rheumatoid arthritis

silverbat · May 18, 2015

I am aorry to hear of another RA Warrior who is a nurse. Nursing is tough enough on the old body without RA!!!

I was not diagnosed until a year ago, but I worked with dx of OA since 1986.

For 15 years I worked Med surg and then worked in nursing homes. I did transition to MDS coordinator as the bedside nursing was too much for me. I still did not have RA dx, but I will bet that I had it during much of my working years.

Last year I decided to look for non-bedside nursing opportunities and found a terrific one as a Care Corrdinator/case manage for a hugh inurance company. I do no patient care, just go to homes, verybally and visually assess what I see and then spend tons of time on the computer!!!!

The stress level is tremendously less!! I have no lifting, etc. I do have to walk up rickety steps to get into homes, trailers and hogans. That is my hardest thing physically. Now when my hands flare, it is harder to type. but I can take my time.

I don't stress about being exposed to germs at all. If i did I would wear a mask, but I don't and ihaven't caught anything from a member in this entire year! I take MTX, plaquenil and Humira. I do know of many nurses who are able to do fulltime bedside nursing with RA, so don't discount the possiblity of doing that. My PCP has RA and doesn't catch everything, so ARNP may not be so out of the question either.

If you are young and generally healthy. I would go with what you want to do, then see what happens. Don't let RA run your life! YOU are large and in Charge!!! best wishes!!

BTW, if I were younger, even with RA I would go for ARNP or similar, but as I am 57, I won't do that....

organicnurse24 · May 27, 2015

I have RA and fibromyalgia. I worked in a hospital (PCU) for 3 months, then had to leave it because it was too much on my body. I took a job at a SNF just to regroup and figure out my next steps, but I ended up really liking it and I've been there for 3 years! I moved up to a unit manager position. I still do some med pass and treatments, but not nearly as much as before. Most of my job is paperwork, and I can structure my day around how I'm feeling. I know most people look down on LTC, but give it a shot. If you find your niche you may end up loving it!