are all nurse shifts 8 hours or longer?

Nurses Disabilities

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hi

this is my first post - i'm just returning to school and am on ssdi for rsi (repetitive strain). basically my chronic pain has gotten a lot better, but i don't respond very well to stress, long hours of activity, standing... uh.. sounds almost like what i'd imagine a job description for a nurse is.

i'm thinking of going into nursing -- maybe an accelerated MSN program. i have a BFA already. but - are all nursing shifts, like in clinics or hospitals, full 8, 10 hour shifts? i can see where that would become a problem for me, pretty quickly. it's sort of distressing reading all the posts in this forum about nurses with disabilities.

i get the feeling that nurses are sort of like work horses, and might be getting squeezed by the financial part of the medical field. i'm really wondering if going into nursing with an improving disability might be a big mistake.

thanks!

doublgee

Hello all nurses!!

I am currently working at an EMI Unit where I double up as a Bums' Specialist!!

I am not yet used to 13 hour shifts and that is why I have been out of this Forum for such a great length of time!!

If only nurse were well paid, we would not be subjected to such long hours of toiling inorder to earn our living!

This kind of hard labour will only discourage young adults from joining Nursing.

I have overheard that somewhere they r plannig to train those with physical disabilities n mental disabilities in nursing and that is when nursing will be just like mere caring!!

I bet I'll b retired by the time the first lot of that group will be practicing! I cannot imagine working with a colleague on a wheelchair and I delegate her to do the Medication round or do the GP's rounds!! LOL!!!!

I am really missing the 8 hours Shifts!! Do u know where I can land one and get well remunerated!!

Adoyo alias Adoyre.

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I dont want to offend anyone because I don't know what it is like to work in a doctors office, but I don't think that nurses who work in a doctors office spend as much time on their feet. I also know that some Post opp areas are a little less stressful. I have been to a clinical where I went to a surgical center where they did out patient surgeries and that day it seemed like they had a little more down time compared to those in a hospital setting. Just a few thoughts that others may be able to elaborate on.:D

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Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.
I dont want to offend anyone because I don't know what it is like to work in a doctors office, but I don't think that nurses who work in a doctors office spend as much time on their feet. I also know that some Post opp areas are a little less stressful. I have been to a clinical where I went to a surgical center where they did out patient surgeries and that day it seemed like they had a little more down time compared to those in a hospital setting. Just a few thoughts that others may be able to elaborate on.:D

I wore a podometer at my office job and ran 5 miles a day within that facility. FYI.

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Specializes in behavioral health.

doubleregg,

I just lost a long post.:madface: I hate when that happens. Please check out my post about doing it over again at 50+.

I am an LPN and have been on SSDI since June of 2004. I have been sick off and on through out the years. However, I believe that I have a handle on it now. I have been stabilized on meds. Have not been in hospital since 2006. I was in the hospital many times from 2003-2006. I have Sarcodosis, a diseased with exacerbations and remissions. I believe that I am in semi-remission. Meaning that I am okay, with the meds I am on.

What everyone says about RN school is true. I have been there and done that. However, I am thinking about doing it again. I started out in RN school. I failed a med-surg course. I believe that I failed it due to exhaustion. It became very intense, and I had difficult time keep up. Although, I lived, ate, and breathed nursing school. That was back in March 1996, and I did not realize that I was starting to get very sick. After failing, I decided to transfer into LPN as advanced placement. I completed program in 12 weeks. Shortly, after I passed my boards in early 1997,I obtained a job in nursing home. (which is easy to do, all you need is the license and a pulse) I only lasted a few months. The work was overwhelming, and I only worked PT.

In 1998, I found the perfect job in a drug rehab. It was not physically demanding. I liked this type of work because I know of drug abuse. Although, I am not an addict, I have been so affected by it. I have several family members who are addicts. Unfortunately, even my own daughter is an opiate addict. So, I know this area very well. Unfortuantely, this rehab closed, and I was devastated.

Then, I found a job in psych hospital. Although, at times, it was physcially demanding, too. But, definitely, not in comparison to hospital job. I started out being good to myself and only working PT. Then I worked FT hrs, and then started doing doubles. They were supposed to be only 3 12hr. shifts, but always ended up being a full double. I worked there for 4 years. I abused my body by working so much, and went to a wicked exacerbation that lasted for years.

But, now I am ready to go back to work. However, it has been suggested that I get my RN. It is difficult to find jobs in my area for LPN other than nursing home. There are more opportunities for RN than LPN. My goal is to get into behavioral health clinic. It won't be physically demanding. As an LPN, I can not get a job in the outpatient clinics. And, my pay will definitely be higher as an RN.

If everything is approved, I think that I will return to RN school. I know what I am in for. I know getting through school will be the roughest part.

Although, this time, I am doing with no other obligations, too. The first time I was in nursing school, I had school-aged children. They are all grown now.

But, be forewarned nursing is very rough, physically. However, if you can make it through nursing school, you can probably find a position in an outpatient clinic. I will be 52 when starting nursing school. I will have to take my pre-reqs this fall.

Good luck in whatever you do.

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Welcome to allnurses! :balloons:

I very rarely find myself in the position of discouraging people from pursuing a career in nursing, but if you "don't respond very well to stress, long hours of activity, standing...," you will have a very hard time just getting through nursing school. Yes, there are lots of less physically demanding, more "cushy" nursing jobs out there, but most of those require significant clinical experience to be qualified/competitive.

I would encourage you to continue to research what nursing involves/demands before you make a decision. Best wishes for your journey! :)

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