Return to work

Kype · Sep 7, 2021

What can I expect? I was only university-based hospital bionic. I know everything has changed. But I cried too many tears for my patients before I couldn't work anymore. For the past two years, I didn't have enough tears for the nurses. Here I am. Tell me people, what is the labor force looking like now?

anewsns · Sep 7, 2021

On 2/9/2021 at 4:43 PM, Davey Do said:

When the caregiver requires more monitoring and assistance than those they serve.

Well, I kinda hope my coworkers don't need any monitoring or assistance at all, but desperate times call for desperate measures I guess.

Kype · Sep 8, 2021

Thank you! Since this may be a conversational, professional, colleage type of chat room? Yes?

Since I worked days, nights, weekends, holidays, 8s, 12s, sometimes 3-4=5 shifts in a row, I have never been able to turn my brain off to sleep.

I have always conferred with my own PCPs over the years and the only solution seemed to be to put me on anti-depressers Trying to be compliant, as well and trying ANYTHING, I trial'd myself on one or two to no avail. Case in point! I was trialed on Prozac 20 qd. After 30 days, no luck. Up'd to 30. After 2 doses of 30, I found myself building a cabinet in my basement at 3 AM.

I can't sleep because my brain never shuts off. Good news, the background noise of ventilators, IV pumps, pages and phones ringing have stopped. That took some time but that's gone.

I have tried blackout curtains, eye masks, massage with guided imagery, music therapy (I actually have a BS in Music Therapy - no brainer there), white noise aromatherapy and I even agreed to a sleep study with CPAP ( my sat on room air alone never dropped below 95%, so case closed there.

anewsns · Sep 8, 2021

Well, this is not really within the realm of a neuro nurse since we are dealing with stuff like strokes and brain tumors, seizures and the like. Make sure you are limiting caffeine before bed and getting enough cardio exercise if not already. If you still need something else then you may need to get a second opinion from a doctor or get a referral to a psychiatrist for more specific diagnosis

Guest 1152923 · Sep 9, 2021

On 9/7/2021 at 1:39 PM, Kype said:

I just signed on here. Me<- retired nurse as a second career ( graduated PSU '89 ) went on to do ICU/CCU/Trauma as well as hospital nursing supervisor to a 345 bed urban hospital and ........... heart/lung transplant.........you name it. Sidelined with neuropathy, out of work for the last 12 years. Before you go down the dusty road with me, I actually physically rehab'd myself and want to return. A DIFFERENT WORLD, YES? AND IT'S NOT JUST COVID. Anyway, brothers and sisters, I really would like to communicate at this point. With anyone. Young and fresh and already burned out or old and crusty but not yet dusty!

One word, ‘why’? Unless your financial situation is such that you can no longer afford being retired, I just can’t imagine why anyone would consider returning after a long hiatus. By no means am I trying to discourage you (more power to you), but have you forgotten how physically punishing being a caregiver to total care patients can be, or the anxiety, frustration, and stress that go along with bedside nursing? Also, today’s patients are far heavier, sicker, and more entitled than they were ten years ago and the unrealistic demands on nurses have grown exponentially. Don’t take my word for it, but peruse the forums here and notice the many nurses that are desperate to get out of patient care areas-that says it all!

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 10, 2021

On 9/7/2021 at 8:21 PM, Kype said:

Thank you! Since this may be a conversational, professional, colleage type of chat room? Yes?

Yes, however per the Terms of Service, members may not ask for medical advice:

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