cherokee.girl

Long story short, I injured my knee at work in a hospital, had surgery, extensive rehab, and have now been told by my surgeon that it's as good as it's going to get. I have a bad limp, still require use of a cane at times, and have permanent restrictions. To work, I have to sit continuously for a 8 hr shift, or can only be on my feet for a max of 6 hrs "with rests". The PT who did my FCE said that I would have to be able to sit down frequently and for long periods to elevate and ice my knee. I am never allowed to lift, carry, push, or pull more than 50 lbs. The hospital said that my restrictions fall into the NA job description and that I am to come back to it. Taking the "on my feet" requirements out of the equation, as the hospital says my 30 minute lunch and 2 ten minute breaks will take care of that, the 50 lb restriction will keep me from pushing a patient in a wheelchair, assisting with ambulation, transferring a pt to chair or bed, and doing complete bed baths or turning and positioning pts who are incapacitated. I work an ortho floor that requires lots of heavy lifting and pulling. And we can't use lift equipment when pts have to get up/down and walk as part of their rehab. The only thing left that I can do would be vitals, passing ice, setting up rooms for admits, and making unoccupied beds. They are expecting me to do everything within the job description when I return. I have requested transfer to Unit Sec jobs (which I have been cross-trained for), monitor tech jobs, and even registration, multiple times and they have refused. At this moment, there are multiple offerings of those jobs vacant and on the list. I was a damn good NA, and loved it. But seriously, would you want me working under your license if I can't keep a pt from falling and being injured or safely assist a fresh total hip or knee to a chair?

I was not soliciting medical advice, but for advice on how to navigate the red tape regarding a worker's comp case with a hospital. I feel as if I'm being rushed back to work too soon, and was looking for advice on that issue...not diagnosing or treating.

I am a nurse's aide in a small-town hospital in Tennessee. On Tuesday morning I was called into a room I was not assigned to to assist an RN, as the aide assigned that room wasn't immediately available. Not a problem, we do it all the time. The RN was attempting to assist a post-op knee patient back to bed after PT had gotten the patient up into a chair for a while. The patient was not elderly (early 60s), but was obese and would not follow direction to help herself. (Would not support her weight on her arms on the walker or use her good leg.) As I was helping, the patient kept removing her hands from the walker and grabbing me. My RN repeatedly told her, "Do not grab Michelle. Use the walker." The patient kept leaning backwards away from the walker, so I was supporting her shoulders pretty strongly to keep her upright. When we got to the bed, the patient grabbed me again and threw herself down onto the bed....taking me with her. In order to keep from falling ON her, I somehow twisted/lunged to the foot of the bed.....severely twisting my knee in the process. I heard/felt a "pop" and the knee immediately started to swell and hurt. I tried to "walk it off" for about an hour, but wasn't able to. In fact, was experiencing increasing difficulty walking at all. About an hour and a half later, I told my director. The first thing she said was, "Were you using the lift equipment?" We have the Steady, Maxi Move, Maxi Slides, Tenor and all that stuff. However, with an elective joint replacement surgery, getting the patient up and ambulatory on their own is what we do. PT uses gait belts, but not nursing. The patients are grilled strongly before the surgery that they are responsible for getting up and walking afterwards. Anyway, I went to Employee Health and it was x-rayed showing no breaks, but signs of degenerative arthritis, the NP said. She gave me a shot of Toradol and some Naprosyn, slapped some BioFreeze on with an ACE bandage and told me to go home and ice it and that I'd surely be able to work tomorrow. On Wednesday morning, it was still swollen and painful and I could barely bear weight on it. I called in and then called EH. I left a message with the receptionist and filled her in. A short while later she called me back and said the NP said to stay off work until Monday and I would be ready to go back then. I called my director and left her a voicemail with that info. Today is Thursday and I'm worried. It's still giving me a lot of pain, still swollen, still feels weak and wobbly. I don't know what to do. I was told to stop by EH Monday morning to get a return to work form. If I'm still in pain, do I refuse to go back? Any advice would be appreciated. Most of the swelling is along the outside and across the top. The worst pain is along that outside, beneath the knee cap, and deep inside the knee. It's the left knee.

Thanks! I start orientation Monday. I know it's going to be like going back into a whole new world the way so much has changed.

Thanks so much for your reply! I was beginning to wonder... I'm very excited to start my new job. I was trying to remember the CNAs I used to work with, and could only remember a group of grumpy old women who rolled their eyes and complained every time we asked them to do something. I definitely don't want to be like them!

Hi! I went to LPN school because my mother thought I should back in 1990. I graduated at the top of my class, received my license, and worked in a hospital for 6 years. Long story short, I purposefully allowed my license to expire in 2003 and ended up working in a domestic violence shelter as a victim advocate. Yesterday, I accepted a position as a PCA on a post-op surgery floor. I'm very excited and can't wait to start back helping people. I have no interest in renewing my LPN, nor becoming an RN. I will be perfectly content working as a PCA. Any pointers or suggestions? What makes a good PCA on a hospital unit? How can I be a huge help to the nurses and make myself invaluable to my new unit? All advice appreciated.