Nurses with Arthritic Knees! What do you do for them?

kauainurse · Apr 27, 2009

Hello, I am about to begin my Accelerated BSN at the University of Massachusetts Boston. I am excited to begin this Summer, but I am a bit worried, I have an Arthritic Right Knee and the Main Problem that I have is when I kneel down on my knees. I can't tell you the Pain that I have in my Patella and all around my knee. I have to do a CPR Class this week and I am nervous about kneeling down and working on a Person. I can't fight through it, I just turned 40 and have worked some Construction type Jobs in the Past and Played lots of Basketball in my Youth and this has taken it's toll on my Right Leg, I have less mobility in my right leg due to the surgeries I have had due to a Dislocation of the Patella Tendon and the Onset of Osteoarthritis. I only have a Problem with the Right Knee, but it's so Strange, I am about 6 feet 1 inch and 250 pounds and I can Lift heavy things and jog, play tennis, etc with no Problems, but if I kneel down on that Right Knee my Face Looks like this ! I am wondering if anyone has this type of difficulty with their knees and how it affects your job? I need to find a Brace with excellent Patella cushioning! Any Advice? Something I can wear under my clothes. Look forward to hearing everyone's replies. Thank You. billjeff1

I have similar knee problems as well and try not to directly kneel down because the pain d/t the pressure on my patelas are excrutiating. If i even try to kneel down ...say squat...to get something off the floor i have to brace myself and assit with my arms to get enough umph to get back up standing. I have bought some knee braces, padded that will work under clothing but leave u quite sweaty. I also tried injections in my knees but that only lasted about 2-3 months and only heloed the cracking/grinding sounds. It feels btter the more stabel and secure the patela is so I think it might be a ligament/tendon thing. Best of luck to ya...i'll help u stand back up to !!LOL

tntrn, ASN, RN · Apr 27, 2009

You give them more patients, longer hallways to travel and no slack whatsoever.

vashtee, RN · Apr 27, 2009

I have knee problems, too, only my problem is that the groove that the patella sits in is too shallow, which makes it dislocate easily. I wear a brace on my knee when I am having problems, and pray for patients that don't require assistance getting in and out of bed, especially the morbidly obese patients. I also hate getting chest tubes because they are taped to the floor and you have to squat to see what's in there.

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2009

Oh I feel for you. It's especially dicey when a patient codes. You can get around the CPR class. Usually the manequins are on a table so I wouldn't worry. It's the real life situations that are tough. I don't work nights which is usually when staffing is most likely to be stretched thin. I couldn't bend my left knee if my own life depended on it. It just won't get into that position. The ROM just isn't there.

I have had to be firm with my managers when it comes to OT. I take 3 8-hour shifts a week and no more despite pressure to step up. Luckily, I'm per diem and not subject to mandation. I take gobs of NSAIDS. Luckily I work with fellow nurses who have my back and understand that I'm in a tremendous amount of pain. My next appointment with the ortho, I'm going to begin hyraulon (sp?) injections. They simulate synovial fluid. Most importantly I'm working my butt off to get extra pounds off.

I may have to give up nursing altogether, at least bedside nursing. Every shift is torture.

nebrgirl · Apr 28, 2009

Short term idea...because we did do CPR class on the floor....take one of those little gardening pads (made of styrofom) or a pilliow. I'm kind of like you it doesn't hurt unless I directly kneel on it.......so I try not too

Ruby Vee, BSN · Apr 28, 2009

i have knee pain and back pain. there are various little tricks that you'll learn to make life easier for yourself. for instance, i take a little exam stool into my room so i can sit on that to measure foley drainage and chest tube output rather than squatting. i don't like the families camp out in my chair, because i can't stand all day. so i don't stand to chart. i do get some grief from family members about "the other nurse always let me sit in her chair," to which i say "the other nurse is 30 years younger than me and doesn't need the chair to chart. i do need it." the ones that give me grief are usually at least 20 years younger than me and i don't feel guilty about evicting them. i do my pt exercises at home to try to keep my knees as strong as possible, and take nsaids at work and sometimes percocet (left over from back surgery two years ago) to sleep. but i'm running out of percocet and don't know what i'll do then!

RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2009

I have bad knees and usually don't find it any problem. Just bring the CPR mannequin up to your level if you can. Tell them your knees are bad. surely they will compensate and help you, but you have to ask. We were able to lay our mannequin on our desk.

diane227, LPN, RN · Apr 29, 2009

I cannot get on my knees at all and I just have to work around it. I also cannot bend over for even a short period of time so when I start an IV for example the bed has to be up high or I have to sit in a chair. When I take CPR I have to have the mannequin brought up to the table. I am sure that in a emergency, if I had to get on the floor I could, but someone would have to help me up.

onetiredmomma · Apr 29, 2009

In my last CPR class I told the instructor no way could I get on the floor and he reluctantly agreed to put the mannequin on a table. I have CNAs who are willing to sit on the floor and mark CT drainage for me. Otherwise, I make sure any chair I sit in is raised up as far as it will go when I chart and keep Ibuprofen in my locker! Have also been using an OTC product called ActivOn that seems to help...and the scent isn't too noticible Good luck!