RN with MS needs work at home job

Nurses Disabilities

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I am a RN who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis since 2001. I have limited mobility. Also, as everyone knows with MS a person has their good and bad days. I would like to find a work at home job using the computer, phone, and fax machine. I would love to hear from nurses that have gone through this situation. I'm not sure where to start...any advice would be helpful. Thanks!!

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing community!

They are hard to come by. While many employers don't say so....they see me in my chair and it is clear that they found another suitable candidate or one with "experience they needed" that after 35 years as a critical care nurse and manager why I am not suitable. I can and spend time here. I tutor nursing students. I don't have the patience for telemarketing so I never tried there.

((HUGS))

Look at the EMR software vendors (Cerner, Eclipsys, McKesson, Meditech, etc.). They post their jobs on their web sites. Look for "remote" as the location of the job. As technology companies they have been using "remote" employees for at least 15 years. If you have a computer, internet, and phone you can work anywhere. They like hiring healthcare providers, since they speak their customers' language. They need people who can provide phone support to their customers. You might be able to get that type of job.

Is there some kind of consulting you can do? Help hospitals develop policy and procedures that utilize evidence based medicine?

Also check out the insurance companies and companies like powerofvitality.com. Many of them are starting to use nurses as health coaches for individuals with chronic illnesses. The nurse calls the person with a chronic illness on a set schedule to help them make lifestyle changes to manage their disease better. The individual can call their coach to ask questions about their medicine or about their doctor's directions. These are all things you were probably doing face-to-face when you were in the hospital/clinic. Now you would do them over the phone. Insurance companies and businesses think they can reduce their costs using healthcare coaches. My company even waves the co-pay on your prescriptions if you have a chronic illness and agree to have a healthcare coach. Since this is all done over the phone, it wouldn't matter where you are.

Some hospitals and insurance companies offer a "nurse advice line" to help people decide if they need to treat with OTC, call their provider in the morning, call their provider immediately, or go to the ER. You could do something like that. If no one is offering this, develop a business plan and approach the hospital or a provider group.

If you are interested in starting your own business, call your local SCORE chapter. These are retired business executives that help people develop business plans to start their own business. Their help is free.

You may have limited mobility, but you still have your mind and all your years of experience. These are very valuable. You just have to find 1 person who values it.

I will pray that you find the perfect job that enables you to be productive and challenged.

I did one quick search for "nurse" at McKesson.com and came up with 65 results including:

Disease Management RN

Implementation Consultant, McKesson Point of Use Supply

Behavioral Health RN Case Manager

Bilingual Telehealth Nurse

Health Resource Coordinator

Population Health Solution Advisor

Nurse Executive

Field Sales Associate/Health Care

MBHP Blended DM RN 2

Care Center Supervisor

Clinical Instructor

All of which are "Work From Home." There were multiple jobs for most of those opportunities.

Good luck with your job search!

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I did one quick search for "nurse" at McKesson.com and came up with 65 results including:

Disease Management RN

Implementation Consultant, McKesson Point of Use Supply

Behavioral Health RN Case Manager

Bilingual Telehealth Nurse

Health Resource Coordinator

Population Health Solution Advisor

Nurse Executive

Field Sales Associate/Health Care

MBHP Blended DM RN 2

Care Center Supervisor

Clinical Instructor

All of which are "Work From Home." There were multiple jobs for most of those opportunities.

Good luck with your job search!

I know that it is difficult to believe as a non nurse that healthcare companies don't like disabled nurses...but they don't. Have you ever seen a nurse in any capacity in a wheelchair?

OP keep trying. I do. I put out applications every month. Going to interviews is my new work time.

I know that it is difficult to believe as a non nurse that healthcare companies don't like disabled nurses...but they don't. Have you ever seen a nurse in any capacity in a wheelchair?

OP keep trying. I do. I put out applications every month. Going to interviews is my new work time.

I recognize that healthcare companies do not hire nurses in wheelchairs. I'm not suggesting that she apply at healthcare companies. Most of what I mentioned are high tech companies that do business with healthcare companies or insurance companies.

High tech companies that do business with healthcare do hire people in wheelchairs. They also hire people who are blind, deaf, gay, lesbian, transexual, black, hispanic, and every other group that have traditionally been discriminated against. I have worked for some of the companies I mentioned. They place great value in having a diverse work force and have for at least 20 years - long before other industries started hiring minorities. These companies value knowledge and experience not whether you can walk.

Good luck op.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I personally haven't found that to be the case as I apply to jobs every week. Iut of ALL the disabled people out there companies are comfortable with their one or two token disabled workers. It's now been 4 years.

Never give up....never falter. I just keep going forward.

Esme, I really sorry that you have encountered that type of prejudice. Any company that makes a hiring decision based on someone's disability rather than their capabilities is hurting themselves.

I'm not surprised to hear that about the healthcare industry. The people who should have the greatest understanding of illness and injury and the person's abilities seem to have the greatest prejudice.

I am surprised and disappointed if you are applying at high tech companies who sell to healthcare. At the places I've worked we have actively recruited a diverse workforce. They have also made all kinds of accommodations if an employee becomes ill.

Everyone needs to remember that a sudden illness or accident could put anyone of us in a wheelchair.

I will pray that you soon find the perfect job for you.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Thank you....I always worked in the acute care environment....the hospital dumped me like a hot potato. I worked for them for many years. I could have kept on in education department...heck I would have answered phones if they wanted....but..NO WAY!

No one ever says it's because I'm disabled but they are VERY INTERESTED talk salary on the phone...and then I go in person. They are polite...but distant.

Then they decide to pursue another candidate with more "current applicable experience".

It is what it is....I'm used to it by now :)

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