frankpjrd

:imbar How right you are. I'll be 53 YO next week and it's time I grew up. Trying to be a tough guy is just stupid. I spent 34 years combined in the oilfield and nursing without a single lost time accident until this happened. It didn't put any money in the bank or trophy's on my wall. My Dad always said take care of your job Junior and your job will take of you. Be honest and trust the man your dealing with will be honest in return. Well now I realize that's all just old hat. My Dad's nickname was Bulldog, I guess that says something about my genetics. I probably would not have even finished high school if hadn't been for the wrestling program. I couldn't wait to go out and pick up something heavy. I've had some physically easy jobs. Oilfield sales, home health Case Manager, Psyche charge nurse on the night shift. I didn't like them. I missed that call. Lets get Frank. He can move that drill collar/stroke patient. He can start that coupling/IV. Frank can get that spinning chain/NG tube in. I carried my weight and was there for whoever needed me. Now my Dad's 84 YO and lives in an old oilfield trailer by himself. He's beat cancer but he can't stand alone. He moves from chair to chair in his house taking care of himself. He's too independent to go to an assisted living or a nursing home. He still does his own taxes but he has to get someone else to do the writing for him. He could get home health but he insist he can still drive. He has a pickup with a hoist and electric chair in the back but he doesn't get out unless it's a family reunion or someone needs some help. He wont let you help him unless he pays you. On a good day he might let me run the hoist. My wife says I'm going to be just like him. Or maybe she says I'm already just like him. That might be alright because he may outlive all of us. Anyway he's going to have one hell of a funeral. Everyone knows him. I think his picture hangs in half the lodges in the county he lives in. I do believe in drugs. I've spent a lot of time trying to sell my patients on them. My Diovan helps my head, the Celebrex makes it easier to get out of bed and I can pee a lot better when I'm taking Flomax. I'd like to try some Testosterone and some of that Cialis but my wife"s against it. Yes I take my drugs per Dr.'s orders and I don't care who knows it. I'm sorry you've had health problems at you age. I felt really good when I was 35. Well this has been fun. I think when I get my back fixed I'll try and find an old timers wrestling league. Best wishes, Frank

Oops. Sorry. I didn't mean to ask something inappropriate. I'll just keep looking for a lawyer. I am probally putting the cart before the horse anyway. I'll have to recover some financially before I could hire a paperboy. Being off work I sure do miss that cable TV.My license is due for renewal this month. Since I surrendered it I can't use it but I don't want to let it expire. Do you have any suggestions there? Thanks

Thanks For your reply. No I didn't have my own malpractice insurance. I never thought I would need it. What a lifesaver that small investment would have been. I showed your reply to my wife (she's a nurse also) and she said "I can't believe we didn't learn this in school. Maybe I should get some insurance." No doubt! I wonder if any one could suggest a lawyer for me now. I am having a little trouble finding someone who specializes in this sort of thing. Thanks again.

I love being a nurse. When you can make someones pain go away it's like getting paid right then. One word of warning. Its not a job for someone with a bad back. If your a guy you get ask to help lift a lot. Especially if your a big guy. When I got out of High School I couldn't wait to go out and pick up something heavy. I spent 20 years doing physical labor in the oilfield. I finally went back to school and got my nursing license. I expected it to be a lot easier. Guess what! Nursing has been harder on my back than the oilfield was. You belly up to iron, set your stance, and lift the center of your weight. Try that with a stroke patient who's trying to pull the other way. You can also drop a piece of iron after you pick it up but patients don't care for that. As far a the way your treated by female nurses I have personally always been shown more appreciation than discrimination. Don't expect sick patients or their families to always show gratitude. Your boss will not always pat the back that works the hardest. You will earn every dollar your paid. But if it matters what you think about yourself it's a very rewarding job. Good luck.

Thanks to iwannabeanrn. I apreciate that info very much. I have never had to file worker's comp before. I'll start calling my providers tomorrow. I have called several lawyers who have advertisements like, after you call 911 call us, but after a little bit of my story they say they will call me back and never do. I guess they want a slam dunk. Thanks again.

On March 9th, 2005 while working on the step-down unit I was injured by a combination of bending, twisting and lifting a patient up in bed. I felt something give way and a sharp pain in my lower back and right hip.I told the supervisors about the injury. I did not want to file workmen's comp. I believed filing a claim could cause problems with my job, possibly decrease my marketability for future hospital jobs, and mostly I believed I would recover. I returned to work wearing a brace. I was called into the office the following month was told that audits had been done on my charting. (I was the only one audited) I was told I was terminated because my charting was incomplete and this put my patients safety at issue. I was shown three instances where I had failed to chart on the MARs. I told them I knew my paperwork had suffered after the injury. I was frequently behind on my paperwork after taking care of my patients. After the meeting my boss suggested I use the grievance process to try and save my job. He also ask me if I had filed on the injury I had lifting the patient. When I said no he replied that was good and he was going to try and help me save my job. Six weeks later I was called in by the State Board to see the Nurse Investigator. She told me was she was a formerly employed as a manager for the Department at the hospital that fired me. She told me the hospital had accused me of drug diversion. I denied this and told her about the injury and that I had not worked since fired. She suggested I go back to work and told me I must get a Substance Abuse Psych Evaluation ($300 my cost) from the list of providers they gave me. She inferred that this would resolve the issue without going befor the full board. I had the evaluation done and told them I had been taking pain medication for my back after the injury. I also told them during the evaluation that I had taken pain medications while working prior to a total left hip replacement in 1999 and before a total right hip replacement in 2004. I had not had any problems either with my job or stopping the pain meds after my surgery's. The last time I went to see the nurse investigator I was told that the evaluators recomendation was I should complete the evaluation group's Outpatient Program (I expected that) and also that I not be allowed work as a nurse until all my back issues were resolved. I was told to either surrender my license until the above was done or it would be suspended. So I surrendered my license at that time. When I picked up a copy of the evaluation I found out the recommendation that I not be allowed to work as a nurse came from the evaluator's discussion with the nurse investigator. Initially at the first meeting the nurse investigator had persuaded me it would be simpler to waive the right to a meeting before the full board and agree to follow her recommendation. I was just to eager to please. At the present time my backs still messed up. I don't know if I'll ever be able to get my license back.