I was just wondering how many of you out there in the "older" age groups are still working a med/surg floor, and how you cope with the ever-increasing physical demands. Sometimes when I get off my shift, I feel 85 rather than almost 45.....my back aches ferociously, my feet are burning, and I limp so badly that I've been asked more than once if I've sprained something. Of course, things would go better if I were about 100# lighter, and I'm working on that, but I was 40# heavier than I am now when I first worked med/surg six years ago, and didn't have as many problems then.
Now, I've already done the sit-down jobs in nursing, and didn't like it......I'm absolutely delighted with my 8-hour, part-time position on the floor, and have NO intention of leaving it. But I'm having so much trouble handling the physical part of it---I can perform the actual work, it's after my shift that I hurt so much, I'm wondering how much longer I'm going to be able to do this.
I'm hoping my new orthotics will help, along with the Ultram I'm taking for pain. But other than these things---along with losing some weight---how do I keep doing this for another 15 or 20 years? Or can I even reasonably expect to?
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
And I thought they just did that sort of thing where I work!!
I feel the same way most of you do.....I've only got one body, which is already somewhat screwed up, and it's gotta last me another 25 or 30 years or so. That's a loooong time to be in constant pain. I'm a big supporter of using proper body mechanics, and I nag my co-workers all the time.....but like someone said above, all the body mechanics in the world won't help us when the pt. is massively obese, and dead weight on top of that. And the ranks of morbidly obese people are growing (no pun intended, I fall into that category myself), so we're going to be dealing with it for a long time to come.
The concept of a "no-lift" policy intrigues me. I've never heard of this before. Does that mean all pts are transferred via mechanical lifts, or by lifting teams? I'd appreciate some information if any of you have experience with this!
I'm 46 and work three eight hour shifts per week in the float pool. I never thought I would say this but I could not do this full time if my life depended on it!!!! I love med-surg and will continue to do it as long as I can, but it has taken its toll on these old bones. All the body mechanics in the world can't help with getting the 400 pound pt out of bed!!!
I'm with you Isyorke...I'm 47 and I feel it when I work fulltime hours on ocasion...coud NOT do it continuously! And I am in ICU, not medsurg...I don't know HOW the medsurgers in their 40"s can do it..I know I could NOT handle the ins and outs of beds all day.....
When I was young (and foolish) I would drag a heavy deadweight up because the doctor screamed at me. No more....now I call the supervisor and say 'get me help NOW. LOTS of help.' We have a new policy to be 'sensitive' to our bariatrics...but I will NOT harm myself to be 'sensitive'.... its MY back and I NEED LOTSA HELP!!!
I'm 54-do three 8 hour night shifts a week. Once in a while will pick up an extra day. Still doing OK with this, but I think full time would be nasty. However, have to tell you that I do work with some one who is older then I am, and she does full time. Also had an RN retire last year who was 67 and full time til the last night!!
Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.
Hi;
This is my first time at this site. This note really caught my eye. I am 58 yrs. old and have been nursing for 37years.Many years ago I left a Head Nurse job and went back to Staff Nursing. The last 25 yrs. I have done Oncology and Med. Surg.Presently my unit is Med./Surg. with the Oncology patients. It is a large and busy unit. I work Full-Time Night shift. I am beginning to wander how much longer I can do this. The aches and pains are there ALL OF THE TIME!! I am 12 and 13 years post-hip replacements & boy, do I know it.
For years, I was able to do a second job part-time during the day,(HOME HEALTH) but recently that got to be just too much. I had to stop that.
Physically this job is exhausting; but mentally it is just so stressful!! The Hospital Population is JUST SO SICK!!
I don't really know how much longer I'll be able to keep this up.
For now, I'll just plug along day by day. I'm glad to hear I am not the only one feeling so exhausted at the end of the shift.
Hello I am 47yrs and been a Male Nurse for 24 yrs. Check out my web sit and you can find my CV. Have worked in a varity of capasities and found that both my wife and I have learned the hard way that Med Surg or any bedside nursing does take its toll on the body mecanics. She is in need of a new righ knee and just had surgery to word off the need for a new one for a while. Being 50 she is told that it would be best to have knee replaced at or around 65yrs of age ( life expectancy of new Knee is 10 15 yrs )
I have been able to get her to part time now ( she has worked ICU for 28yrs ) She is now down to 2 days a week I am making progress.
When the kids are grown She want to go back to school and become a Dental Hygenist thet make 60K a year here in Colorado Springs working as new grads only 3 days a week. Hate to admit it but my dentist says he cant keep them for any less.
If interested in learning how I am getting my wife out of the ICU and not needing her income to help with college education for our kids just email me from my web page.
Physically this job is exhausting; but mentally it is just so stressful!! The Hospital Population is JUST SO SICK!!
I don't really know how much longer I'll be able to keep this up.
For now, I'll just plug along day by day. I'm glad to hear I am not the only one feeling so exhausted at the end of the shift.
I had a hell-night last night at work, and many shifts I work, I have been more exhausted and drained emotionally and spiritually afterwards rather than physically, and like you, I wonder how much longer I'll be able to keep this up. As you've mentioned, mentally it is just so stressful to work Med-Surg with the acuity levels we deal with and the high nurse to patient ratios. I'm working with people whose faces for the most part look like this, and it just shouldn't be: :stone :uhoh21:
I'm on a Retention committee with nurses representing every area in the hospital that began in early September. We meet every two weeks and have been discussing issues most important to our co-workers regarding retention. When all is said and done, and all the lists made of reasons to stay or leave have been discussed and brainstormed-over, it comes back to ONE issue for me, and it addresses all the physical AND emotional struggles we face, both young AND older Med-Surg nurses: LOWER THE NURSE TO PATIENT RATIOS!!!
Lower the ratios and quite redefining out roles. I really get ticked to be asked to do interdispleary duties when the hospital is just placing more of these duties on my back when others lost their jobs as a result of it. I am not a bookkeeper, Physicians Sec, Accountant, Houskeeper, Trash man, CS Clerk, Respiratory Therapist, Orderly... I am A Professional Registered Nurse I should be able to see and assess my Patients and perform the Nursing Process for heavens sake.
And is the financial compensation for the Registered Nurse was comperable to other professions HighSchool Students would think now of the profession. As a Male nurse in the mid to late 70s I thought there would be more progress by now but each year when I get a raise of 3 or so % I have been frustrated by the fact that the Medical Premiums going up by 18+% just make me digging a whole finanacially over the years. I love nursing as a profession and lord know I have learned more from my patients than any where else. It sickens me to think that some day I will need madical care and know the risk I take when there are such shortages. My wife literlay saved her father from a heart attack post open heart surgery a year ago. She had to rais holy hell to get the surgen in to check on her father once a chest tube was DC and with the line to the second was left open to air the lung n the right was colaping each time her father was taking a breath. When the Nurse was more confused as to not beleving the Pulse Ox being in the 80s than realizing that her father was breathing 32-38 breaths a min and having pains Barb when bolistic and demanded the surgeon be called. The problem created a whole slue of inservices and apoligies. The surgeon later said to Harry aploigeticly' I guess we dont have to worry about your stress test seeing you probably had one now." Thank goodness I insisted she be there in Illinous while her father was recovering.
Actually thank goodness We have other financial income from our own business to make that possible for us.
I guess my bottom line is that when we nurses alow our job discriptions change and accept the duties of others we sacrifice our own profession and we loose some of the professionalism that Nursing should hold on to. Do you think a Physician would alow him or herself to have to clean up the Dr's Loung or locker room..Do you think a MD would accept cleaning up the bedside after a bloddy trauma or procedure prior to the next patient coming in to be seen.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I hear what you're saying, and it reminds me of the latest thing my workplace has given us to do in our "spare" time: billing for nursing care!! We have a whole slew of things to remember when doing these things too.....we charge once for blood transfusions whether the pt. receives one unit or four, but we charge each time we do a fingerstick, don't charge for insulin injections, but do charge for other SQ injections, etc. etc. etc. What's next.......totalling up all the bills and sending them out to the patients after they're discharged?? And why do the powers that be think we have time to do unit-secretaries' and financial services' work in addition to our own? Lord, give me strength!
Sorry got off on a tangent there. As for the title of this thread I am working on retiring from nursing and have found a way to do that in a couple of businesses I own and developing. Its hard work but worth it.
:uhoh21:
Dixen81
415 Posts
Thanks for the tip, RN-PA. I'll get started today.