After
completing Unit 3, write a 500 to 700 word report for each of the following
scenarios recommending whether a return-to-work plan should be created for the
injured worker. If a plan is recommended describe the elements of the plan,
including work modifications, involvement with medical professionals and other
parties, how barriers will be addressed and how the worker will benefit from
the plan. Your report should consider all the practical considerations outlined
in the scenario.
Scenario
1: Raoul
Raoul is a
warehouse worker. His job has three components: lifting materials on and off a
skid; moving materials around the warehouse using the mechanized skid; and
recording such movements and performing periodic inventory. Raoul injured his
lower back. After being off work for three weeks (and receiving WCB), the
doctor indicates he should not perform manual lifting but can perform other
activities for a period of at least eight weeks, but with no known end date.
There are five other workers in the warehouse performing the same job. The work
pace is quite busy for all six workers. There is a supervisor who monitors
performance and resolves problems. Raoul is personally unpopular with his
co-workers and there is skepticism among the other workers about whether his
injury is real. The supervisor reports that visibly providing “light duties” to
Raoul will create unrest among his co-workers. There is no other department or
section where Raoul could be temporarily transferred.
Scenario
2: Jasmine
Jasmine works
in a call centre for a technology company. She assists customers experiencing
technical problems with their devices. Three weeks earlier she tripped on a
loose cable and hit her head, causing a mild concussion. She has been off work
for this period, receiving WCB benefits. Most of her symptoms have now eased.
She continues to be sensitive to light and noise, which can cause headaches.
She also tires easily, needing to lie down for a short time every couple of
hours. The call centre has 50 workers sitting at computers in cubicles located
in a large, open industrial space. The lighting is overhead fluorescent lights.
There is a small break room, an office for the supervisor, and a utility room.
Workers use headsets to conduct calls, but the headsets do not filter out all
the background noise. The pace of work is moderately heavy. The employer is
known for their “frugal” approach to the business, regularly denying requests
for additional equipment or other changes that result in increased costs.
Scenario
3: Kelly
Kelly is a
registered nurse working in a busy urban emergency room (ER). A month earlier
they experienced a frightening incident with a patient who grabbed them and
threatened them with a knife. There were no physical injuries. They filed a WCB
claim and took time off work for post-traumatic stress syndrome. They have been
seeing a psychologist twice a week and have started meditating daily. The
psychologist is recommending a gradual re-entry into the workplace. Kelly’s
appointments place restrictions around which shifts they can take. Kelly is
very nervous about encountering another violent patient. They express the value
of taking time to meditate to calm themselves. The ER has 10 nurses working
during a shift, performing a range of functions including intake and triage,
patient care, charting and interacting with other medical professionals. The
work is fast-paced, unpredictable and variable. The ER is short-staffed as the
hospital has been dealing with budget cutbacks. Kelly does not wish to be
re-assigned to another unit as they get personal fulfillment working in ER.