Re-entry after disability?

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I am an RN who became disabled in July 2007, after a serious illness.I had acute pancreatitis, acute respiratory failure, & ended up vented & in a coma for a few days. When I came out of the coma, I had gait disturbance, balance issues, & loss of stamina & strength. I was living in Oregon, & relocated to Iowa to recuperate near family. I've gone through PT & OT, and speech therapy. Had to use a walker for a time, then a cane. As time went on, I improved, & grew stronger. Now, I'm great. Sometimes, my legs are a bit weak, in that when I go to stand, sometimes, I can't on the first try, & have to try again. I always make it on the second try. I am great, though, and ready to get back to work.

My work history is that I graduated nursing school in late 1995, began work as an RN in 1996. I worked up until July 2007. I worked acute care all that time, mostly orthopaedics. I'm having a hard time getting back to acute care. I have tried long term care, but was let go from one job & had to quit another when I got sick with a viral URI (there's more to that but that would make this ungodly long).

I keep hearing about a nursing shortage, I am not sure there is one. Not in Iowa anyhow. I get interviewed & rejected. I suck at long term care, but I acknowledge it's hard work. Harder than acute care. I have heard there is freeze on nursing jobs in Des Moines, & so I am starting to look further afield, like Nebraska or Wisconsin.

Is there something else I should be doing? When I can afford it, I plan to work on getting some CEU's, esp in medications, assessments, & documentation. I have also begun to consider nursing refresher courses, although Iowa has no programs that I can find. There's always Missouri & Nebraska. I'm trying just for some stopgap jobs at this point, just to keep the rent paid & lights on.:paw: My German Shepherd says don't forget the dogfood.

Any helpful ideas would be awesome. I know I can do the work, I think about it all the time & I'd give most anything to get back to it.

Thanks in advance!

Susan

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Not sure on telephone triage but may want to check out the forum Telephone Triage Nursing forum

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health, Hospice.

Try Home Health Case Management or Hospice Case Management or Workmans comp case management....yes they are desk jobs, but do require someone with quick thinking ability...

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UPDATE!

I'm working again! An agency took a chance on me and I am currently working in a factory's health clinic doing occupational health nursing. It's a temp job, that started last November, and was only supposed to last till January, but was extended into March and then through May!

I have felt like the village idiot with this job, but it's been an awesome learning experience and it's work experience, something positive I can put on my resume. And the pay is nice too!

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Specializes in behavioral health.

Congratulations on the new job! I am hoping to get a permanent job, too. I am an LPN. I have been out of work since 2004. I am on disability, both SSDI and from LTD. I took refresher curse in 2008 with intent on going into home health. However, I learned that I needed the acute, or med/surg experience. I felt that I was too green to be out there on my own.

Anyways, I attempted a NH job, but only lasted 6 weeks. It was way too overwhelming, and too taxing on my health. I have sarcoidosis and don't even appear to be ill. However, there are days that I just suffer from extreme exhaustion. Also, I have days that I feel fantastic. I left the NH without notice. I handed in a two-week notice, but had a family emergency and just quit after one week. they put me "on the bad girl list". that really hurt, since I always had a good work ethic. Anyways, shortly after, I found a job in a allergist's office. I got fired after three weeks because some pt. had anaphylactic reaction to his serum that he self injected. Since, he was a long time pt., and I was new, I got fired. In my defense, I was not the only one making the serum. So, my next job was just working for Mollen Immunizations. Too bad, it was only seasonal. I did enjoy that work.

Now, I have an upcoming interview working at an outpatient clinic. But, am having some doubts that it may be too fast paced for me. I know that I need a slow paced job and thinking maybe I should try to work privated duty. Maxim called me back a week ago. I just wish that I had the stamina when I first started out in nursing. I have worked mainly in behavioral health. I worked at drug rehab, and a psych facility.

I had a staff recruiter contact me via email from epeople healthcare. But, I believe that is strictly nursing homes, and working "agency" I am sure that I would not be able to handle it.

I really need to buy a new car, as mine is falling apart, but I can barely pay the rent. So, I need some extra income. I know that I will be forfeiting my benefits. I plan on working for 10 years until I retire at 63. I just hope that I could find the right job. My old employer did not even welcome me back. I guess that I was away too long. If I would have gone back before two years, I think they would have gladly taken me back.

My DH is going to retire in Sept., and I definitely want to be out working PT. When he was out of work due to illness for three months, it drove me nuts.

What I really want to do is be a travel agent, where I get to try out all of these vacations. It would be mandatory for me to take 3-7 day vacations. lol :smokin:

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:nurse:I would like to know how to explain a gap in work history due to a disability, without disclosing the actual diagnosis? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Specializes in ED, ICU/CCU, TELE, MED SURG.

I am status post anterior cervical discectomy with fusion c5- c7 with plates and screws by 4+ months. Working modified duty in Performance Improvement for one month after being off since September as I still have weakness in my left biceps and triceps, and headaches... long story from an ED lifting injury 12-08 that was mis-diagnosed herniated discs / spinal compression for 9 months.

I am frustrated.. and am starting to feel hopeless that I will not be able to return to the floor which I love, and I am doing basic data entry in the position I am in now.. feel I am a waste mentally, emotionally, spitirually, etc...like I am of no value especially with all my background, and how social I used to be... and now I sit in a quiet office alone all day and crunch numbers or enter data.

I also have my CLNC and have done some cases besides working in the ED - but now with my new hours in Performance Improvement.. it has been more difficult to market to local attorneys... so my business is also affected.

Anyone have suggestions for a nurse with such a background (ED / Critical Care RN - Associates Degree with MICN, CLNC, TNCC, ENPC, ALCS, PALS, BLS) and such a disability?.. I am just not able to lift patients (especially with our minimum requirement of 50 lbs lift, and 200 lbs assist at the facility I am at).

ERNeck

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