help for nursing student with lupus

Sharon · Feb 25, 2000

Baker,

I recommended that you run to a vocational/disability career counselor and discuss your situation. Neither an office nor clinic is less stressful then a hospital. In those settings you may be by yourself for a significant period of time during an emergency. You could be the one doing all roles in a code. Most office and clinic staff I know get fewer breaks then when they work in a hospital. Additionally, in an office the caseload is much higher.

Even case management and administrative positions can be very stressful. In my administrative and consultative role I feel I have more stress now. I am preparing for a workers compensation hearing, an unemployment hearing and EEOC hearing, and court cases. Not to mention recent regulatory visits, OSHA, DOT, EPA, etc. The nurses I have known with Lupus in similar jobs have not been able to get into remission or prevent further complications.

I am sorry for painting a dark picture but I think you need to know that ALL nursing roles are very stressful for a nurse with SLE and even more so for a new nurse with SLE.

[This message has been edited by Sharon (edited February 25, 2000).]

jllpn · Feb 27, 2000

Originally posted by baker2b:
I am a 26 year old nursing student with systemic lupus. I am finding I am unable to work in the hospital setting due to the hours and high stress, so I am hoping to find out from actual nurses what other options are available. I would be able to work in a clinic or home health setting on a part-time or per diem basis, but would be unable to obtain the hospital experience normally required to get these positions. My options right now are decreasing and I am considering leaving the program since the career may be unrealistic for a person with lupus. I greatly appreciate any ideas or input.

I can tottaly emphasizw with your situation. I'm an LPN with sarcoidosis. I was in RN school, but failed a course because I couldn't keep up with the clinical and all the paper work. I didn't know at the time that I had sarcoid. I only had 9 months to go in school. But it would take me a year to be able to repeat the course I failed. I then decided to go to LPN program for 13 wks. I became ill at the end of my schooling. I was very ill, ended up in hospital for 3 wks. I was then diagnosed. I was able to graduate as I had completed all the recquirements. I obtained a job 6 months later in a nursing home. I lasted only one month. I had a relapse of symptoms. I did not return to the work force for another year. I found a job in a drug/alcohol rehab. It was aft. shift, not physically demanding, low stress. It was great while it lasted, they just closed a few months ago. I have been on unmeployment. I cannot find a job that is right for me. I had an interview with a doctor a few weeks ago. He knows of my situation as my relative used to work for him. He is afraid to hire me because of my condition. He is afraid that I will be calling off work. Although, I did not call off in my last job. In fact, I was the one they called to cover for others. I'm really depressed about this because I do like nursing. I am considering other jobs at this point. I seem to be going nowhere. I agree with Sharon. A vocation counselor sounds like a good idea.