•Nursing personnel play a key role in the care of patients.

•This care often involves the physical handling of patients, putting them at risk for work related injury.

•According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses have a higher-than-average rate of injury and some of the highest rates of injury in the healthcare sector.

•Few studies have assessed the prevalence of pain in rehabilitation nurses. Likewise, the differences in pain rate and/or characteristics in different hospital settings have not yet been reported.