A little about me. I'm 21 years old and just started my ADN nursing program last month.
I was born with knee dysplasia in both knees. I was constantly in the ER growing up. Got surgery in 2008 and 2009 to correct it. I have nasty chondromalacia in both knees and pretty much have trouble doing lots of stuff. Kneeling, crouching, powerwalking etc. I've been going to PT on and off since I was 14.
I worked as an HHA for a toddler recuperating from leukemia. Mind you, not a big baby, just average weight. Just a few days of taking care of the child, my left arm dislocated and had to start PT and leave my job.
About a year ago I was accepted into the same program. I deferred my acceptance because I was insecure about my ability to deal with 12 hr shifts, positioning pts, all the bending and crouching etc. Well I decided I should suck it up and give it a shot!
Sooo now I am in skills lab and am more discouraged than ever. We just did occupied beds and I feel so stupid--I can hardly move the mannequins. I need help to do everything. I have no physical strength whatsoever. I hurt my arms and shoulders for anything.
I love nursing, but I don't know if I can handle it. I would love to be a nurse educator but I know I have to get through clinicals before ANYTHING
Any nurses out there who have arthritis or something and have any tips or encouragement for me? Is there no way through this? Should I just look into another career? :-/ Pls help.
I am sorry: I don't think not being able to move a mannequin would get a person a B instead of an A in clinical. It might very well result in failure. Our local nursing programs clearly state that all students must be able to perform the physical requirements of the job, and so do our local hospitals. And they have every right to. If you want to see what lifting and pulling does to nurses, check out the ANA's policy statements in its Safe Handling program. We are moving in the right direction, but nursing is nowhere near where it needs to be. And facilities have been burned so badly on employee back injuries, they will not take a chance by hiring people who already have significant problems. Nor should they. Nor should you!! Please reconsider. Nursing is still very physically demanding, and the greener pastures come only after you have crossed the deserts of years of practice for most of us, if then. Actually, there are many other healthcare professions that offer more opportunities to actually demonstrate caring (rather than task performance) to its practitioners. Been there, done that. Protect yourself and you can still have your dreams and fulfill them. It's just that you may have to acknowledge they will have to take a different form. Different is not necessarily worse.
The OP also has to think of the legal implications of not being able to lift/push/pull properly, as Jan intimated in her post.
If you drop a patient, say in the bathroom where they're going to hit a tile floor hard and it's slippery, you can do real damage. They there will be a huge enquiry and believe me, they will grill you with regards to your physical fitness. If they find you lied, or couldn't perform the job correctly, you can be prosecuted and will lose your license.
The above was a real scenario that happened to a friend of a friend - and she was also fined and sued by the family due to neglect and unsafe practices.
Not good, not good at all. Give nursing some hard thought b4 embarking on it, as we have what is called a DUTY OF CARE to all patients, which includes you being able to do your job safely and with due care for all patients.
Agree with the above. Not to mention, it's unfair to your coworkers to have to risk their health more often to do YOUR work for you because you're unable to do it yourself.
Hi everyone. I spoke to my adviser this morning and she was basically really understanding and serious about it. I told her how I may need surgery in my arm soon and that I have lots of pain. I told her about my surgery history too.
She just told me to stick it out this semester and see how I do. To inform my professors about it incase I need surgery this semester. She told me about other students she was able to accomodate, such as pregnant students in clinical. She asked me if I could handle the 12 hr shifts(not this semester, next) and I told her that we would see, but endurance is not so much of a problem to me.
She asked me of any long term goals. I told her I would like to get into education, however I knew I needed decent years under my sleeve. She told me to stick to peds or NICU... to do my BSN... and I can teach LPNs IV Therapy and continuing ED/review courses in my CC where I currently work...
She was very hopeful and encouraging. She told me to keep in touch after seeing my doc. I will mention to him all of this and perhaps ask for PT once or 2x week again, just to finish off what I started. I am better than what I was but still have lots of pain.
Another thing... my friend was also complaining of all the pain she was feeling from skills. I mentioned to her how I felt and she told me she felt the same, but that exercise should be helpful... I think I am going to get into a swimming program(i live in sunny miami :)) and see if this helps...
I have this semester to see how all these therapies/changes benefit me. If I can stick it out this semester, I'll feel a lot better. I tried looking at all the other programs in my CC but honestly I can't see myself in labs. :'(
Well thank you all... I will update here in case I find anything else out from my surgeon or PT. Hopefully my PT can guide me or coach me into some strengthening exercises for my back. You've all been great and encouraging and have definitely given me a lot to think about. If I cannot handle this semester's clinicals, I will not put myself or my patients in danger and choose another career.
Sigh. I wish you the best, but pediatrics isn't great on arms and shoulders, never mind the knees. Holding a 30-pound screaming 9 month old (yes, big) for an IV, or just getting them out of the crib, is hard on arms/shoulders that aren't that bad. Then, add a few 40-50 pound 4-5 year olds that only know to throw fits to get their way who jerk on you when you have to do things....
I loved pediatrics for the most part- but it's definitely not all babies. You get teenagers from car wrecks, suicide attempts (yes- had one brought up to the floor with security and leather arm cuffs; she turned out to be simply drunk and unruly, but was a risk), severely disabled teens who are essentially vegetative who need total care. You can't just ask for the babies....
See how it goes- but don't be surprised if it just can't happen and be the best for your body...a lifetime of being pulled and tugged on is enough of a strain with healthy joints. You want to have enough of you left for retirement :):heartbeat
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Thanx janhetherington. I was just trying to cheer them up. You don't have to be so technical!:smackingf
Anywayz, you can fulfill your dreams of being a nurse educator just do your best! Best of wishes :anpom:
How can you teach that which you do not know? If I were a student, I would have a hard time thinking a clinical instructor had any credibility if he/she had never worked one day on the floor.
Of course, I went to school back in the Stone Age, when clinical instructors had to spend the summer working in clinical areas to stay current with practice.
Sigh. I wish you the best, but pediatrics isn't great on arms and shoulders, never mind the knees. Holding a 30-pound screaming 9 month old (yes, big) for an IV, or just getting them out of the crib, is hard on arms/shoulders that aren't that bad. Then, add a few 40-50 pound 4-5 year olds that only know to throw fits to get their way who jerk on you when you have to do things....
I loved pediatrics for the most part- but it's definitely not all babies. You get teenagers from car wrecks, suicide attempts (yes- had one brought up to the floor with security and leather arm cuffs; she turned out to be simply drunk and unruly, but was a risk), severely disabled teens who are essentially vegetative who need total care. You can't just ask for the babies....
See how it goes- but don't be surprised if it just can't happen and be the best for your body...a lifetime of being pulled and tugged on is enough of a strain with healthy joints. You want to have enough of you left for retirement :):heartbeat
Hey, thanks. I see what you are saying and totally agree. If I get through this semester in one piece, I will give it ago for the next semester and so on. Peds/OB/Psych would be next summer. It will be intense since it is 6-12hr clinicals for each class. In fact we have community health clinical in there too. So I think that will be my "desert experience"
I am going to concentrate on preventing more wear and tear for at least the next three or so years. This summer I was active and felt great. But I am really going to go military style and stuff some serious exercise in my schedule... even when I just wanna sleep...
so much is really my fault... sometimes i would skip my PT exercises or whatever. Also... I don't take pain meds unless I am dying! I guess I should swallow my pride and just take something, huh?
Xtxrn, thanks again for all your advice... you've been really helpful to me in seeing things in a different light. I am going to take seriously all of this and if it works, Praise God... if it doesn't, Praise God anyway... I'll find my niche somewhere...
How can you teach that which you do not know? If I were a student, I would have a hard time thinking a clinical instructor had any credibility if he/she had never worked one day on the floor.
Of course, I went to school back in the Stone Age, when clinical instructors had to spend the summer working in clinical areas to stay current with practice.
I wouldn't bother applying for a Nursing professor job w/o experience anyway lol kind of freaky
Nothing in nursing school (unless you get a good final practicum) is anywhere near what it's like on a floor. Peds/OB/community health? Those are the easiest. You get one cute peds patient. Stand around and watch a baby be born. Teach handwashing or some nonsense. Nothing like really working any of those jobs. eta: I see you said psych instead of community. That will be heavy. Sitting in on a group therapy session. Or babysitting the patients on their smoke break. You aren't going to be the one that has to do a take down.
Is peds easier on the body than adults? Yep. But until you've been kicked in the chest by a 7 year old, held down a 10 year old, and had to lift a few 19 year old total care "peds" patients into their wheelchair or car (remember, they're TOTAL dead weight), and do it ALL in the same day, you haven't had a day on the floor. NICU? Well it's a bit lighter. But hell on the arms and upper back.
As for your advisor being so positive? She did a good job, and is getting a couple more semesters of money out of you.
You can want to do it all day long. There's a person in jail that wants out. Doesn't mean either of you are going to be able to do it.
Nothing in nursing school (unless you get a good final practicum) is anywhere near what it's like on a floor. Peds/OB/community health? Those are the easiest. You get one cute peds patient. Stand around and watch a baby be born. Teach handwashing or some nonsense. Nothing like really working any of those jobs. eta: I see you said psych instead of community. That will be heavy. Sitting in on a group therapy session. Or babysitting the patients on their smoke break. You aren't going to be the one that has to do a take down.
Is peds easier on the body than adults? Yep. But until you've been kicked in the chest by a 7 year old, held down a 10 year old, and had to lift a few 19 year old total care "peds" patients into their wheelchair or car (remember, they're TOTAL dead weight), and do it ALL in the same day, you haven't had a day on the floor. NICU? Well it's a bit lighter. But hell on the arms and upper back.
As for your advisor being so positive? She did a good job, and is getting a couple more semesters of money out of you.
You can want to do it all day long. There's a person in jail that wants out. Doesn't mean either of you are going to be able to do it.
I have community, Peds, Ob, and psych in the summer, per my last post.
I don't know if you really read my last post. I am trying to see if I can get through this. I don't know if I am taking this incorrectly but I feel as though you are trying to scare me out of my decision to continue through NS. If I am wrong then I am sorry. I am aware of the fact that I way not get through this; this is why I posted in the first place...
I am not being positive but I am not being negative either. I am going to try to get through nursing school. If I am coming home in excruciating pain then I know I will not be a nurse. If I come home sore like everyone else, I'll get over it.
I am not going to abuse my self, my classmates, nor my future patients. I am not so selfish that I would openly put others in danger so i can have the initials RN after my name.
BTW, the only one that can say that I am not able to do it is ME(and my doc, of course). I will hear his opinion tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Riseupandnurse
658 Posts
I am sorry: I don't think not being able to move a mannequin would get a person a B instead of an A in clinical. It might very well result in failure. Our local nursing programs clearly state that all students must be able to perform the physical requirements of the job, and so do our local hospitals. And they have every right to. If you want to see what lifting and pulling does to nurses, check out the ANA's policy statements in its Safe Handling program. We are moving in the right direction, but nursing is nowhere near where it needs to be. And facilities have been burned so badly on employee back injuries, they will not take a chance by hiring people who already have significant problems. Nor should they. Nor should you!! Please reconsider. Nursing is still very physically demanding, and the greener pastures come only after you have crossed the deserts of years of practice for most of us, if then. Actually, there are many other healthcare professions that offer more opportunities to actually demonstrate caring (rather than task performance) to its practitioners. Been there, done that. Protect yourself and you can still have your dreams and fulfill them. It's just that you may have to acknowledge they will have to take a different form. Different is not necessarily worse.