Re: new rehab nurse Originally Posted by TracyB,RN Caren... I admire your determination. I have to check out your diagnosis, as I am not familiar with it or your limitations.
I can tell you that I had back surgery (discectomy L4-5) 10 months ago today, & STILL am unable to work rehab, (or any other job) despite my efforts to do so. I am currently on a 10# lift restriction, with other restrictions for bending, stooping, stretching, etc.... At this rate, I am probably looking at a disc replacement or fusion in the next 2 yrs. I don't see myself ever being able to do rehab, let alone basic nursing care & I am not even 35 yet. I a, searching for a less physically intense nursing job & not having the greatest luck. Nobody wants a nurse who can barely lift a gallon of milk...
So, rehab is totally cool.... But very physical at times.
Be careful & best of luck to you.
Hi TracyB RN,
I am a student nurse who worked almost three years in Physical rehab. Yes, it is very physically demanding, very much so. We did get our patients up, (even the spinals) every day. Most patients we got up several times a day and gave really good care, (I am proud of the care my coworkers and I gave, they really cared). However, this was so very physically taxing.
Many of my coworkers had mentioned remembering a time before they hurt their backs!
My grandmother had her spine fused due to degenerative disk disease and herniating disks and my mother had ortho surgery when hers went bad and then had neuro-surgery for the second and third times. I also know another person in my personal life who had a fusion and two other people with herniating disks that did not have the fusion.
Based upon my conversations with those people and from my observations of them, I am ready to make the choice of fusion if my day ever comes. Personally, I think I would rather loose a little range of motion right off the bat than to risk years of herniations. Of course this is not very well thought out as, (knock on wood) my back is still trying to hold its own.
I want to wish you well and suggest you look into office nursing. When I worked at a large women's health facility we did get nurses to come to work for us from two of our companies hospitals when they were on physical restrictions for either bad backs or injuries or what not. Maybe this is an option for you. It is not bedside nursing but, it IS nursing.
Good luck,
Gennaver
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