Nursing School Physical

Our nursing physicals for school were pretty cursory. Is symptomatic treatment helping? can you hold a pencil, use two hands to  draw something up in a syringe?  

Edeninthetrees said:

I've had sudden pain and swelling in two of my fingers that my doc says "may" be the beginning of peri-menopausal arthritis

May be is NOT actual. Do remember accommodations can be made if these enable you to accomplish a task. 

Thanks for your response and perspective. I CAN write, hold things, and do most everything I normally do (I just washed the dishes!) but there is an intermittent, underlying dull pain and the movement in one of my fingers is slightly limited due to the swelling which also comes and goes. I was mimicking the movements of drawing up a syringe using a pen and I'm about 99% good. I don't think I'd hurt anyone or myself if it was real life. I suppose it's the idea that something is wrong with me at a time when I need to be in tiptop shape. I am older and had early graying of my hair starting in my 20's, so now I am fully gray and worry about people's perceptions, especially at this physical with an unknown doctor. At my regular physical last December, my doc said I was perfectly healthy and told me to see her in a year. I think I'm going to go take a bath and try to relax! 

Edeninthetrees said:

. At my regular physical last December, my doc said I was perfectly healthy and told me to see her in a year. I think I'm going to go take a bath and try to relax! 

Please relax..these 'back to schools are innocuous. No worry.

I applaud you  for your description of what you CAN do! That is your focus!  Bring your vaccination record to your physical exam or wait  but not to the week before school starts. That is most important to the nursing schools. 

Edeninthetrees said:

I've had sudden pain and swelling in two of my fingers that my doc says "may" be the beginning of peri-menopausal arthritis (I'm older but not that old). 

Your visit with that doctor was to see what was wrong. Your physical for nursing school is to say what is right!

People are successful nurses with all kinds of disabilities and all kinds of ailments. Don't tell yourself this story about how you "have to be in tip top shape.”  Very few people are lucky enough to be in tip top shape! 

One of my classmates in nursing school had a chronic, progressive lung disease and after our first semester she needed to be on oxygen. We all told her we would rally for her if they tried to do anything negative but it wasn't needed as accommodations were made to ensure her success and she passed both school and NCLEX. She had a double lung transplant and is lining her best life.

It's been a long time but I think mine consisted of the doctor listening to heart and lung sounds, maybe testing reflexes.  Very basic.  I don't think you have anything to worry about.  Congrats on your new chapter in life and good luck!!

Edeninthetrees said:

I am older and had early graying of my hair starting in my 20's, so now I am fully gray and worry about people's perceptions

Btw when I was in nursing school we had a lady in our class who was 62.  Apparently she mentioned to her husband that she wished she'd been a nurse, he said she couldn't do it, and she set out to prove him wrong!  
Now I know many 62yr olds look much younger.  But she had long white hair that she wore in a bun (with pearl combs!) and a pair of wire rimmed glasses that tended to slide down her nose.  Needless to say the patients were a bit surprised when she introduced herself as the student nurse!  ? Fortunately she didn't let it phase her, and it proved to be an icebreaker with her patients.  And she graduated right alongside us (then) 20-something's!  She's my go to reminder that it's never too late to follow our dreams!