i'm a dental hygienist thinking about returning for nursing...i LOVE, LOVE, LOVE dental hygiene....but, not to sound whinny, it is a KILLER on your hand and back and neck...because you are sitting in the SAME position for eight hours straight...i can literally see that my hand joints are bigger on my right hand than my left!!!! therefore, i'm looking into a second career....nursing looks like a lot of work, but, rewarding...what are your experiences with body pain??? after a twelve hour shift, is you body killing???? i'm just trying to compare the two fields...because, if nursing hurts the body like hygiene, i'll keep searching for another career...thanks for any input:)))))
I have 3 boys and have only worked part time for the last 10 years. My husband's job transferred us to TX and I would have to take their state boards to practice hygiene because I didn't work enough hours to be considered for license by credentials. I went through the preparations (finding a patient, buying and borrowing instruments etc, almost paid the $1000 fee) and my pt cancelled at the last minute. I feel like I was a great hygienist for many years and think it is unreasonable to have to take board after board to prove my worth just because I chose to be home with my kids. So I decided to go back to school which was the best decision for me because we have been transferred to VA and now will be transferred to NY this summer. I love healthcare and want to be in the field forever!!! With nursing, I know I can practice if I move and still be there for my kids.
I actually feel pretty good after work....I work 3 12h shifts a week and I feel better than when I did 4 or 5 8h shifts. When I was a floor nurse, I had back pain and leg pain after an 8 hour shift but for some reason, now that I am in the ED working 3 12's...I feel better. Go figure. Maybe its the shoes lol.
Everyone reacts differently to the stress of being on your feet for 8's or 12's. If your dream is to be a nurse, then do it.
Maybe you can find a way to shadow someone and get an idea of what its like.
i'm a dental hygienist thinking about returning for nursing...i LOVE, LOVE, LOVE dental hygiene....but, not to sound whinny, it is a KILLER on your hand and back and neck...because you are sitting in the SAME position for eight hours straight...i can literally see that my hand joints are bigger on my right hand than my left!!!! therefore, i'm looking into a second career....nursing looks like a lot of work, but, rewarding...what are your experiences with body pain??? after a twelve hour shift, is you body killing???? i'm just trying to compare the two fields...because, if nursing hurts the body like hygiene, i'll keep searching for another career...thanks for any input:)))))
:heartbeat
I think I know what you're saying. When I worked in an ambulatory surgical center, sometimes we had to scrub for tooth extractions and I used to hate it, because it is a small area to work on, and you are standing in one place. My back used to hurt me too, and I would request not to be put in that room sometimes for that reason.
I have days where I'm tired and achy, but at least I can move around somewhat. IMO, not as painful as the dental surgeries..I think you'll be fine with nursing. Get a good pair of shoes and wear compression hose, that helps me immensly.
Well, if that's your primary reason for switching to nursing, I'd say it's not a good enough one! While I appreciate that you'd rather have your whole body hurt than just your hands, well.....I don't think you'll agree with your own statement a few years down the road.
If desiring a job in nursing itself ISN'T your primary reason for switching careers, I think you're going to be disappointed. Don't get me wrong, not looking for any martyr points, but even those who go into it with the Florence Nightingale philosophy frequently find themselves thinking "what WAS I thinking?!?"
Where you work, the kind of nursing you do, quite obviously affects what your body feels at the end of the day (or shift). But if you're just looking for a less physically taxing job in a medically-related field, I'd have to say you probably won't be nursing for long. Assuming, of course, you didn't decide that while still in school!
Find something else you love as much as dental hygiene, if it's the hand damage that worries you. In nursing, you face back damage, knee damage, etc etc. Find something that truly interests you, and you'll be happier for it. I'd hate to see you give up dental work if that's what you really love, it'd be so much better if you could figure out a way to make it less harsh on your hands (I know, I know, probably not, but that's a wish anyway!).
thanks for all your posts...i think i will grow up and stick it out with dental hygiene...or maybe look into something totally different...thanks all:)))
Your a wise dental hygienist. Looking back I would have become a records coder. Better hours, no physical strains, almost the same money, private cubicle.
mt3
49 Posts
I have 3 boys and have only worked part time for the last 10 years. My husband's job transferred us to TX and I would have to take their state boards to practice hygiene because I didn't work enough hours to be considered for license by credentials. I went through the preparations (finding a patient, buying and borrowing instruments etc, almost paid the $1000 fee) and my pt cancelled at the last minute. I feel like I was a great hygienist for many years and think it is unreasonable to have to take board after board to prove my worth just because I chose to be home with my kids. So I decided to go back to school which was the best decision for me because we have been transferred to VA and now will be transferred to NY this summer. I love healthcare and want to be in the field forever!!! With nursing, I know I can practice if I move and still be there for my kids.