SnackCake

I'm super comforted to know that there are other diabetic nurses out there. I have had good ol' Type I DM for 18 years (which makes me feel old) and have had the pump for 7 years (which makes me feel like I'm in a deeply committed relationship). I've been a nurse for almost two years...and I've spent all of that time in our 40 bed ICU. I get low at work....often, because I find it hard to stop all of my duties and take a moment, for myself, to eat (anyone else do this?). That said, how many of my coworkers know I'm diabetic? ALL of them, they've got my back! How many times has a coworker bailed me out from a particularly bad low...once! And according to our sweet action accucheck machine, that blood sugar was "less than 10", which is a personal best for me! Sadistic diabetic humor aside, I am grateful for my pump. It helps with time management. Any area of floor nursing will serevely constrain the ability to eat in a 'diabetic friendly' manner/timeframe, this coupled with that darn nursing drive to provide patient care and accomplish task after task after task can make it VERY difficult to STOP and take 10 minutes for yourself now, so you don't seize later (something I hope NEVER to do at work). On the whole, my A1C is sweet and stubborn at 6.0-6.4 (but 5.9 is sooooo close) and I have actually had better A1Cs since becoming a nurse (I'd like to think I'm getting more exercise too). I DO have to tell myself to stop and eat, stop and eat on busy days and I have also coached all workers to never ask me directly, "Are you low"? C'mon, who out there automatically says 'NO'! when you are, in fact, low and asked this. I'd like to think that IF I loose myself in a hypoglycemic haze both my patients and myself are cared for b/c of my fellow nurses, I have never once felt like the odd person out b/c of diabetes. I also think that being a diabetic nurse makes you more accutely aware of this illness, which has got to be good in terms of management. I do not feel that diabetes effects my ability to nurse, and provide good care, on a day to day basis, I'm going to do my job one way or another and if I am low, someone else will watch my patients while I take care of myself (and by my 'watcher' a thank-you soda). And I am curious to know...does anyone else get low at work???

I am in an accelerated program now, there is NO way to work full time and do well in the program. You can work PT, if you have the option, but I wouldn't suggest going more than 15 hours a week. You need a TON of time for studying and the hours of clinical paperwork you must complete. We had one student drop out of our program b/c she needed to work full time to make her house payment, she failed a class by 8 points (fail is a 74% or less by the way). She says she would have been able to pass if she had not been working so much. Personally, I work 12 hours a week and do not find it cuts in on study time b/c A) I am only at work on Fri and Sat and B) I study while at work. Those people from the college that tell you to quit work in order to succeed, are not lying. Nursing school becomes your life. If I worked during the same day I had class, I would not be able to function, finish my homework, and be prepared for class the next day. I love my program, it's super hard work. I just want to pass advice along, so that you will succeed! :)

Wow, I do not know how you would do it... I am in an accelerated program in SW Missouri and the moms in my class are always talking about how much they miss spending time with their kids. I have a cat and boyfriend to occupy me and I feel very guilty b/c I have little time for them. If your program is anything like mine, you will be expected to devote a good 75% of your life to it. This means if someone gets sick, you will need to decide if you can afford to stay home. Plus, since clinicals are during the day (when school would be, I assume?), after 8-12 hours on the floor the only thing I want to do is get my feet rubbed and collapse in a heap BEFORE I start for 2+ hours of homework or studying. In my opinion, if you want to be a proficient nurse and a wonderful mom, choose one or the other because you will sacrifice one duty in order to tend for the other. Wow, that's a tough decision, good luck!