physically. My feet kill me so bad after a shift, I come home in tears. I feel like I was hit by a truck for about 3 days, I'm so sore. Yeah, we've been working without a tech. I've been averaging about 5 patients, but we can be assigned up to 7 without a tech. Usually the mix is two or three total cares and the rest are assists or independent.
I hate to admit this, but maybe I need to move to an area that's less taxing physically. Or work with techs. Or something. I absolutely know that I'm not interested in taking anything--even Advil, my mainstay--on a very regular basis, and man, am I hurting.
My feet feel like I'm walking on sharp rocks after about 4 hours. I've bought about a dozen different pairs of shoes and I simply cannot get through a whole shift on my feet without coming home in pain.
Maybe it's time to get that BSN and go management. ( ---> obviously not thrilled by that prospect).
Anyone have any suggestions? What areas of nursing should I look into?
Plusses: I have excellent writing and computer skills and at one time I was a secretary. I have a very good knowledge base and clinical expertise.
Minuses: I would miss patient contact terribly, I'm not a terribly popular person, and I'm just not good with office politics.
Angie - you really have my sympathy!! The suggestions that others have offered is good - see a good foot doc, and also try a good chiropractor.
I started having so much trouble with my shoulders - they would hurt so bad that all I could do was cry. A steriod injection helped in one, but did nothing for the other. Finally I went to my chiro, and she did some little something, and they rarely hurt anymore.
I will only work two in a row, but I'm only part-time.
Two days ago I bought a pair of Z-Coil shoes as I have always wanted a pair after seeing a write up in the local paper about them. They have a spring coil for the heel and can be adjusted to correct a pronating or supinating foot to normalize gait pattern and they reduce load by a lot. Please check out their website Z-Coil.com and watch the video about how they work. I haven't used them for a full 12 hour shift yet but they really felt great for the 6 hours I wore them. They are 200.00 dollars. I will update you on whether they are helping me or not after I have worn them a couple of days. If they help they are well worth 200.00. After all our feet are so important to us, kind of like hands to a surgeon.
I have spent hundreds of dollars looking for the perfect pair of shoes and hopefully these are the perfect pair.
I swear by my Z-coils. I am no spring chicken, but I work 12 hour shifts, and my feet and legs NEVER hurt. THey look a little funky, though.
---> obviously not thrilled by that prospect).
banditrn
1,249 Posts
Angie - you really have my sympathy!! The suggestions that others have offered is good - see a good foot doc, and also try a good chiropractor.
I started having so much trouble with my shoulders - they would hurt so bad that all I could do was cry. A steriod injection helped in one, but did nothing for the other. Finally I went to my chiro, and she did some little something, and they rarely hurt anymore.
I will only work two in a row, but I'm only part-time.