Nursing school questions about having a "disability"

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 1, 2017

Have you discussed this with your care provider? Unfortunately, a 10lb lifting restriction is going to be pretty hard to work around- many jobs require the ability to lift or pull more than that.

LovingLife123 · Apr 8, 2017

You will have a physical that your doctor has to sign for nursing school. You have to be able to lift more than 10lbs. Most jobs will require a physical as well that will require you to prove that you can lift. Unfortunately, lifting is a huge part of our job.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2017

My hospital is unable to accommodate lifting restrictions, or at least my unit is. We must be able to lift 50 lbs. A 10 lb limit...I would be very surprised if schools are able to reasonably accommodate this.

caliotter3 · Apr 8, 2017

My hospital is unable to accommodate lifting restrictions, or at least my unit is. We must be able to lift 50 lbs. A 10 lb limit...I would be very surprised if schools are able to reasonably accommodate this.

Even if you were to get a job dealing with infants, most babies soon grow past 10 lbs.

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2017

Even if you were to get a job dealing with infants, most babies soon grow past 10 lbs.

Not NICU babies...well, almost always...but to guarantee that's where you will work as a new grad is a crapshoot.

kaylee. · Apr 8, 2017

Call your nursing board. Not discosing your name but just to get info

blackribbon · Apr 16, 2017

Not NICU babies...well, almost always...but to guarantee that's where you will work as a new grad is a crapshoot.

The incubators and warmers that may need to be moved in NICU are definitely heavier than 10 lbs. A standard E cylinder of oxygen probably weighs more than 10lbs full (it is 8lbs empty). And LGA (large for gestational age) babies often end up in the NICU for observation too...these can be over 10 lbs. ( I suspect my work supplies bag that I carry with me weighs more than 10 lbs).

To get through nursing school, you have to pass clinicals on med/surg units and that would definitely involve lifting more than 10 lbs multiple times in a single day.

The other issues are probably not as big of a deal. My other concern is how much time off would you anticipate having to take related to medical issues. Schools is not very accommodating for absences. I had a classmate who went to clinicals while her mom was having open heart surgery and another who only missed a day after her sister died. Everything moves so fast that there isn't a way to make up missed classes or clinicals very easily.

It is hard reality of life that nursing is a very physical job. I come home from every shift with every muscle in my body aching. Sometimes we have to recognize that life does hand us limitations but we just learn to find new dreams.

SmilingBluEyes · Apr 18, 2017

Virtually guaranteed you will need to be able to lift a lot more than 10lb in the clinical portion of nursing school. Ask the school but don't be surprised if you don't qualify based on that.

SouthpawRN · Apr 24, 2017

There are National standards for every profession that Vocational Rehabilitation, PT etc use. for Nursing it is the ability to lift and carry 35lbs as well as bend twist, balance, sit, stand for 30 minutes at a time. I had to take one of these exams as part of my Voc Rehab assessment to get them to help pay for me to go to school...

The flip side to that is that you would be great working with patients who have ostomys etc and your personal experience for teaching, counseling and guiding them would be invaluable.