Question about injuries and illness directly related to bedside nursing

[oramar]

Do you have an illness or injury that you feel you would not have if you have been a secretary or IT professional. This is for bedside nurses only.

[Sleepyeyes]

Back probs

Eczema

Unwillingness to go to Dr

[Helene_RN]

Back problems, bad elbow (tore a ligament lifting a heavy patient), I'm very surprised anyone hasn't mentioned bladder problems & frequent UTIs (always to busy to go when we should), vericose veins from one of those 12 hr. night shifts when I didn't have any clean support hose so I wore regular ones instead. oops! I'm still nursing, just no longer bedside.

[kmp297]

I know after working with ventilator patients and trach patients for over eight years, that I have to have Pneoodmonas, MRSA, and any other nasty bug you can think of. Just waiting for the opportunity to announce it's presence. So true about the positive TB patients that you didn't know about. Thankfully I've never tested positive. But isn't that what the jobs about. Providing care regardless of the potential outcome to our own health. As long as I don't take home lice, for now I'll be happy.

The back problems are inevitable in nursing.

[kaycee]

Have positive PPD for many years now. Have had surgery on my feet from working on cement based floors for 27yrs which caused on and off limping. This in turn cause premature severe DJD of my right hip. I'm scheduled for total hip replacement in July. I just had back surgery in Jan degeneration of a disc that I herniated in my 20's lifting a pt.

Be careful out there! It can be a dangerous job.

[TIREDmidnightRN]

ohhhhh no lice but once ER let a patient wash HERSELF when diagnosed with scabies.the lady only did the areas that itched before being sent to the unit....where she grabbed my hand before I could react.........i was just walking down the hall....not even my patient! Scabies! There is no itch on earth like it!!!

[Tookie]

at a nursing home where l used to work many moons ago - the whole of their nursing staff and their families all had to be treated for scabies- (I will add that I never itched or had any trace etc) - that as such was OK _ we had to do it all again a year or so later (wasnt game to ask my family this time - fortnately we didnt have to)

I still wander if it wasnt someones over futile imagaination in some of these instances

Tookie

[jevans]

I too have back problems that i would not have had if i worked in an office. After 20 yrs nursing i am amazed that new staff do not adhere to our no lifting policy. In our stroke unit we have numerous hoists, slides and handling belts BUT atleast once a day i have to remind someone not to lift!!

CRAZY OR WOT

J

[Huganurse]

My list:

Scabies, lice, strep A, ring worm and various other fungus, back and hip pain, multiple viruses and bacterial infections, ppd+, UTI's r/t not going to the bathroom, acute depression, stress related palpitations and anxiety, constipation r/t poor fluid intake (at work), various cuts and bruises from equipment usage and combative patients, hypoglycemia r/t not eating right at work, aching feet and legs, and very painful shin splints.

[oramar]

Hugannurse and all of you, it is so great that you can still show some humor in your responses. It is the sign of a wonderful human being when you can do that.

[mattsmom81]

I have degenerative arthritis of the spine. I'm sure it is from years of stressful, physical labor in bedside nursing.

[live4today, RN]

Originally posted by mattsmom81

I have degenerative arthritis of the spine. I'm sure it is from years of stressful, physical labor in bedside nursing.

Mattsmom, my husband has degenerative arthritis of the spine too. The Army docs discovered it in year 2000. He has had two back operations (unrelated to this disesase process) since that time, and he is only 38 years old. (((hugs))) to you. :)

[amblessing]

Originally posted by Huganurse

My list:

Scabies, lice, strep A, ring worm and various other fungus,

itch coming on right now. LOL. Signed, Nit Pickin Nurse

EEEEWWWW! I'm not a nurse yet, but is this for real? Maybe they were huggin' a nurse too much! Should I reconsider my career choice?