, which is occasional lifting of up to 100 pounds and frequent lifting up to 50 pounds.
Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a nursing standard that I am not aware of that would help support supervision’s position? Without some other official reference, my opinion is that supervision is heading down a road in which no
one could actually be physically qualified!
I would welcome your input/opinions!
David
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