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Discussion

Concerned about light duty work

I had a work-related injury and was started on light duty work last week. My doctor has limited me to "desk work" with no prolonged standing and minimal walking because of a sprained ankle. Last week I worked away from the clinical floor in administration doing paperwork and I was fine with that.

Yesterday my nurse manager called me and informed me that I would be working on my unit next week, sitting with the unit secretary and relieving the tele tech for lunch. I have several concerns about this, which I mentioned to her on the phone, but she brushed off. First, there will be nothing for me to do. Our census is low and the unit secretary has time to do her job with plenty of time leftover. Second, if I am sitting at the nurse's station I will be up and down on my feet all day, or I will be resented for being the most useless person ever. People will be popping their heads out of rooms asking me to fetch supplies (nearly all our patients are on isolation) or I will be called to the med room to witness wastes and insulins. The only thing I really feel comfortable doing is the tele monitors but they're not going to cancel off the monitor tech just to give me something to do.

My biggest concern is I am not sure what I am accountable for in this position. I will be a Registered Nurse, sitting at the nurse's station twiddling my thumbs, in uniform, but I'm not supposed to go into any patient rooms. With our low census we have two RNs working the floor and one respiratory therapist. If they are busy, they may not respond to an overhead page right away. We have vented patients right across from the nurse's station. What if a patient pops himself off the vent? Decannulates himself? Gets up out of bed and is about to fall? Is about to rip his PICC line out? (This all happens pretty often where I work).

When I started light duty I signed something that said if I perform any tasks outside of my limitations, the hospital cannot be held accountable for any further injury. So I will be stuck with the choice of watching a patient in need of immediate assistance and not doing anything about it, or risking losing my worker's comp benefits. Furthermore can I be held legally accountable for not acting as a RN should in this situation?

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    My hospital does not have light duty for nursing staff for this reason. I would ask to wear business casual to limit any confusion.

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    I had a patient to fall on me and I was on light duty for 3 weeks. I was the secretary, did chart audits and worked with case management. The secretary role people did ask me to do this, that, and the other and I kindly reminded them that I can't keep jumping up and down, I can't help pull a patient and other "physical" type things. After day 2 the staff got it. But I'm very vocal about things and reminded them I'm on light duty guys. I wore regular clothes just in case they forgot. Maybe you should remind your coworkers about the reason why you are sitting at the desk.

    Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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    I'd get clarification from HR. You are lucky your hospital offers light work, we either work regular or stay out on FMLA.

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    • Expert

    How long are you off for a sprained ankle? Are you in a walking boot or ACE wrap?

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    I subbed for the monitor tech when I was on light duty years ago. I had to keep reminding people that I wasn't there as a nurse. Wearing business casual instead of scrubs helped. Good luck! My present job doesn't offer light duty, so I'll be out another couple of months with my surgery.

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    desk work is up and down and that is what the doctor said you could do. You are lucky. My facility does not offer light duty.

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    "No prolonged standing" and "minimal walking" does not equal "sitting down all the time except when I go to the bathroom or break." I think there's no reason you couldn't be helping in the med room if it's right there at the nurse's station. You're not permanently disabled and can be expected to heal. You should also know that no activity on that ankle will predispose you to the usual complications of immobility in it. Your PT can explain that to you more.

    I agree with RubyVee-- wear street clothes, and ask your manager to run the interference for you by explaining to the charge nurses before you get there. As you find your ankle improving, you will be able to do more, gradually; this too is the purpose of modified (not "light") duty, to increase gradually. After that, your responsibility is to get well fast, and not worry about what anyone else thinks. Your liability agreement is clear, and you do not put your licensure at risk by complying with it. The hospital's side of the deal is that they are (still) required to provide safe staffing for their patients.

    If anyone asks or snarks within your hearing, you can help them reframe their attitude. Say in all sincerity and honesty that you were surprised to sustain this injury, which could, after all, happen to anyone, and you are so glad that ABC Hospital has a modified duty program so anyone who gets hurt isn't required to be losing vaca time. Also say that it's good to get up and go to work in the morning and be able to be useful.

    Good luck! Get well soon!

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    We have an older RN on light duty, she works as a secretary and the other nurses don't try to take advantage of her. In fact, working the desk is driving her crazy because she loves being at the bedside.

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    • Author

    Thanks for all the replies. Turns out it didn't matter as they withdrew their offer of light duty work, because the insurance company rejected my claim for a work-related injury. I got the sprain getting a patient back in bed with the CNA at the end of the shift, it hurt but I figured it would go away since I had the next 6 days off. I went home and didn't report it. When it didn't get better in a couple of days I went to the doctor and they called it a sprain and gave me a boot to wear. My job gave me a few days of light duty while the insurance company was processing everything. The claim was rejected because it wasn't reported right away and there was insufficient proof the injury occurred at work. I'm kinda relieved because I would have gone crazy sitting at the nurse's station and not being able to be a nurse. I'm getting bored at home too, but at least time is flying by with the holidays. I'm feeling a lot better, too. Thanks again, sorry for the late reply :)

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