RN jobs options after declining health

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Hey ya'll. I only made it 1.5 years as an RN before I had to quit because of increasingly bad health. I'm only 34 years old. I worked 1.5 years in the Operating Room and 3 months in OB during my practicum, so not very applicable to many other nursing jobs. I don't have all of my diagnoses yet, my docs are still working on that, but whatever I have causes "flares" so sometimes i'm practically bedridden and sometimes I have severe brain fog and experience what seem like strokes where I don't know where I am or where i'm trying to go and am unable to reach for something and make contact with it, etc. (being bedridden happens relatively often, but the stroke like stuff is much more rare). On my "good days" i'm still really fatigued, can only stand for a little bit at a time before needing to sit and rest, very weak...like i couldn't help a patient ambulate (I can barely push open heavy doors), i get brain fog like messing up words and just not very smart anymore, i have trouble with time management, etc. (I have over 4 pages of symptoms, but these are the ones that really affect work). Originally I was considering some kind of desk job or remote work, but I couldn't find much that didn't require 3+ years of med surg or icu. Also, now with the brain fog, i'm scared to work because I don't want to hurt a patient or negatively affect their care...I could potentially mix up a chart, type the wrong word in their intake, etc. I'm hopeful that eventually this brain fog will go away, but in the meantime, what are the easiest possible jobs I could do that would be the least dangerous for me to be working? Are there remote jobs that don't require a ton of experience? Also, I need it to be per diem because of my unpredictable flares (I rarely ever see per diem listed in job searches). Are there certain job types that are more likely to have per diem positions? I have a feeling this will all end in total disability, but that takes years to get and honestly i enjoy working and want to work. it makes me so sad that i worked so hard to become a nurse and love it so much, i don't want to give it up. I would appreciate any info you could give about how to find one of these unicorn jobs that might work for me. (Btw I only have an associates in nursing and a bachelors in psych, prior experience as a charge bookkeeper and receptionist. I had wanted to get my masters in something nursing related so I would take suggestions for that too if there is something like maybe health admin or informatics that may work....but there's also no gaurauntee that whatever I have won't get worse and make that totally useless either).

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Specializes in ER, Advocate, critical care, Case management.

I am going to follow this thread

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Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty AND Child/Adolescent Psych.

When I first started in nursing it was almost impossible to get a hospital nursing job as a new grad without hospital experience, but I was hired at a pediatric private duty agency per diem. I am not going to lie some cases where physically and mentally too hard to keep up ( with my crohns disease flares) but other cases where very easy to manage and since you are per diem you have the choice to say yes or no on taking on a new patient. Basically you tell them your availability they find a case that matches and give you a little background info on the patient you then go interview with the client/family and/or shadow another nurse on the case (sometimes both) then the family gives the agency a go or no go on if they want you as a nurse to care for their child..( some parents are "picky" others were happy to have any warm body to help) then the agency asks if you want to accept the case and what shifts you would want to pick up.... I had some cases where I spent most of the shift sitting down watching the child/baby sleep and charting ..obviously some are more involved and the amount of care you do definitely depends how available and hands on the family is.

hope this helps.

I was only a child/teen when I struggled with mystery illness and no acutal diagnosis for years but I remember what hell it was....hang in there and keep changing up doctors as much as possible.

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On 7/25/2020 at 6:36 AM, areason4stars said:

When I first started in nursing it was almost impossible to get a hospital nursing job as a new grad without hospital experience, but I was hired at a pediatric private duty agency per diem. I am not going to lie some cases where physically and mentally too hard to keep up ( with my crohns disease flares) but other cases where very easy to manage and since you are per diem you have the choice to say yes or no on taking on a new patient. Basically you tell them your availability they find a case that matches and give you a little background info on the patient you then go interview with the client/family and/or shadow another nurse on the case (sometimes both) then the family gives the agency a go or no go on if they want you as a nurse to care for their child..( some parents are "picky" others were happy to have any warm body to help) then the agency asks if you want to accept the case and what shifts you would want to pick up.... I had some cases where I spent most of the shift sitting down watching the child/baby sleep and charting ..obviously some are more involved and the amount of care you do definitely depends how available and hands on the family is.

hope this helps.

I was only a child/teen when I struggled with mystery illness and no acutal diagnosis for years but I remember what hell it was....hang in there and keep changing up doctors as much as possible.

How do you find these private duty jobs? I would appreciate any tips you have.

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Strict “private duty” jobs, that is, where the client pays out of pocket, are usually found by word of mouth or through job websites. Extended care cases, as previously described, are found through employment with a home health agency, or directly through a state agency after one goes through the vetting process.

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On 7/25/2020 at 3:36 AM, areason4stars said:

When I first started in nursing it was almost impossible to get a hospital nursing job as a new grad without hospital experience, but I was hired at a pediatric private duty agency per diem. I am not going to lie some cases where physically and mentally too hard to keep up ( with my crohns disease flares) but other cases where very easy to manage and since you are per diem you have the choice to say yes or no on taking on a new patient. Basically you tell them your availability they find a case that matches and give you a little background info on the patient you then go interview with the client/family and/or shadow another nurse on the case (sometimes both) then the family gives the agency a go or no go on if they want you as a nurse to care for their child..( some parents are "picky" others were happy to have any warm body to help) then the agency asks if you want to accept the case and what shifts you would want to pick up.... I had some cases where I spent most of the shift sitting down watching the child/baby sleep and charting ..obviously some are more involved and the amount of care you do definitely depends how available and hands on the family is.

hope this helps.

I was only a child/teen when I struggled with mystery illness and no acutal diagnosis for years but I remember what hell it was....hang in there and keep changing up doctors as much as possible.

Thanks for reminding me. I did have a chance to clinical at an in home care practice for kids with special needs. I did feel like I was a bit out of my league because the kids had serious issues and I was stressed about having their lives in my hands, however, it seemed the staff there was not that great and there was training provided so this is something I could look in to again. Thank you.

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On 3/15/2020 at 4:26 PM, 2beAnurseR0 said:

I am going to follow this thread

I notice it says you have case management experience. This is the route I was thinking of going. Do they ever hire nurses with less experience than the minimum requirements listed? If so, are there certain case management positions/facilities that are more likely to than others? Also, is per diem ever an option? If it was mainly remote work, how often would I still have to see the patients? Any wisdom you have to impart would help. The only other option I could think of was insurance reviews/chart reviews, but I don't know how to find those jobs. 

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16 minutes ago, medical_zebra said:

I notice it says you have case management experience. This is the route I was thinking of going. Do they ever hire nurses with less experience than the minimum requirements listed? If so, are there certain case management positions/facilities that are more likely to than others? Also, is per diem ever an option? If it was mainly remote work, how often would I still have to see the patients? Any wisdom you have to impart would help. The only other option I could think of was insurance reviews/chart reviews, but I don't know how to find those jobs. 

same here... hard to know where to look.  From what I'm seeing online with different searches, nothing is popping up except hospital or nursing home jobs.

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Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty AND Child/Adolescent Psych.
On 10/28/2020 at 8:20 PM, Lonnie48 said:

How do you find these private duty jobs? I would appreciate any tips you have.

I worked through an agency mostly it was called PSA Healthcare they were in several cases  a few years ago they were bought out/merged with and our now called Avenna healthcare. Around here they are always hiring. But like I explained earlier even after you are hired its up to the individual parents on a case if they will "hire" you on to watch their child. I found most parents want to feel that you click with the child besides them feeling confident in your medical skills. So asking questions to the child( if  developmentally poss) and talking/playing/engaging with the child 

Caliotter3 is correct most of these jobs arent stricly "private duty" since the family isn't paying you directly out of pocket. 

But its not traditional homecare were you make several visits' to several patients a shift. The work I did I stayed with my patient for the whole shift. My longest term patient I ended up going to school with him for many years. He was a quad. on a vent.

 

3 hours ago, medical_zebra said:

Thanks for reminding me. I did have a chance to clinical at an in home care practice for kids with special needs. I did feel like I was a bit out of my league because the kids had serious issues and I was stressed about having their lives in my hands, however, it seemed the staff there was not that great and there was training provided so this is something I could look in to again. Thank you.

 

Yes many of these children have complicated/ serious  medical issues and once you take a case ( after you shadow a nurse on the case or get interviewed/orientated by the parents) you are the only nurse there at the home but most of the time esp if you take overnight the parents are home and most of them are very knowledgeable about their childs needs. 

When I went to school with my patient obv the parents weren't there.  The main medical stuff I did was trach suctioning ,vent trouble shooting, st caths, and g tube feeds. My agency did offer  mandatory training esp with the vents and trach care and skill checkoffs.

 

 

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Specializes in ER, Advocate, critical care, Case management.
On 10/29/2020 at 7:02 PM, medical_zebra said:

I notice it says you have case management experience. This is the route I was thinking of going. Do they ever hire nurses with less experience than the minimum requirements listed? If so, are there certain case management positions/facilities that are more likely to than others? Also, is per diem ever an option? If it was mainly remote work, how often would I still have to see the patients? Any wisdom you have to impart would help. The only other option I could think of was insurance reviews/chart reviews, but I don't know how to find those jobs. 

Unfortunately my case management experience was only for two years I did not become certified. The area I live in Utah is flooded with nurses and people in the healthcare industry.  In this area they require a minimum of three years case management experience plus certification. They will not even look at me. I have even tried applying for case manager assistant which is the equivalent of a CNA/LPN and I don’t get looked at. Currently I am actually thinking about going back to school to get my certification.

With my certification as a case manager I will at least be able to get something probably at half the wage that I would as an RN.

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4 hours ago, 2beAnurseR0 said:

Unfortunately my case management experience was only for two years I did not become certified. The area I live in Utah is flooded with nurses and people in the healthcare industry.  In this area they require a minimum of three years case management experience plus certification. They will not even look at me. I have even tried applying for case manager assistant which is the equivalent of a CNA/LPN and I don’t get looked at. Currently I am actually thinking about going back to school to get my certification.

With my certification as a case manager I will at least be able to get something probably at half the wage that I would as an RN.

How do you get certified?

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Specializes in Rehabilitation.

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!

 

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