[catrn10]

PT today is over, and the therapist tells me I am not getting better and won't without a hip joint replacement. I won't get that as W.C. won't pay for it. No one will hire a Nurse who can't walk, so it's over. Oddly enough, I am not crushed. Looking back over my career, I realize that I have been miserable as has my family. I missed recitals, holidays, family reunions. I haven't had a vacation in 10 years. I am (was) a very good, caring Nurse. All it ever got me was abuse, by my employer, hospitals, doctors. I am tired of fighting the system. I salute those of you who have the strenght to go on, I'm through. I'm losing my only source of income, but I'm getting my life back. Good luck to you all.

[webbiedebbie]

Cat...what about doing telephone triage? You can still use your medical skills and not be on your feet. Something to think about.

I took a break from nursing because of medical problems and I did transcription. I loved it. It kept me in the medical field. Another option for you.

Good luck and God Bless!

[renerian]

Kat what about case management?????Kat I had a friend who was paralyzed from a MVA since the age of 17. He was a professor at Ohio University and he used a wheelchair....

renerian

[CompuNurse]

Don't give up just yet. If you are a good nurse, there are indeed other things you can do, even if staff nursing is no longer an option.

I was 23 years old when I had my first hip surgery. After 3 months, I was able to return to my staff nursing position, knowing that it wouldn't be an option for my entire nursing career.

I am now 48 years old, and have been continuously employed in nursing as an auditor, trauma coordinator, and for the past 7 years in nursing informatics. This after one more hip replacement as well as a knee replacement last year.

Don't get me wrong - it's not always easy to find these opportunities, but I would encourage you to keep your eyes open, if nursing is truly what you want to do.

I also might add, in each of these positions, I've had much less stress and abuse than I had when I was a staff nurse!

Best of luck!