Injuries

[shellsgogreen]

what aches/pains/injuries have you noticed since you began working as an rn?

on both of my hands, i noticed that between the thumb and index finger aches -i'm guessing from spiking bags:uhoh21:

plus about a zillion paper cuts...

plus sore calves

feel free to add to the list!

[Silver_Girl]

I have weird "injuries"... My first knuckle on my middle fingers & index fingers are calloused from pulling sheets under patients. I had a GIANT giant bruise on my right mid thigh and scattered ones all over my left thigh and it freaked me out because I had no idea where they came from...until I realized I was bracing all my weight against the bed when pulling the draw sheet to turn my patients and THATs where they came from o_O

[sshannon]

As a 45-year-old new nurse, I am heavily into self care! My strategies (which are paying off so far) are:

1. Medical support hose on 12-hour shifts (love em!!!);

2. Buying excellent shoes and then changing my shoes half-way through any shift (just the subtle repositioning gives your hips and back a break);

3. Using the unit's lift equipment or getting help (no hero-complex here);

4. Doing yoga/meditation for the relaxation, streteching and strengthening benefits at least twice a week (either at the YMCA or at home);

5. Doing a cardio class or getting onto the eliptical exercise machine or taking a long walk on a route with hills for 30-45 minutes 2-3 times week;

6. Getting a 1.5 hour massage every two weeks (this massage therapist, bless her heart and hands, offers a steep discount to healthcare workers, whom she considers among Earth's angels); and

7. Eating well (I pack my own food and snacks), staying adequately hydrated (healthy muscles need water to function well) and getting 8-9 hours of sleep those days I'm not scheduled to work.

Stress, lack of sleep, being physically deconditioned, eating junk = high-risk for injury.

Every nurse needs to have his/her own plan to ensure health. What's yours?

[yellow finch, BSN, RN]

Two problems for me... foot issues (plantar fasciitis, Morton's Neuroma, surgeries...) and dry/cracked skin on my hands.

I can live with the dry and cracked skin on my hands, but the foot problem is a nightmare. After having the neuroma removed, I wound up with parasthesia in my foot. No more pedicures for me.