First year student in the wheelchair

[mskranky]

Hi guys,

I am starting the first year of the nursing school and I have to go for a below the knee amputation the second week of school. My doctor said that I will be in the hospital for 4-5 days, but can come back to school the second week post op in the wheelchair. The nursing school agreed that I could attend the school as long as I have the doctors permission to do so. I am sure it is gonna be hard. Have you had anybody in your class who managed to go through the school on crutches or in the wheel chair?

It is probably going to be 4 or 5 month till I will be comfortable enough to walk on the prosthetic leg, so the first semester gonna be rough. I am not afraid for the academic piece of it as I have 4.0 GPA and really good memory, but I am really afraid of the clinical and how I am gonna do there. Any word of advice would be highly appreciated.

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

What has your school said about the physical work involved? Bathing, repositioning, ambulating??

[nay2vp]

Maybe you should think about waiting a semester. That way you can focus on the healing part first.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

I agree with waiting a semester. Have you thought about the pain and how that will affect you in class??