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.
And I'm telling you (as someone that has been to both nursing school and actually worked as a nurse in a variety of areas) that if you struggle at all with skills lab, clinicals will be worse, and even if you can survive, you'll NEVER cut it in the real world.
You may want to hear "Lalala You can do ANYTHING! Happy happy joy joy!!" And I'm sure the people telling you that think that they're being kind. But those people won't be paying off your student loans that you build up "trying it for a semester." Instead of "trying it" when you can't even handle a mannequin, you could be putting your energy into making something realistic happen.
But let's cue Annie to sing about tomorrow if it makes us feel warm and fuzzy.
And I'm telling you (as someone that has been to both nursing school and actually worked as a nurse in a variety of areas) that if you struggle at all with skills lab, clinicals will be worse, and even if you can survive, you'll NEVER cut it in the real world.
You may want to hear "Lalala You can do ANYTHING! Happy happy joy joy!!" And I'm sure the people telling you that think that they're being kind. But those people won't be paying off your student loans that you build up "trying it for a semester." Instead of "trying it" when you can't even handle a mannequin, you could be putting your energy into making something realistic happen.
But let's cue Annie to sing about tomorrow if it makes us feel warm and fuzzy.
Look. I have been reading everyone's posts and have considered everything. I know I may not make it. I am not about feeling warm and fuzzy. Did you honestly read my posts? Did you miss the fact that I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow? Did you miss where I said that he may or may not tell me to forget about it? Did you miss the fact that I am perfectly able of accepting defeat and choosing another career, even if it takes time to figure it out?
Where in absolutely any of my posts am I vomiting immature and blind joy? No where did I quote your funny little "I can do anything" comment, because quite frankly no one can and I am aware of my insecure future. Is it so bad to hope I may make it out ok and get a job in a clinic even? For example, lindarn and others were realistic with me, telling me to try to get through it, if not look else where etc, without taking out a sledgehammer... they gave me suggestions, options, and ideas. I feel you are just doing the opposite.
I won't reply again if you are going to misquote me further.
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.
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 guess I should have gone more in depth in my original post. I keep having problems with my knees. I hurt my ligaments consistently over the stupidest things. Such is the case with my arm. In just one day it dislocated. I went to therapy for months and still am having issues. I may need surgery for this. My left knee is giving me more trouble again; I need to keep a brace on or else it will dislocate. I am seeing my orthopedic surgeon next week.
I feel discouraged I feel like I am just going to injure something else before I get better. I don't know if I am making myself clear... =/
Look. I have been reading everyone's posts and have considered everything. I know I may not make it. I am not about feeling warm and fuzzy. Did you honestly read my posts? Did you miss the fact that I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow? Did you miss where I said that he may or may not tell me to forget about it? Did you miss the fact that I am perfectly able of accepting defeat and choosing another career, even if it takes time to figure it out?
Where in absolutely any of my posts am I vomiting immature and blind joy? No where did I quote your funny little "I can do anything" comment, because quite frankly no one can and I am aware of my insecure future. Is it so bad to hope I may make it out ok and get a job in a clinic even? For example, lindarn and others were realistic with me, telling me to try to get through it, if not look else where etc, without taking out a sledgehammer... they gave me suggestions, options, and ideas. I feel you are just doing the opposite.
I won't reply again if you are going to misquote me further.
OP, Again, I'm very sorry for your condition. You have been dealt a rotten hand. I do not believe the other nurses are being negative or taking a sledgehammer to your dreams. I think they are only trying to be very realistic with you. If you go back and review the entire thread you will see that it is nearly ALL of the experienced nurses trying to sway you towards other options. It's the ones without decades of experience and the resulting pain that are cheering you on. Trust me - I have been doing this for over 25 years now. I started out as a very healthy active 19 year old without a care in the world. You are not starting out with that luxury. Fast forward 25 years and now I'm 44 - I hurt, somedays I hurt EVERYWHERE. My knees are crap and my back is even worse. We have been there, done that and have the war wounds to show for it.
Please understand we are offering you "motherly advice" (that you did ask for). You are dislocating joints over nothing in just one day - what are you doing to your future if you insist on being a nurse???? Do you want to run with your children someday, how about the grandkids. Do you want to end up in tens of thousands of dollars in debt for a career that you can't handle and then have to start from scratch in another career?
Ultimately we have nothing to gain or lose from your decision. But you did ask for an opinion by nature of coming on this forum. We are just trying to be real with a "kid" that doesn't seem to understand what they are getting themselves into. I sincerely wish you the best of luck whatever you decide.
OP, Again, I'm very sorry for your condition. You have been dealt a rotten hand. I do not believe the other nurses are being negative or taking a sledgehammer to your dreams. I think they are only trying to be very realistic with you. If you go back and review the entire thread you will see that it is nearly ALL of the experienced nurses trying to sway you towards other options. It's the ones without decades of experience and the resulting pain that are cheering you on. Trust me - I have been doing this for over 25 years now. I started out as a very healthy active 19 year old without a care in the world. You are not starting out with that luxury. Fast forward 25 years and now I'm 44 - I hurt, somedays I hurt EVERYWHERE. My knees are crap and my back is even worse. We have been there, done that and have the war wounds to show for it.
Please understand we are offering you "motherly advice" (that you did ask for). You are dislocating joints over nothing in just one day - what are you doing to your future if you insist on being a nurse???? Do you want to run with your children someday, how about the grandkids. Do you want to end up in tens of thousands of dollars in debt for a career that you can't handle and then have to start from scratch in another career?
Ultimately we have nothing to gain or lose from your decision. But you did ask for an opinion by nature of coming on this forum. We are just trying to be real with a "kid" that doesn't seem to understand what they are getting themselves into. I sincerely wish you the best of luck whatever you decide.
I do appreciate everyone's advice, including yours; I just think wooh's reply was rather condescending. I don't think I am being happy-go-lucky at all. I have all that you all have said in the back of my mind. I can't drop out of the program because my financial aid will be affected; I could just not show up to class and get F's but what would be the point of that. I feel completely stuck.
I do appreciate everyone's advice, including yours; I just think wooh's reply was rather condescending. I don't think I am being happy-go-lucky at all. I have all that you all have said in the back of my mind. I can't drop out of the program because my financial aid will be affected; I could just not show up to class and get F's but what would be the point of that. I feel completely stuck.
Is there ANY way to talk to the financial aid folks, and see if there are options for changing majors? If you can't do the job (out of no fault of your own) the financial aid will have been worthless. :heartbeat
I also would like to be realistic with you. In the 18 years I have been working as a RN I have had Bilateral hip and bilateral knee replacements. I held out until the pain was unbearable and then had my hips replaced 6 months apart and my knees relpaced together. That was now 6 years ago. I still have pain in my back and neck and I had to finally give up my PICU nursing which I loved (2 years ago) I now work for insurance companies...but certainly needed years of experience to be able to do this job.
Nursing is very hard on the body, physically and mentally...I can't remember ever coming home from a shift without being in some sort of pain...even when I first started working, before my hips and knees went.
It would be almost impossible to add in a disability, I think.
But, only you will be able to tell what you can take, how much you can stand. It does not get any easier physically, however. It only gets worse.
I started out nursing in great health. I am now contemplating having both a neck surgery and low back surgery. I won't totally blame nursing, but really, I believe it really took a toll and I would not be in this situation if not for the past 15 years of physically demanding work. I've even made a change to a less intensive situation, yet still I'm having to move beds, sometimes wipe them down if no CNA's are available, and I come home every day in pain.
I would definitely temper some of the optimism seen here with a clear plan B. It's not being negative to say nursing can be a brutally demanding job physically-it's the truth.
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) who can decide if you're able.
wooh, BSN, RN
1 Article; 4,383 Posts
And I'm telling you (as someone that has been to both nursing school and actually worked as a nurse in a variety of areas) that if you struggle at all with skills lab, clinicals will be worse, and even if you can survive, you'll NEVER cut it in the real world.
You may want to hear "Lalala You can do ANYTHING! Happy happy joy joy!!" And I'm sure the people telling you that think that they're being kind. But those people won't be paying off your student loans that you build up "trying it for a semester." Instead of "trying it" when you can't even handle a mannequin, you could be putting your energy into making something realistic happen.
But let's cue Annie to sing about tomorrow if it makes us feel warm and fuzzy.