Nurses w/ Disabilities

[NurseNadine]

As a new nurse with disabilities, I am very worried about starting a new job. Over and over again I was told to work med-surg for the 1st year after graduating to gain experience and to not get pigeon-holed into a specialty. For example if I start out in L&D and want to move to cardiac, I won't have the basic med-surg background to change over.

My fears are these: all the med-surg shifts are 12 hours long. I cannot physically manage that. I had to work 12hr shifts to graduate and it darn near killed me. I just don't have that kind of stamina as I have chronic illness. (I am not currently on any treatment but living with the aftermath of multiple surgeries and chronic pain.) Even getting through school was tough. In order to graduate, my social life/family life came to a dead stop. Even things like getting groceries, doing laundry and making supper became difficult for me. I was the queen of frozen foods for a while Amazingly, I graduated with honors when I thought I would never graduate at all! Can anyone relate my predicament? I'd love to hear suggestions from other nurses or instructors about what kind of work I could find besides the 12 hour death shifts! I'd like to find something full time so that I can afford to buy health insurance. I am able to work nights and weekends too. Thanks!

[Jules A, MSN]

Hi,

Welcome to our group and congrats on graduating. Since you have physical issues that will dictate to some degree where you work I don't think I would be too worried about being pigeon holed. I'd focus more on finding a job with health benefits that is doable for you. Just my guess but if you aren't able to physically do med-surg I'm not so sure that either L&D or Cardiac would be a good fit for you either. Best to you and again I'd try to find something that you will enjoy that also fits with your physical limitations.