can they kick me out for the physical?

I seriously doubt that they can keep you out. They might whine, give you "the talk" about possibilities of future injuries, etc. Just keep being careful and you'll be fine.

Your doctor may have mentioned the previous visits, but he/she also signed off on the physical. Your program may have you go to another doctor of their choice to explore whether or not you have limitations due to the previous injury, but what they are really doing is covering their b*tts, making sure that you aren't going to hurt yourself during clinicals. As long as you have no lasting disability, and it doesn't sound like you do, you should be fine. Good Luck

I have had 2 spine surgeries but have been cleared for work. I have to submit to a detailed exam with the facility doc each time I start a new job. If you can perform the functions of the job description you should do fine. (Mine called for lifting of 100# occ. and 75 frequently, and I had to demonstrate this)

They just make us 'jump through the hoops' to limit liability and risk to themselves....

Good luck to you!! :)

I'm always amazed at how BAD nurses are needed in this country and how DIFFICULT it is to actually become one. Nursing school is hard enough without having to stress if you are going to be booted because of a previous physical condition.

My buddy went through nursing school, took and passed his boards and was asked by the state (when we took boards) if he was ever treated for a mental illness? We were ALL asked these questions.

Years ago he had checked himself into a VA hosp. for possible depression. He was only in for a short time but the state held his license for over a year!

-R

Like the others have said, I don't think that there is a chance that your program can keep youout. They may ask another Dr. to check you out (at their expense), but that should be no biggie.

Good luck!:)

Well, you all were right -- they're not going to kick me out! thanks for all your kind words and encouragement!

I ended up seeing an occupational health dr. who was quite interested in my case. He seemed convinced by two things - one was my own attitude, knowledge about the condition and good general fitness (I do yoga when I can and have better flexiblilty than he'd anticipated). The second thing was that my rod is in the thoracic spine, so my lumbar mobility is good, and apparently that is the area that nurses have trouble with.

The interesting point he made was that of the thousands of people off work every year with back pain, the majority, he says, don't have a particular diagnosiable (is that a word?) condition - they just can't deal with the pain. He said pain threshold/attitude and general outlook have as much to do with keeping people safely in work as any physical attributes.

don't know whether that's controversial or not, but he's encourage me to keep mobile, and anyway I'm off to nursing school 15th Sept!!

thanks everyone! :kiss

"well, you all were right -- they're not going to kick me out! thanks for all your kind words and encouragement!"

great, all the best to you.