I am about ready to throw in towel for nursing job

[iwanna]

I have reached a point where I am now depressed. I have been trying to return to nursing since Feb after a four year hiatus. I have chronic illness, but I am stabilized on meds and need plenty of rest. I am feeling as nobody wants me. I have re-activated licenses in two states. My limitations are that I can only work PT, as I stated I need to give my body some ample down time. Twice in my past I have gone into exacerbation mode because I worked my way into FT; then FT with OT.

I spent money on interview CDs to study on how to have a great interview. I have gone back and reviewed my interviews and realize the mistakes that I have made. Honestly, every job I applied for I had very mixed feelings about. I am sure that my enthusiasm was not showing, simply because there was none.

My disability insurance company is going to cut me off because I have claimed that I was improved and ready to go back to work. However, I have not found anything, and it has been six months. They do not care if I can't find anything.

My only background in nursing is behavioral health. I looked into refresher courses and the only one in area is 83 miles from me. That is too long of a haul for me to commute. I checked out one online, but this course is not even recognized for approval by any one of my SBON.

I am ready to go back to my former employment(psych hospital) and ask if they would re-hire me back. My family is very unsupportive of this, saying that I will be working too much because I am pushover when it comes to saying NO.

My sister is trying to convince me to apply for this position in a neurologist's office, but it's FT. She says that I would have an excellent chance of getting it, if I used her name. She believes that PT in my former job would be worse than FT job in drs. office.

I am either going to call back my former DON and see if they will have me back. I left on good terms. And, my other alternative is to just forget about nursing altogether. I think it is time that I think about some training in another field, but I better hurry up as I am already 51.

[iwanna]

Thanks for all replies. I will give an update of what is going on with my nursing career. I have enrolled in an LPN refresher course, even though it is approx. 70 miles from me. There is a will, and I am sure that I will find the way. I started out orientation and begin classes in two weeks. It is going to feel great to wear a nursing uniform again. My long term goal is to find an agency and work HH. I like the idea of working with one pt. at a time. And, not only for my sake, but for the patient as well. Once, I am done with my refresher course, I will have more confidence in my interviews. I am going to take full advantage of this course and make a list of skills that I want to perform. I did work about a yr. with geri-psych pts. and used some minor med-surg skills e.g. feeding tubes, trach care, colostomy care, and of course the decubitus ulcers.

Yesterday, I had a bad day. I felt exhausted and very achy. However, I know that it was only because I did not sleep good the night before. I have more good days than bad. Today, I feel great and am long forward to getting back into nursing.

[ilmbg]

80's nurse and all who are having trouble finding a job- I too have been out of work- for 8 years. I am not physically able to return to work now, but am hoping that in a couple years I will be able to return part-time. Very part-time, maybe 8 hours a week.

80's- I have a question. You mentioned not telling them anything about your health. What would I do in a situation? I am on disability-Social Security. I have to tell them about Work Comp, as there is always a question on the form. Also, I will have limitations- no lifting, unable to stand very long, will only be able to work very part-time.

I understand that I can just apply in certain areas- say Triage- saying that that is the area which I would like to work (I did work Triage and loved it). Triage would not bee too hard- sitting, some standing, but not much, no lifting.

My lawyer said it would be a less than 10% chance that any hospital would hire me due to having a Work Comp case.

What do you say, and do you have hiring experience. Thanks

Edited by: traumarus - Please don't include email addys in your posts.

[ARBY]

ilmbg, you might try site reviews for insurance companies. I do these and they are VERY easy physically. Depending on where you live you MIGHT have to do a lot of driving. I live out in the middle of nowhere in West TX...next week I go to Odessa (~120mi. RT), the next week I go to El Paso (~700mi RT) and the following week to Amarillo + (~500mi RT) but if you live closer to many cities you probably wouldn't have to travel as far.

There is a check off list of things to observe/document at the various doctors offices, clinics and hospitals. The actual site review itself only takes ~ 45min. I get paid for all hours of work (including driving time) plus mileage.

You might contact insurance companies and see if they have a need for this in your area.

Good Luck :typing

[paddlelady, BSN, RN]

Right now you could give flu shots. Tis the season.That would bring in some income and have some current temp experience. Most employers will ask "What are you looking for and what hours can you work." You tell them 8 hours and my goals are to have a job that will will include sitting standing but no heavy lifting. Boundaries are very important to establish with prespective employeers. You may not even need to mention that as some job descriptions will inform you in the application process that this job calls for sitting and standing. They do not need to know your financial or extensive personl health history. I have had many jobs and I have never seen a question regarding Workmans Compensation questions. They are some hospital jobs that will call for just preforming telemetry. That is sitting and monitoring cardiac monitors.

Occupational health nursing in try Federal Occupation Health. This does not call for heavy lifting. There are clinics all over the US and they are awarded contracts to agencies to manage the contract. It is not a treatment facitility. I you would do 1% lifting if there was an emergency.

You could do home health nursing alot of that is Case Management and teaching. They always need perdiem nurses. There is so much you can dive into without reinjuring yourself. Telephonic nursing is another area if you like sitting at a computer and using protocols and teaching patients that is a great area. Working for an insurance company and making home visits and doing minimal physicals. No lifting there.

You do not have to tell a prespective employeer that you are on SS compensation.

I hope this helps

Paddlelady

[ilmbg]

Arby and Paddlelady- I will think about both areas- yes Arby, I am in a very remote area also- al least part of the year! Do you enjoy your job Arby? Paddlelady? I am afraid I will be so bored doing paperwork! As far as them knowing any financial, I do not see any reason for them to do so, but I don't care if they want to- did I imply something about that- or am I missing something? Maybe it has changed, but I thought I remembered something on an application about wanting to know if you have 'ever or are now involved in a Workman Comp suite. Things might have changed, or maybe I am thinking of something else. I will just have to wait and see. There is no rush, as it will be a few years. Thanks for the feedback.

[paddlelady, BSN, RN]

I have had about 3 different job in the past 5 years. There was no question regarding Workmans Comp. One was a hospital position as a discharge planner. One was Utilization review with an insurance company and I got so ill working there I had to leave. The other was home health nursing and there was no question. If you are in a rural area there must be some patients that would need home health visits eg dressing changes, post hospitalization needs. I myself had had to find home health for patients that did not met in patient criteria and needed to be discharged to home. It is a challenge. There may be something in that arena and you can do this 8 hours a week.

I wish you luck in your job search. I also say if you put it out to the universe it will occur.

Paddlelady