How Often Will I Be On My Feet As A Nurse?

nurseangel78 · Feb 21, 2005

I believe that I would much rather be on my feet for 8 or 12 hours than sitting at a computer for that length of time.

I work in LTC on 8 hour shifts, I am on my feet at least 6-7 hours.

Angelica · Feb 21, 2005

I work in Hospice. The pace is not nearly as hectic as a hospital. I certainly keep busy, but I'm not on my feet all day.

abundantjoy07, RN · Feb 21, 2005

Hopefully all the time...I like the thought of being busy, active, and burning some calories while I'm at it!!! I didn't know nurses ever sat on their tooshies much.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2005

Maybe some NICU, PICU, Peds--while feeding & playing.

I have to say, usually the NICU where I work is a pretty cushy place. Nice assignments, all your patients in the same room, comfy rockers to sit in, etc. So many nights, we'll be all sitting in a circle chatting away, happy as clams.

Other nights, like the last 3 12's I work, we don't sit except to feed babies and maybe on quick coffee breaks. I've worked plenty a shift where I realized at 7am that I never peed all shift, and my feet are so sore it hurts to walk. I actually came home this morning and had to soak my feet in an epsom slalt bath for half an hour before I was comfortable enough to limp to bed.

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 21, 2005

if you do hospital nursing, some shifts you will be moving so much, you will ache from head to toe when you go home...and wake up still sore the next morning. that is how much you can end up on your feet. some shifts are killer; others not too bad. but that is hospital/LTC nursing. Other types you may not have to be on your feet so much, as mentioned above.

I had a desk job when I was military. Frankly, I prefer being on my feet. Makes time go faster and I hate sitting for long periods.

smk1, LPN · Feb 21, 2005

hey become a nurse attorney! you already have the law degree you just need the nursing degree and then i would find out how much experience is needed for consulting, i think there are even a few JDs on this board that may be able to point you in the right direction.

MrsWampthang, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2005

Hi Everyone,
I am a 27 year old law school grad who is totally fed up with the law/criminals and I am thinking about nursing school. However, I am used to basically sitting all day and wanted to know will I be on my feet for extended periods of time as a nurse that it may be a problem?
If so, are there certain of nurses that are on their feet less, say a community nurse vs a staff nurse?
Thanks

The better question would be: what amount of time will I NOT be on my feet? :chuckle Any type of nursing you do, you will be on your feet constantly, starting in clinicals during nursing school. Think long and hard about it before you decide, and good luck!

Pam

johnsontwo · Feb 21, 2005

Your question may have been funny, but it is legitamate. I am a "new" Vocational Nurse, 7months. I wished our school had implemented the actual standing, walking, running or crawling that we as nurses do. Since you have asked this question and I had an opprotunity to read the other responses, I will not/can not complain. I work, so called, 8 1/2 hour shifts and as someone stated, I hit the door running. Also consider carpal tunnel into the equation. Stay a lawyer and you may live longer.

Good Day :rotfl:

rn-jane · Feb 21, 2005

I think the one thing all nurses have in common, especially if you've been in this profession a while is sore feet, from standing, walking , lifting. I just spent 300.00 on arch supports for my poor dogs this week. There are some nursing jobs that are less active than floor nursing, but it can be a grueling profession, but i would not trade my bedside nursing for any sit down job.

mattsmom81 · Feb 21, 2005

hey become a nurse attorney! you already have the law degree you just need the nursing degree!

Yes please consider this...we need you...I LOVE my RNJD and she spends her time and her legal knowledge helping nurses...the 'good guys'.. instead of criminals, she likes to say!

There is some 'footwork' involved in clinical time, as described above. With your law degree, you would be valuable in administrative roles, risk management and many other areas of nursing, in facilities, independently, most of which will not require the 'running' floor nursing does. Good luck to you...my friend was a nurse who went on to become an attorney. She spends her time defending nurses now. She tells me its an interesting,rewarding lucrative combination. :)

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Feb 21, 2005

sometimes i wish i was a lawyer and not a nurse.

change specialties. do something like medical malpractice or if you want bordom, be a patent attorney. or one who does just adoptions.

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Feb 21, 2005

I am a nursing student (RN), but here are some of my guesses:
Phone triage nurses, probably.
I know some psych nurses that what they do is phone responses to pts, so they sit a lot.
Maybe some triage nurses.
Some intraop nurses sit more than floor nurses, from what I've been able to discern (but not by much).
Maybe some NICU, PICU, Peds--while feeding & playing.
Personally, I spent 20 years behind a computer and I find I enjoy the physical activity of nursing; especially walking :). I am 54, I have arthritis in the hips and knees (not constantly); am overweight and not in great physical condition--I still like it. Sometimes my feet are tired (after 7-8 hours); sometimes my arthritis flares up.
NurseFirst

i run my orifice off in peds, newborns and post partum. so nix those