Is NI an option for a disabled nurse?

[BluebellRN, BSN, RN]

Background- I hurt my back on the job 3yrs ago, have had 2 spinal surgeries and now post laminectomy syndrome. Major issue is bilat legs; numbness, some weakness, all that "fun".

Prior to that, I was working towards my MSN FNP, have my BSN. Experience in cardiac, home health, and ltc. RN since 2004. No formal IT training; we'll call it a hobby. I'd certainly feel more competent with further education if I needed to do program writing.

Patient care is over for me. My Dr has green lighted SSDI after worker's comp is settled. I feel way too young to hang it up. Have been searching for something with low physical demands, in my interests, that I can do. So what are the physical requirements really like? Lifting, bending, stooping are all out. Give it to me straight please before I try heading back to grad school.

Thanks ������

[ikarus01]

In my experience in the field, the job requires you to sit at a desk in front of a computer. I have never ever lifted heavy objects, but have "bended" and "stooped" to get set up a router under my desk.

However, most people would have waited for the network person to come in and do that job, so I could have easily just sat at my desk and waited, but I feel comfortable setting up networks so I did it myself, instead of waiting.

I have worked with colleagues who have had back injuries and they prefer to stand, rather than to sit, so they have gotten standing desks. One guy even had both, a standing desk and a normal desk at his cube. The biggest "inconvenience" they had was going to meeting to different buildings and having to stand for the meeting, so they would have to give a heads up as to why they were standing up, so that people wouldn't think they were going to give a presentation!

Also, given their physical problem, they didn't want to get consulting jobs because as a consultant, then travel must be done to different sites/hospitals, and as you can imagine, if you wanted a standing desk to work, most likely that won't happen.

Also, in informatics, you don't really do programming per se, but it is nice to have some database/SQL knowledge and good excel skills. But in terms of heavy physical work---don't even know what that is in my job