silentwolves

What area do you live in? I got Lyme Disease way before I went back for nursing school. my health has been in a slow, constant decline ever since getting Lyme. They call it “The Great Imitator” because there are so many symptoms! Unfortunately, most testing is highly inaccurate, and you need to find a doctor wiling to look at symptoms and not test results!

I have been a nurse for over 6 years. It has been extremely hard to have any kind of balance in work and life due to health issues. I worked on a rehab floor for 5 years, and currently work as a PACU nurse in an outpatient setting. I like the job, but the physical-ness of the job is really getting to me. I spend my weekend on the couch resting my foot, or sleeping, and barely do anything fun for myself. When I chose to go back to school for nursing, I had dreams of working in the OR. But I now know that is off the table due to long standing back problems, and now major fatigue and chronic pain issues. What I want to do versus what my body will let me do, seem to be polar opposites. I don't want a desk job, as sitting all day cranked up my anxiety last time I tried a job like that. But I'm having a hard time figuring out what areas of nursing to look into next. I don't want to work in Home Health, Hospice or Long term care. I would like a mix of sitting and being active. I'm wondering if something like Forensics would be a good area? Thanks

Hi! I have been an RN for almost 5 years, most of that working on a Rehab floor in a Nursing Home. I got my BSN last year, and want to expand my skills. I tried a job at Dialysis, but it was too physically demanding for me. (I have low back issues from a childhood injury, but never was put on restrictions by a doctor. My feet were in constant pain, despite seeing a podiatrist, having custom orthotics and wearing compression stockings.) I'm learning that what my brain and heart want as a nurse, my body does not. How do I decide what I want to focus on? I've had lots of suggestions from friends, but none sound like I would be happy with them. Some have been Home Care, Primary Care Office, School Nurse... I had wanted to work in the OR when I started school, but I doubt I could handle the physicality of the job... Are there career coaches around that specify in Nursing? It's such a different field than most others!

RN here, been a nurse for 4.5 years and just started training in outpatient dialysis 5 weeks ago. Im feeling pressured by upper staff, asking if I like it and will stay. They told me you either love it or hate it. I don’t hate it, but I’m not 100% sure I love it. I know it takes a lot to train somebody for dialysis. And I understand they don’t want to spend all that time just to have me quit... i really don’t know what kind of nursing I want to do long term. This job just kinda happened! How will I know if it’s for me? When? i haven’t even started canulating yet... hopefully next week... but running a pod of 4 by myself seems overwhelming... thanks!

Hello! I live in Rochester, NY, and have been a nurse for several years. The 2 main hospitals in the area are run by either the University of Rochester, or Rochester Regional Health. I’m wondering if anybody has worked at BOTH, and can say if one is better than the other? Im looking for things like salary, raises, benefits, ability to continue education and get certifications, work environment... thanks!

Hello! I am just about to obtain my BSN, and have been working on a short stay rehab floor in a nursing home since I became an RN. (I had a 3 month job at a hospital that didn't work out). I have fatigue issues and was hoping to find a part time job where shifts would be less than 8 hours. I haven't seen anything yet, and I don't even know where to search. The local hospitals and their offices all want 8 hour shifts. Indeed seems to be so mixed up, either jobs show up that aren't part time, or not even in nursing! I may be looking into disability as working just 2 8 hour shifts a week is getting difficult. I'm wondering if being on disability would be helpful in finding a job that could adapt to a shorter shift? thanks!

Thanks for the advice! I am working on medications. It takes so long to know whats working and what isn't! I am trying to avoid LTC since working on a rehab floor at one. I dont know, but I just dont want to work with that population exclusively. I have talked to a few local Home care agencies, and they tell me I dont have acute care experience and the rehab floor doesn't even count as sub acute to them. Plus, I'm very leary of going into houses on my own and working alone. I think that brings on my anxiety more. I do know I have other health issues. I did have Lyme in 2000, and believe it has caused a lot of my chronic problems. But my primary care physician does not believe that chronic lyme exists and she tells me I am fine. Looking for a new MD too... But my anxiety has been getting worse and worse over the last few years. So I dont know. I see the psych NP tomorrow, so hopefully we will have a new plan...

So I do not have much acute care experience. I made it through the 3 month orientation very roughly, and never had a nice preceptor who understood my anxiety. I left that job. Was out of nursing for a year, then found a job on a rehab floor in a nursing facility. I was there for almost 3 years. I went through a temp agency and found a different job. This one isn't a good fit, so I"m looking again. At each job I have had severe anxiety, to the point of crying for no reason. I've seen therapists, tried meds, breathing, taking a time out. Everything people have suggested! Now I feel anxious all the time, even at home. I don't know what triggered this last episode. I'm even uncomfortable in my own home! I have been looking for part time jobs left and right, but not getting any call backs. I'm in the process of getting my BSN. After thinking, I think part time would probably be better, so I have an extra day for all the doctor and psych appointments I have. I thought about joining the local chapter of ANA to find a mentor who could help, but Im afraid to spend the money incase I loose my job and have NO income then... I'm at an absolute loss. The anxiety has been getting worse since I was 20, I'm 36 now. I've been in therapy with the same person for a few years and really like her, so I dont think thats the problem. Any ideas? Thanks!

Me!!!! I'm basically deaf in my right ear. I've been a nurse for 2 years and still not comfortable listening to lung sounds and hearing them right. At a basic level, I can at least tell when they aren't good. I tried an electronic stethoscope while in school, but it was so loud and picked up everything!!! I've heard cardiology stethoscopes are better than the standard stethoscopes... i try try to do my assessments with the doctor to compare sounds and keep learning... but I've asked a coworker to double check me, and I just wxplain to the patient that I'm hard of hearing, and just want to be sure I'm not hearing anything bad...

Earlier this year, I injured my back lifting a patient. I herniated the disk at L5-s1. Did things by the book, saw Occupational Med through workmans comp. I was put on restrictions and started physical therapy. (I never missed a day of work due to that injury!). I fought through the pain and babied myself after work and days off (thank god I only work 4 days a week!). After a a few months of therapy I plateaued, and went in for an MRI, and muscle study. MRI confirmed herniated disk. Muscle testing was normal... but odd finding was my pain wrapped around right buttock and around to my quad Stopped above my knee . The MRI shows the herniation to he left side. The doctor said I should be having pain in my left side... and due to location it should be all the way down to my foot! The only time the pain went most of he way down my leg was the first 3 days after the incident happened.. Had a cortisone shot with very little effect. I had been doing ok, and was almost to baseline of just having occasional days of pain depending on patient load. This weekend I did something, and the pain is back... this week i have my monthly check in with Occupational Medicine. We have discussed the fact that if I'm not 100% in march, the 1 year mark, I could be labeled as disabled... what will this mean for my career?. I'm 35 years old and have been a nurse for just over 2 years... currently working on my BSN.. part of my goal in getting my BSN was to help get an office type job thats a better mix of sitting and standing... any help/support would be appreciated...

Hi westieluv! I love Bostons!! and pugs, and frenchies, and rotties, ect..!!! I have had chronic low back pain since I was 12, from a sports injury. I also have chronic Lyme Disease, which leads to fibro, fatigue and migrating pain on a daily basis. I have been seeing a Lyme Literate Doctor for almost a year. She just started me on Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). You might know that it is an opioid antagonist, and in low doses is supposedly great for chronic pain. I am taking just 1.5 mg, and it has to be compounded at special pharmacies. I think it is helping, but I re-aggrivated my back injury in March at work lifting a patient.(manager insisted we didn't need a hoyer...). So I have been in constant pain from that until just a week ago roughly. Herniated my L5-S1 disk again. Saw surgeon, who said surgery wouldn't help right now, and have been doing physical therapy, while continuing to work, with lifting restrictions. I'm trying to find a job away from bedside nursing, because I know this will happen again, and I cant keep up the pace of bedside nursing for too much longer! Do you continue to do your physical therapy exercises once you're done with therapy? That's one of my problems, I let myself go, and end up back at PT with another injury... I'm telling myself now, that I need to keep up with core exercising, and that it will help with a lot of things: the fatigue, chronic pain, and maybe some weight loss! I hope you can find some answers and a less physical job soon! Kate

I was seen right away. The injury occurred on a Tuesday and I was seen by occupational medicine on Thursday. Its been almost 4 months, I can finally say I am not in constant pain, even while at rest. MRI showed a herniated disk at L5-S1, with arthritis. Been doing physical therapy, and on lifting restrictions at work. Just got approval for a cortisone shot too. Hopefully I can keep my back strong and avoid this from happening ever again!(A girl can wish, right??) Saw a neurologist, and he said surgery wouldn't do anything at this point, so I'm happy to be able to avoid surgery for now!

Hello all! I'm looking for some advise. I have chronic back problems from a sports injury when I was 12. I'm 35 now. In March, I reinjured it lifting a patient off the floor. (My manager was there, and insisted we could stand him up without a Hoyer! The CNA and I resuggested the Hoyer and she said no) I could tell I was going to be sore that night. Fortunately, I had the next two days off, so I figured I would just rest and feel better. On the second day I woke up and could hardly move. The pain was different than when I usually hurt it. I spoke to my manager, and she told me to call employee health. She sent me to Occupational and Environmental medicine and started a workmans comp case. They prescribed 8 visits to physical therapy. I did that, and am only back to %75. At my follow up with the Doctor yesterday she prescribed an MRI. Today, while at work,,our employee health nurse called and said that I can only stay on restrictions for 8 weeks. If I'm not cleared, they could possibly let me go. is this true? Can they do that? keep in mind, I have NOT missed a day of work due to my back. I have been trying to stick to my restrictions of lifting, but we are so short staffed all the time, it hasn't been easy. This place is going to hell... People are quoting left and right, new nurses don't stay long... I've been looking elsewhere, but have only been at this place for 1.5 years... It's a rehab place, so I'm only getting "sub acute" experience... thanks.

Hello! I have copied my resume, ,but taken out specific names, numbers and addresses. I am looking for a new job. Bed side nursing is too much for me. I have major depression and anxiety, plus fatigue issues. I currently work on a rehab floor in a nursing home. A lot of places I have applied to say i don't have any acute care experience. (I worked in a hospital for only 3 months...) This floor has become rather subacute lately. Our admissions team is accepting all kinds of patients we don't have the staff to care for. Multiple behaviors, severe dementia, inability to care for themselves after weeks of therapy, people with respiratory problems... This week we sent 3 people BACK to the hospital for uncontrolled pain, high BP, respiratory status changes...ect. How can I show that in my resume. I am not good with words and playing this resume game... Please note, the formatting may be out of whack when I add the document. Thank you so much in advance for any help!!! Kate Address, email and phone Education December, 2012 | A.A.S., Nursing Community college May, 2006 | A.A.S., Natural Resources Conservation Community College May 2004 | A.S, Business Administration Community college Certifications Registered Professional Nurse, License Number ####### State of New York, Office of Professions Expires 01/31/2018 Experience Registered Nurse October, 2014 - Present Nursing Home Assess patients on a Rehabilitation floor, following surgery or falls Monitor surgical wound healing, pressure ulcers, respiratory status Case Processing Assistant May, 2011-April, 2012 | January, 2014 - September, 2014 Dental/Braces company Receive teeth impressions from doctors and set up for production Prepare patient tray kits, assist in filling orders and conduct inventory Registered Nurse March, 2013 – June, 2013 Local Medium Sized Hospital Monitored and assessed Pulmonary patients for rehabilitation progress Conducted wound care, observed oxygen levels and used appropriate devices Home Health Care Giver October, 2012, January, 2013 Private Duty in home case Assisted in private care of a quadriplegic pediatric patient Maintained patient airway, medication, ileostomy and tracheostomy care Home Health Aide October, 2010, February, 2012 Local Home Health agency Aided clients with various daily living and independent living skills Skills Compassionate, caring and dedicated to delivering quality services Excellent attention to detail and ability to work in fast paced environment Flexible and reliable, quick learner and able to retain new information Familiar with both PC and Apple, quick to pick up EMR formats Volunteer Work January, 2014-Present Honor Flight Assist with calling veterans who have applied to go on a flight to Washington D.C. Confirm health status and determine if they will need extra assistance. Confirm veteran has a guardian/family member to make the trip with them. Explain paperwork required to fill out, weekend itinerary Assist veterans throughout trip as safety assistant. Provide water and wheel chairs as necessary June, 2012-Present / August, 2010-Present 2 different dog rescue groups Assist in fund raising to support dogs in foster care Provide in-home checks for prospective adopters Transport incoming foster dogs to their foster homes or new permanent homes

Hey!! I'm kind of stuck in the middle... I was born mostly deaf in my right ear. I developed fairly normally so it wasn't noticed until I was 7!!! I can't use any hearing aides of any type according to my doctors. The nerve endings never fully connected, so I can hear tones, but can't understand words if using a telephone or headset. I also have a very hard time hearing in crowded areas, and just generally understanding people at times. At work, if somebody yells out, I often can't tell what direction it's coming from... in school I was able to adjust most of the time, by making sure I sat upfront. I too have had people think I'm a b**** for ignoring them. When I explain I'm hard of hearing they understand. I am very upfront and am sure to tell coworkers about my hearing, and that I like to be on the right side if we are walking and talking, or why I tilt my head one way.. A lot of people forget though too... I had a coworker get very upset with me, and I reminded her I am deaf, and she said I never told her...(I know i did, I kept a list when I first started in case I forgot anybody). My nursing school had an amplified stethoscope that I tried, but it was harder to hear. I felt it was picking up too much other noise... The friction on the skin, other sounds in the room. My anxiety got the best of me, and I lost my first job in a hospital, on a respiratory floor of all places!! I now work in a nursing home on a rehab floor, so lung and breath sounds aren't of utmost importance. In an emergency, I can ask coworkers to double check if I think I hear something... ive thought about leaving nursing all together though, as it is tough, but not just due to the hearing loss. I do wish I could wear a huge sign some days that says I'm HOH... hope you you find your way!! I live in Roxhester, NY, home to NTID(national technical institute for the deaf), so there is a very large population of HOH people here... If you're willing to relocate, you could look for higher populated areas...?