My future in nursing looks bleak, advice?

Specialties Educators

Published

I need a little advising please. I will make a long story short. I have put 4 years into pre reqs for nursing, all i have left is the program itself. I will be getting accepted in January and in two years I will complete the Associates for RN. Here is my dilemma, I have a bad back, but this all happened in the course of 4 years. Currently I am a CNA and it is hard on me. I am getting advised by my Dr to find a light duty position for now, but there are no guarantees I will be able to handle being an RN either. If you are a Nurse, you probably know that I have completed my anatomy, Phys, Psychs and math and english by now. Can you please help and tell me if I have any other career options from here without throwing away 4 past years with those classes in my background? Or Is there a RN position in the future I could find, that wont be so hard on my back? Thanks so much, I appreciate all the advice!!

ofcourse don't think of leaving something you love there's you should look into urgent care, case management (i currently am one), legal nursing... as for the bedside i'm not quite sure how bad your back is but try to stay away from the med surg, er, ortho, ltc and geriatrics.. but you could do pediatrics, labor and delivery, nicu.. i hope this helps plenty of nurses have bad backs they either have desk jobs or work with patients that they can handle best of luck.. some of my oworkers have adapted by wearing back supports the right shoes working 8 hour shifts.. Don't give up hope you know what you can handle you just have to be verycarful and i hope your following up with your PMD..

How aobut becoming a school nurse, working in a Doctor's office, homecare nurse, research, community nursing etc.

Specializes in LTC, MDS Cordnator, Mental Health.

I work in a LTC. I do no lifting at all I manage the "team. On a usual day it is 2 LPNs and 6 NA-R"s and a REHab aid. I am the charge nurse. I help the Care Manager Cordinate all of the Care for the 56 residents I also Manage the Assisted Living wing. I love it! I work in a Great Facility. I am begining to do the training for the New Nurses aids.

I was in the same boat I worked full time all the way thru 1st as an CNA and then as an LPN... that Transition helped alot for my back now I am an RN and very happy.

I will never work in on a Med-surge unit. the work is to hard for my age I will be going on for my NP thru a RN to MS program very soon. then I will have a position at the Clinic working for 2 Internal Medicine MDs.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I think you are smart to be considering alternative careers. While some of us in nursing have jobs that are phyically less demanding, most of those jobs are only available to nurses with experience and/or advanced education. Your career path to get those jobs may be harder on your back than you would like.

What about something like clinical nutrition ... or patient education ... or health care administration ... Occupational therapy ... medical librarian ... health care informatics ... biostatistics ... social work ... pharmacy ... physician's assistant ...

Perhaps it would be wise to talk with a career counselor or read up on health careers to get a whole new perspective on the many possible health careers that exist. One of them might really appeal to you -- and save your back for your old age.

Specializes in critical care, ER, Management, teaching.

while i woudl never discourage you from nursing, i worry how nursing courses will be for you. You will be expected to lift, etc. Perhaps you should speak to the dean of the college you attend and ask her advice in that regards. As far as when you graduate, i am certain there are opportunities for you. Just choose wisely and be sure to understand what is expected of you physically. Good Luck1

Specializes in OB, NP, Nurse Educator.

At our school we do not take any student who has a lifting restriction as a lot of lifting goes on in the clinical area. Once we had a student who lied about having a restriction - and when it came out that person was dismissed from the program.

I do not want to discourage you - but I want you to know that having a back injury my impede your education.

Good Luck!

Someone needs to give you a realistic answer. You can't possibly think you can handler nursing education and then 12 hour shifts with a bad back. STRESS makes chronic pain worse too . I suggest you see a good counselor at your school or in your community to revise your career goals..

+ Add a Comment