OK, so my body hurts

Published

I am in my lower 40s. I've worked using my body most of my life. I became a CNA a couple of years ago, and haven't been able to do that full time due to back pain.

I was hoping that by becoming an LPN, I would be able to use my body less, but I'm beginning to worry that may not be the case.

Are there available LPN positions that wouldn't require quite so much abuse on my joints?

I'd love to work in a doctor's office, more specifically in the holistic field, but those jobs seem scarce, especially for an LPN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Have you thought of maybe even the health department, or something like urgent care?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Would Urgent Care be a tad less strenuous? I had considered it actually, but wasn't sure what the job would entail.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Would Urgent Care be a tad less strenuous? I had considered it actually, but wasn't sure what the job would entail.

To me, urgent care is sorta like emergency room meets doctors office. That's just me though

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency.

I am an LPN and would agree it is much less strenuous than say, LTC. I am on my feet for nearly 12 hours a day and do a lot of running around because we are a busy center however.

I think you were asking what you would do at an Urgent Care OP? My center has an X-ray machine and an ER physician along with an NP. We see all kinds of things ranging from sore throats to broken bones to I & D to sutures. We also have corporate accounts that we do physicals, drug screens, vision and hearing checks, etc for. I spend my day checking in pts (obtain health history, vitals, reason for visit), documenting, giving injections, rapid flu/strep/mono, drawing blood for bloodwork, EKGs, assisting with orthoglass application, suture removal, dressing applications/changes, ear lavage, discharging pts, pt education, answering calls, dispensing medications that are in-house, among many many other things.

I am in my early 20s and am reflectively healthy/in shape, but there are days I get home and my hips/back hurt so bad from running around all day that I can't walk. I do no pt lifting or positioning and I still hurt at times.

If you really can't tolerate the demands, I would recommend trying to find a telephone nurse job. Many large offices (such as OBGYN offices) have a nurse dedicated to answering patient calls. If you're considering a career not directly involving patients, many insurance companies hire LPNs for office positions (I have seen UHC and Aetna in particular lately.

Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am an LPN and would agree it is much less strenuous than say, LTC. I am on my feet for nearly 12 hours a day and do a lot of running around because we are a busy center however.

I think you were asking what you would do at an Urgent Care OP? My center has an X-ray machine and an ER physician along with an NP. We see all kinds of things ranging from sore throats to broken bones to I & D to sutures. We also have corporate accounts that we do physicals, drug screens, vision and hearing checks, etc for. I spend my day checking in pts (obtain health history, vitals, reason for visit), documenting, giving injections, rapid flu/strep/mono, drawing blood for bloodwork, EKGs, assisting with orthoglass application, suture removal, dressing applications/changes, ear lavage, discharging pts, pt education, answering calls, dispensing medications that are in-house, among many many other things.

I am in my early 20s and am reflectively healthy/in shape, but there are days I get home and my hips/back hurt so bad from running around all day that I can't walk. I do no pt lifting or positioning and I still hurt at times.

If you really can't tolerate the demands, I would recommend trying to find a telephone nurse job. Many large offices (such as OBGYN offices) have a nurse dedicated to answering patient calls. If your considering a career not directly involving patients, many insurance companies hire LPNs for office positions (I have seen UHC and Aetna in particular lately.

Good luck!

Thank you. I wasn't 100% sure what an LPN does in an urgent care so I didn't want to give any false information

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You may also want to check into assisted living or independent living...like retirement home-ish type thing.

I worked in one and I won't say there was no physical aspect, but I will say it was significantly less physically demanding than skilled care. Most of mine were ambulatory.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Triage nursing. I currently do that now and I sit on my butt for 8 hrs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I had considered hospice....does anyone know what the wear and tear on the body is in hospice?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm 46 and in good shape for my age, and am wondering about the exact same thing! Will I be able to hack it? Applying to LVN program this fall. I am active and healthy, but have been around 20+ years longer than most of the other people applying for school, and subsequently applying for jobs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion