RN work from home due to illness

Gilles · May 12, 2008

Good morning Alonge,

I'm an RN, got my master's degree in 2000, and have been able to keep up my oncology certification. For the past seven years I worked from home as a medical writer. I was fired on April 21st due to "performance" problems - or in other words "health care cost" problems. The company I worked for changed to a self-funded health insurance provider on 010108 with the CEO becoming head of human resources - privy to all health care costs incurred by his employees.

I was diagnosed with MS in 1982 while I was in nursing school. I worked primarily in oncology and hospice until 1997. I developed cardiomyopathy and CHF in 2006 as a complication from treatment with mitoxantrone in 2001-2003 for secondary progressive MS. Currently my heart failure is fairly well-managed (my ejection fraction has increased from a low of 19% to 30% currently).

My monthly med (oral only) bill is $2,102.63. I also have an implanted pump providing continuous baclofen infusion with an annual cost (refills, adjustments, etc) of $8,000. I have been wheelchair dependent since last summer (2007) and have self-cathed since 2004. I see my cardiologist at least 5 times a year, my neurologist twice yearly, and my urologist annually.

Since I was fired, my friends and family are encouraging me to go back on disability (I received SSA disability while in grad school). MY goal, however, is to get another telecommuting writing position.

If you like writing, there are at home writing positions well-suited to an experienced RN. There are also telephone triage (mostly pediatric) jobs you can do at home, and case management/insurance telecommuting jobs for RN's. You might also want to explore medical transcription work - much of that is home based and the training required is not significant.

Since I began telecommuting in 2001, there are many more opportunities available. While it takes much perseverance and a thick skin - you CAN make a living at home using your nursing skills!

Trauma Columnist · May 12, 2008

Home telephone triage comes to mind also.

alonge · May 13, 2008

Boy you have sure had a lot on your plate to deal with. But it sounds like you really have a handle on it. I am currently taking a billing and coding course in the hopes that some physicians may prefer an RN handling their coding. I plan on getting certification in it once I complete it. I have applied to some of the telecommuting

jobs, but no luck so far. It has been difficult to find one that will allow you to do it from home as opposed to working in a center. But I keep looking. Thanks for responding to my question, I really appreciate your input. Take care

RN102 · May 13, 2008

You can get a work from home job as a screener with a organ or tissue bank. What state do you live in?

RN102 · May 13, 2008

Duh, I didn't see your state listed at first... You can try The Medical Eye bank of Florida, Tissue Banks International, or the state Organ Procurement Organization.

dallet6 · Jun 17, 2008

As stated, telephone triage is the one that comes to mind.

ElliShay · Jun 18, 2008

You can also apply to be an online tutor -- there are many companies providing this service to students; for an example -- check out smartthinking.com

ilmbg · Sep 26, 2008

Alonge and Gilles... It has been awhile - have either of you found anything that will work for you? Working from home? Please tell what has happened, as it may help others. Thanks.

nerdse, MSN · Sep 30, 2008

I'd like to know anything I can find...getting too sick to continue and hoping they'll let me go on disability v. just termination. These days places only look at what the insurance cost is for a person, and say find some reason to terminate. Not the experience or think out of the box and where else can we use what the person can do. Have heard a lot of stories in my nursing years. Patients come in devastated because they're sick but no healthcare available, and get sicker because they don't know how they'll pay the bills. All these stupid lawsuits like that one in another forum where a 12 yr old kid wins a lawsuit against her parents grounding her, and someone terminated for essentially disability can't prove it? Something's rotten...

vickyvale · Nov 7, 2008

alonge said:
Boy you have sure had a lot on your plate to deal with. But it sounds like you really have a handle on it. I am currently taking a billing and coding course in the hopes that some physicians may prefer an RN handling their coding. I plan on getting certification in it once I complete it. I have applied to some of the telecommuting
jobs, but no luck so far. It has been difficult to find one that will allow you to do it from home as opposed to working in a center. But I keep looking. Thanks for responding to my question, I really appreciate your input. Take care

25 years as an RN now off on disability. I have thought of going back and getting certified or associate degree in medical coding or billing. Admissions lady at local community college told me it is hard to get a job after you graduate. You just don't get to work from home. I figured 25 years as an RN was a bonus in my corner and she agreed. It is half the salary I made hourly as an RN. However, if it has benefits that is key medical benefits. She also told me most places want you to have 3-5 years office experience. She was not real positive when I talked to her but might look into it again . Other thing would be to finish BSN that would get me a desk job and probably take 2-3 years. I am not adjusting well living who would or does on SS. I was a pacu RN for 21 of 25 years. I have severe interstitital cystitis end stage. Last two years I could barely make part time hours. My urologist doesn't know how I worked FT For 22 years.

I have been out of work 1.5 years. My employer of 21 years and a union RN dues we paid......... neither the hospital or the union would get me a desk job. They pushed me into returning to work or resignining. I had no fmla time left. They always mentioned ada act but no one ever explained that I yes I had to initiate it. I was told by an attorney since I used all 12 weeks fmla time there was nothing the attorney could do. We used to have fmla calendar to calendar year and that was not a problem. I would take my 4 weeks a year for fmla RX's and slate cleared in January. Then they switched to rolling calendar to week out those who abused it. Well, it hurt me . I worked 20 years there for them never missed more then 2 dsays a year. I had one bad surgery and a bad year and it cost me my job in fmla time. I had to return , go prn, resign or be terminated. I involuntarily resigned.

Since then I have had to move home with the folks. I am paying 700 a month for Cobra soon to be 800 with next enrollment. I am very depressed

I do go for counseling. The economy is tight as we all know it. There are no jobs right now here in my area of Michigan that my dx. will allow me to do. I can' t work 10 or 12 hours anymore. Hospital nursing is done for me.

It is a small town we live in so there is no school RN jobs' or telephone triage.

Friends I worked with for 20 years just quit calling me. My Therapist tellls me this is normal. So, I will wait till the Spring. I just had another bladder surgery Monday. IF I do go back to work I explained SS it is alright with them up to 9 months after 9 months your SS is gone. I also have a private LTD policy that I paid for via my employer for 20 years if I go back to work I will lose that for good Vicky

blueheaven · Nov 7, 2008

Another thing, check insurance co. websites. Many companies utilize nurses in their "Call nurse" lines and many of these can be done from home. When I think of the to disease management companies that allow telecommuting. I know of, I will post it here....oldtimers setting in. LOL