RN

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Do I need to able to lift 50 pounds in order to do my clinicals. Because I looked on requirements it mentioned about it said I needed to able to lift 50 pounds. I’m going to a nursing clinicals in Pa. And do all clinicals for RN program require. Please help  I’m taking my last two Prerequisites. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
24 minutes ago, Hopefully41 said:

Do I need to able to lift 50 pounds in order to do my clinicals. Because I looked on requirements it mentioned about it said I needed to able to lift 50 pounds. I’m going to a nursing clinicals in Pa. And do all clinicals for RN program require. Please help  I’m taking my last two Prerequisites. 

You have answered your own question. ?

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

Yes, clinicals are related to general patient care and will require you to be able to physically complete the necessary tasks. While you may be able to find nursing jobs after graduation with less strenuous physical requirements, it would be difficult (but not impossible) for accommodations to be made for clinicals. You would have to check with your specific program if you have physical limitations.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, Home Health, Corrections, School Nurse.

When you apply, nobody is going to actually test you to see if you can lift 50 pounds.  However, you will be in many situations where that ability will be critical.  You're walking with a patient and they start to fall.  You have a patient that weighs 350 pounds and needs to be turned/scooted up in bed. You have to move your 350 pound patient on the 1000 pound bed down three hallways into the elevator and down another hallway and then transfer them to a bed.  etc etc.  Bedside nursing is very physically demanding.  If you have any issues, you will go home in pain or end up with permanent injuries.  

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

My program did require a physical that assured I could do "x, y and z". Although as nursy stated, I didn't actually lift 50 lbs in the doctor's office. I had no pre-exisiting conditions, so they just assumed it based on a more basic assessment.

For my current job, I actually had to lift boxes, pull pallets, walk up and down stairs, etc. They wanted a VERY specific idea of what I could do physically before they officially hired me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I did have one place that made me dead lift 50 lbs. But only one and I have been a nurse for 10 years now. 

But yes, you will need to be able to physically handle the generally obese population. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment