Clinicals and walking boot

[deej394]

I am in my last semester of nursing school and I am fairly certain I have a stress fracture in my ankle. I previously broke the same ankle two years ago and wore a walking boot at the time. The walking boot relieves my pain from the current injury but my school told me that I am not allowed to wear this at clinicals because (supposedly) the hospital won't let me. Is there any recourse I have to be allowed to wear the boot? I can suffer through without it but that's only worsening the condition, putting me in more pain (making me more of a liability) and prolonging the time it will take to heal.

Thanks

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

The reason I say supposedly is because they say that the hospital won't allow it. But my thing is, is that what if I were injured while employed as a nurse? Can the hospital make me stop working? It just seems fishy to me that's all.

Unless an on the job injury, yes the hospital would make the nurse stop working and send him/her home. You are a liability and at risk for further injury. The facility would have you use sick/disability or be unpaid until can function without a walking boot. Not fishy. It's reality. The only potential exception is an on the job injury covered by workers compensation and the nurse would be likely pulled from the floor for secretarial or chart audit duties perhaps outpatient follow up calls but not doing patient care on the floor with a walking boot. Risk management would never approve the facility accepting such a risky liability.

I had a friend with a non-work related fracture cleared for a walking boot, she was not permitted to return until fully healed/cleared by her physician and then occupational health that she could work 100% full duty and without a boot or splint. She collected temporary disability until fully cleared medically.

Again not fishy, it's reality of healthcare work environments

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

But aren't I more of a liability while I'm in pain (not in the boot) then wearing the boot? That's what I don't understand. I fully intend to make it through but it's an increased liability to have me do that because I am more at risk of falling or further injuring myself without a boot that I am with it.

If so much pain from an injury, then you need to not be in a clinical setting until you are fully healed. You are a liability with and without the boot. If your school knows you must wear a boot and you are quickly cured and attempt to report to clinicals in pain sans boot don't be surprised if you are sent home as you already advised the school of your injury. Now you are just creating extra risk

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I have worked in a lot of hospitals and not one would allow anyone to work with a walking cast, splint, or boot after a fracture no matter where it was sustained. I got to one winter working agency because I wore long scrub pants and put a sock over my toe, and didn't mention it and (thank goodness) nobody noticed or I'd have been screwed. Single mother, could NOT have afforded being out of work for six weeks.

Nobody is trying to pull one over on ya.