New Nurse with Health issue forced to find new job

Nurses Disabilities

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I am new graduate working on a new floor in the hospital. I work on a very busy 8 bed unit with no PCAs most days there is only one nurse sometimes 2 nurses. My doctor has put me out on light duty and told me in the meantime to find something less stressful and physically demanding on my body. I've only worked on this unit for about 8 months so I really don't have the experience to do anything else. I was wondering if anyone could help me with some options that may be available for me? I am strating to become very frustrated. There's a reason God allowed me to complete nursing school and the reason is not so I cannot work as a nurse! What other options are there with so little experience?

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what exactly is the medical issue you're having?

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Biscuspid Aortic Valve disease with coarctation....I came to this website to vent and see what other options may be available. I have strict orders from the dr no lifiting pulling or pushing. no extended amount of walking or standing. When I try helping pts as far as turning or pulling them up in bed, etc. I get real sob, tight feeling in chest, light headed and easily fatigued. I love bedside nursing but the dr has order me to find something less physically demanding than bedside nursing.

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listen, i can understand why the doctor reassigned you. the patients need someone who is capable of getting patients out of bed and keeping them from falling. or else they and the whole hospital will get in big trouble (just imagine if you got so lightheaded and out of breath that you dropped someone and they sued the hospital. the patient, the family, and their lawyer aren't going to care if you have a disease. in fact they'll be even more angry when they find out the hospital hired someone who they knew was incapable of doing the job.). i know it must be disappointing for you because it sounds like this was your dream job, and you worked really hard to get where you are. but I hope you recognize that your patients come before your career goals. your body just never gave you the chance to fulfill all of a nurse's most important duties--through no fault of your own.

on a personal note, it's my dream to become a navy nurse, but i have some of my own medical conditions that disqualify me. it was extremely disappointing for me when i found out, being as the conditions were so minor. but that's it. the Navy needs to put their own needs first, and I have to accept that. so when I found that out, I started making other career goals.

i'm guessing your other options would be school nursing or working in a community health clinic where you're mostly taking vitals and drawing blood. there wouldn't be as much lifting and carrying. however i'm guessing to get some of those jobs you might need a doctor's note saying you can lift a patient, and it sounds like there's no doctor who can say that. still even those jobs can be physically demanding.

i suppose you need to make yourself a future in administration or as a psychiatric nurse practitioner who offers talk therapy.

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When I started nursing school I knew about my heart condition but wasn't having any issues and was not under any restrictions. If I knew this was going to happen I would have choose a different degree. I realize the liability this poses to the hospital and completely understand what you are telling me. Thanks for your advice!

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sounds like you're doing your best to handle a difficult situation. unfortunately you're not the only nurse who's ever been held back by health issues :crying2:. best of luck to you.

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I totally understand because I am on a lifting restriction. Even though I have tons of experience...its hard to find a job that is accomodating and will just take a chance on me.

Working in a doctors office would probably be lighter if you can find any who are hiring.

Good luck in your search.

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If you can maybe you should go back to school. Just a thought.

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NO, you come first in this situation. Yes, patient safety is the most important thing, but you have to take care of you first. NO one will take care of you unless it is you..Good luck. You will find something.

Unless a nurse has been badly injured or has a serious condition like yours..they do not know how we feel.

This forum is for disabled nurses. I think a little compassion to nurses who have worked hard either in school or on the job deserve some respect.

I have a friend who is a LPN, Yell at me "You're a nonworking RN!!!!" This crushed me. So what, regardless whether you are working or not, as long as I keep my licensure current and my CEUs up. Disabled or sick RNs are still RNs!!

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.

You could perhaps try telephonic nursing, case management for insurance companies?

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If you enjoy bedside nursing, look at home health nursing. I work as a hospice nurse, I still have great 1:1 time with patients, but do not have the physical strain of floor nursing. On the rare occasions I need to reposition a patient, place a foley, or what ever I generally have facility staff assist me or ask my CNA to do a joint visit if it is a in home patient. Usually most of my crisis are pain related or respiratory, and its managing orders/DME and education to pt/family. I don't have to run to call lights, chair/bed alarms, or pass meds. If patient contact still desired it is a wonderful way to have that while taking it easy on the body

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Specializes in LTC, Float Pool, Ortho, Telemetry.

What kind of unit has only one nurse and no aides? That is crazy! There should always be at least 2 nurses in an acute care setting. Trust me I understnad your physical pain completely but I would worry about my license if I was all alone. What kind of patients are you caring for?

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