mercykitten

"Mr. Jones, I have been meaning to talk to you about your cholesterol levels. You need to take a pill to lower those levels as well as change your diet. No more salt or fatty foods for you." said Nurse Smith. "Nurse, I do not wish to discuss this." ...

I want to be encouraging and there is good news. While my back pain never completely goes away, it is better at times. But what I have found is that I have learned to tolerate the pain better. Pain that would have had me calling into work, doesn't se...

First, no one has mentioned that the vomiting nurse may have been pregnant. That happens quite frequently with our co-workers (since we are a predominantly female occupation). Several of my co-workers had frequent n/v....and were saving their sick ti...

12 hr shifts are great until.....you end up on more or less permanent mandatory overtime to cover for the nursing shortage. Then we are working four days a week.....yeah, that extra day may be an 8 hr shift,....but I feel like if I am working 4 days,...

Whose hospital isn't talking about cutting costs? We hear this at every unit meeting. While it is true that governmental budget cuts have impacted all of health care, the ceo's and other high level administrators aren't taking cuts to their pay, a...

A newspaper article in our Sunday paper revealed the fact that the ceo at our hospital makes almost $700,000 a year. The vice president of nursing makes over $300,00 a year. And we have been told to do everything possible to save the hospital money...

Munson, and DN, many of our fellow nurses become disabled every year. For some it is in an unfortunate accident (which night shift and long hours have proven to be a factor), an incident at work or part of the aging process. There are several thre...

I saw a breakdown maps of SARS in United States yesterday on MSN-WebMD. While SARS is in the US, there have been no deaths yet. But it is in several states, but not yet in KY. We do need to take precautions.....right now spring break is coming up,...

I know that I am not the only nurse who is no longer working as a nurse due to a back injury. In the US, OSHA requires that you be able to lift 50 lbs to work on the floor as a nurse. I can't. My "reasonable accomodation" was a move to watch heart...

Mattsmom and all, howdy. I have had a rough week or so. I was scheduled 8 hrs on the 4 th and then three 12 hrs Fri, Sat, Sun. Went in early at 7 p.m. on the 4 th because they were short (also my husband was at work, so no conflicts there). Thurs...

P_RN, I am sorry that you had that experience. Thank you for sharing. I guess the best thing to do when looking at a pain clinic is to talk with people who have been there. Were they helped? Any down sides? How many doctors in the clinic and who did ...

The various people who have discussed their problems on this thread have been open to sharing their own methods of coping with a very difficult situation. I hope that none of the healthy, able people reading this will ever go through what we have. ...

Mattsmom, if I or others want 8 hr shifts (they do, most of the rest of the people having back trouble are day shift), it would mean hiring another person. I don't think my manager will do that; I am not sure that she would be allowed to do that. A...

I, too, would be interested in any info about "no lift" risk management. Please send me an email if you have such info. Thank you.

Mattsmom, I started a reply earlier today, had it mostly written and got bumped. Don't know if I remember everything in the original message, but the most important thing is this: maybe you need to see a rheumotoidologist for your different joint pai...

Mattsmom, I don't know anything to suggest. I am sure you are probably on an NSAid of some kind along with other meds, besides the Ultram? I deal with chronic pain too. But I do sorta have some good news. I had been thinking that my back was gettin...

Anyone got any news? How are we getting along? No news yet at my end. Still waiting for job interview. Wanted to touch bases with you all.....

IrishElf, first welcome to this post. I don't know any definite answers for you but can give you some advice from the disablity problems that I and others here have discussed. First, I recommend that you do NOT share with HR or other administrati...

What kind of law would you like? We have a lot of laws now, but hospitals are really bad about not complying to them. I mean, we are supposed to get two breaks, and a 30 minute supper break per 8 hrs. shift. The only ones who get those are the smok...

Hi, Everybody. Been thinking about you all this week. It was a rough one where I was. One night we worked two nurses short, one more Er admission would have made us three nurses short. I couldn't help but think that recycled nurses like us could ha...

Mattsmom, I think one of the reasons that hospitals just let injuried nurses go is that there are a lot more injuried nurses than people think. I know of at least three from my floor in the last three years. Multiple by the number of units/floors we ...

Nurtain, that is just like me in that I suffered several repeated back injuries. It soon became apparent that I was getting weaker and weaker, couldn't pull pt across bed with draw sheet etc. At the point that the hospital was ready to remove me, I...

Been working a bit of a stretch of 12 hrs shifts. Then tonight the night monitor tech called in. But someone else got pulled to our floor so I could go home (and write you). Wanted to let you all know that I have been thinking about you all this we...

The last sentence in my previous post should read: "Maybe we all CAN'T get the best deal out of this, BUT together we can work to change things so that other nurses won't go through what we have.

Maah, thanks for your input and your offer for help for others in the position of applying for SSD. discarded APN, going on and apply for whatever help you can. If you have any trouble (get rejected by the federal govt.), talk to your Congressman or ...