New CNA Injury Quandary

bhoening · Sep 13, 2012

Def let your preceptor know! are you getting numbness and tingling in your thumb, index, and middle fingers? maybe its a carpal tunnel flair up. But def let your preceptor know. You wont be of any use to your patients if you dont take care of yourself, so dont keep your mouth shut.

CapeCodDreamer · Sep 13, 2012

Ended up getting sent home last night, since I was a liability to the facility even if I was just doing our nightly chores, which I understand. Right now I'm on temporary leave until I can get it looked at, which probably won't be until next week (whole other issue regarding having to go through my college's insurance plan).

It's weird trying to explain the injury, since certain motions (like typing) don't bother it one wit, but then I can be doing something as innocuous as trying to open a door and have my entire hand through the fingers and into the wrist light up in pain. I don't know whether I'd call it "numbness", per se, but since my hand started hurting it also almost feels like I have on a thick winter glove when I try to make a fist or flex the hand.

ComeTogether, LPN · Sep 13, 2012

Not giving medical advise here but I had same symptoms and it was tendonitis.

"No day but today"

CapeCodDreamer · Sep 16, 2012

Really scared I might lose my job. I'm still on orientation and already I'm MLOA. The thing is, I can see it from my side (didn't count on being injured and don't want to be fired over something I have no control over) and their's (they need able-bodied people working).

I was sent home on Wednesday night due to pain in my hand and wrist (being a liability). I don't know whether this is work-related or not (I first noticed it when I woke up after my previous shift), so I can't claim for certain that it was an on-the-job injury. My health insurance is covered through my college, so I had to petition for a letter of coverage because they don't normally send in names for the health insurance until the end of September (after the add/drop period is over), and I absolutely can't afford to be seen while paying out of pocket. It was a 72 hour turnaround period, so the earliest I can see someone for my issue now is Monday (PCP is only open M-F and I can't afford the copayment for the ER). I was scheduled to work this weekend, so I had to call in. Now, I've been keeping in written and oral contact with my DON, and they've been extremely supportive and understanding. However, when I spoke to my shift supervisor recently (calling in), they seemed really bothered that it has taken me so long to get seen and that I don't have any idea of how long I will be out yet.

Even when I am seen on Monday, I don't know what my prognosis is going to be. My original pain and symptoms have only gotten worse, even though I've been R-I-C-E-ing the injury until I can be seen. I'm only scheduled minimally to begin with (my choice), so it's not like I'm missing that much work, but that conversation with my shift supervisor has me really nervous. What if, after missing my Wednesday and weekend shifts, I'm told that I have to be out longer for whatever this is to heal or I'm not cleared to go back because I'm still symptomatic?

I just feel like I'm just starting my nursing path and already I've failed. It seems that, to have any chance of getting a nursing job as a new grad, you have to have a strong past history as a CNA. And now I'll have a potential firing on my record? :cry: