Any shoulder injuries besides me?

[booboo0331]

First I want to say this was not a work injury. I was helping my mother move and stepped wrong in her attic. My right leg was rapidly descending through the floor and I must have stuck my right arm out to slow myself. Long story short. I didn't go all the way through the ceiling. I had a leg dangling and discovered that my arm was no longer talking to my body. I had a 3 part fracture of my shoulder. ORIF surgery involving a plate and 12 screws. Off work for months with PT. Returned to work with some reaching limitations (mine, not work).

Almost 2 years after, I returned to the Ortho MD because of some limited ROM and pain. More bad news. Avascular necrosis and arthritis requiring a total shoulder replacement.

Here we go again. More surgery, more PT, more time off work. Returned to work again. Great nurse manager and coworkers. But I am sensing my days as a bedside nurse are coming to an end sooner than later.

Anyone else in a similar boat?

[seasidesoul]

I actually just injured my shoulder 1 week from starting my new job. Currently waiting to find out what's wrong with it. So, no, not as severe as a situation, but it's odd that I stumbled upon this just now.

Wishing you all the best. Shoulder injuries are so debilitating, and I think many don't realize this until they experience it themselves.

Are you looking for suggestions for non-bedside positions?

[booboo0331]

Sorry to hear about your injury. Yes, the shoulder injury is involved. Hoping your is not too bad and heals fast. Actually I am looking to see what others have done about a major shoulder problem. Have been a nurse for 29 years. Am enrolling into a RN-MSN in nursing education. Thinking nursing ed might be the way to go for the future. Just having a hard time thinking about leaving bedside nursing. Love it.

[poppycat, ADN, BSN]

Back in 1994 I had a 10 week old puppy who liked to try to grab my shoelaces as I walked. One day I tripped over him when he was doing it & had a really bad fall. I had 5 fractures in my right humerus. As the fractures healed, a fragment of bone made it's way through my rotator cuff causing a nice tear. I had to have that repaired in 1996 but to this day I don't have full range of motion in my shoulder. I'm very fortunate because that injury didn't end my bedside career.

I wish you both the best with your recovery & hope you find nursing jobs you can still do.

[CannondaleRN]

Yes, I have had a similar injury. Eleven years ago I had a motorcycle accident and fractured my humerus very badly. So the head of my humerus is titanium with several screws. My ROM is limited in my left arm. The pain was so bad the first year but it is just chronic now. I still do ROM exercises & swim so my shoulder doesn't freeze up.

I continued bedside nursing for a few years after the accident. For me, it was about the position of my arm when I had to lift a patient up the bed. I never lifted alone anyway.

Now I am a phone RN & work in an office which suits me very well! :)

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I separated my shoulder in 2002. Off and on I had issues with it PT helped, but in 2011 I was running up the stairs from the basement and fell on my outstretched arm. After that my shoulder was not the same and I had constant pain. I eventually had a subacromial decompression last summer. I have been mostly pain free except for days where I have done lots of lifting. I am able to still work bedside.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

I can't say that I'm in the same boat. I think that regardless of what path you take, you'll still have problems and discomforts with your shoulder. To that end, you know what you'll have to do to keep all that down to a tolerable level. Because of this, I would suggest making your decision to leave or to stay at the bedside based on your desires, not your shoulder, unless your shoulder becomes too uncomfortable or too weak to continue working at the bedside. It sounds like you're still strong and mobile enough to stay at the bedside, at this point, so where do you really want to work?