Sitting down - New nurse looking for advice

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2019

On 3/7/2019 at 12:14 PM, KatieMI said:
Navigators need to know the system in depth and have extensive personal networks to be successful. Those, unfortunately, come only with experience.
Re. IT - in my BSN class there was a guy who had previous IT degree. He had open heart during preclinical semester and from that on was not allowed to lift anything above 5 lbs, on top of being effectively made into an untouchable snowflake. He had to stomach a whole lot of direct bullying from pretty much everybody. He did not work a single hour bedside, and went directly into nursing IT MSN. He is now grabbing kind of money well above of what his many doctor clients make.
I had to go through same BSN with mandatory home health rotation without ever doing a home health visit. Doing them could kill me on the spot, so I just said "no" and brought my doc's note. Similarly, I just said "no" for every action which was obviously dangerous for my health - I never did a single round of compressions during codes, for one example. After my first year (when I endured terrible bullying) I just positioned myself the way so they need me more than I need them. That solved the problem. There are tons of people who would like to push chest; there are not so many of those who can effectively run the code or agree to put out all the fires in the unit while everybody else busy with code.

I mentioned this to someone. If you have IT experience, you have a chance at getting an informatics position. Not all of those positions require years of bedside experience.

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 8, 2019

16 hours ago, Skarlet1110 said:
Have you considered working out patient surgery in Pre-Op or Post-Op for a small surgical center. Being a new grad I'm sure they will hire you and if you work for a small facility it gives you more time to sit down. I worked at a surgery center in both settings (depending where they needed me) and we had plenty of down time while we waited for patients to either be brought back to pre-op or waited for them to come out of surgery.

Small surgical center doesn't necessarily mean ability to sit. They tend to have the short, fast cases and it's go go go get 'em in get 'em out from one patient to the next. Also, in my experience, those free standing centers want experience as these nurses don't have the resources that an inpatient setting would have and need to be able to rely on experience to manage the emergencies until EMS arrives.

Thought, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2019

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 7:31 PM, MgoBlue37 said:
Hi everyone!
I recently graduated from an accelerated nursing program as a BSN this past December and was offered a position in a Level III ED hospital in a large Metropolitan area. However, due to personal health reasons I've been having a rough time with my new job. Without going into a long story, I've had major back surgery 4 times (2 discectomies, 1 spinal fusion, 1 reconstruction) since the age of 19 due to a herniated disc from a college sports injury. I've been active my whole life, but the part that gets me is standing on my feet for longer than 30-45 minutes without sitting down - I'm talking 8-9/10 level sciatic-type pain. I was able to complete all of my clinicals while in school with minimal issues with my pain, but since starting my new job and working 12.5 hour shifts I've been in so much pain.
Being a new nurse is tough as it is, but I've been excelling in my new position and really love all the activity of the ED - I've been in 1 code, hung TPA, and had 3 critical stroke patients just in my first week of work. However, every day at work I'm in so much pain that I just can't function normally. Every shift I've had in the first month and a half I've been able to sit for maybe 15 minutes consecutively in a 6-7 hour span, it's just that busy. Without further personal details, I do see pain management on a regular basis and there's not much more they can do for me outside of doping me up which is not an option for me. I feel I have to step away from this position since I cannot take the pain anymore. I'm not sure where to look for a nursing job where I can sit down for the majority of my shift. I really need to think long term here for my health since I have at least 35 years left of work before I retire.
Without any prior experience, what areas of nursing could I look into where I could sit down? I've thought of these areas that "may" allow me to sit, but I'm curious as to what others think?
- Public health nurse: County job
- Circulating nurse?: can they sit down during their shift?
- CVICU: I've heard many nurses can sit at the end of the bed of a Pt and monitor from there
- Chart review: Non-clinical and many of them want experience (IDK if this is interesting to me)
- School nursing: Not big in my area - many nurses are contracted through agencies not affiliated with the actual district
I really don't know where to look at this point. I will definitely miss the action of the ED, but my health is way more important and at this point there's not much physically more I can do. Thanks for any input!

Hey there, MgoBlue37!

I work in the OR as a circulating nurse. Circulating is very physically demanding. Different cases require different amount of heavy surgical instrument trays and items to be opened. Patients are pushed to the operating room suite while they’re inside their stretcher (or hospital bed). Sometimes the wheels on those don’t work correctly. Depending upon the case, my patients either moves onto the operating room table themselves, needs help moving over, or are flipped prone after being put to sleep. Under anesthesia, patients are completely deadweight. They cannot help you move them, and this can be very challenging physically when caring for larger patients. It’s easier to flip a patient when you have extra hands available, but sometimes those extra hands are tied with another case. You may have an easy-going surgeon who understands, or one who starts yelling and hollering for the patient to be moved right then at that very moment. During the case, I circulate. Anything my operating field (or anesthesia) needs, I run for. Circulating nurses are sometimes called “gophers.” “Go for this, go for that.” It sounds cute, but oftentimes I’m so busy running in a case that I don’t even get a chance to sit. Many variables factor in regarding how much running you’ll be doing in a certain day. Also- breaks? What’s that?

Thought

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 9, 2019

On 3/6/2019 at 7:55 PM, MgoBlue37 said:
Well I certainly don't agree with your point of view, and to be honest it seems that you come from the idea of "old school" nursing to me that the profession is trying to change. I don't feel that I should have to "earn" my right to be able to sit down in nursing or any other profession for that matter. That is a type of elitist attitude that is very condescending.
My motives to go into nursing were to offer the ability to help those who cannot help themselves. What about nurses who are disabled, that use wheelchairs, or prosthetics, should they not join the nursing profession because some roles are more physically demanding than others? Just because I'd like to sit down for a legitimate physical reason does not mean that I cannot provide more than adequate care for anyone in any setting. While in the ED, I can go into a Pt's room and sit down and talk with them in order to review their complaints, history, etc. I doubt any of them are thinking why is this nurse not standing and talking to me instead of sitting down - in fact it has been proven in numerous studies that Pt's feel more comfortable and communicate much more effectively when a provider is able to be at bedside at an eye-to-eye level.
That being said, I know there is much more to nursing than just bedside which is why I'm posting in the first place to reach out to those who are kind enough to offer advice that have been in the field in other areas.

I've known nurses who worked the floor with leg prostheses and from wheelchairs, but they were experienced, established nurses who became disabled after they had become established in their careers. I would not recommend that anyone who is disabled, uses a wheelchair or a prosthesis start nursing school hoping that they would be able to snag one of those sit-down positions right out of school. Most of them require significant experience.

Most professions -- not just nursing -- require you to acquire some experience before you qualify for those elite jobs.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 9, 2019

14 hours ago, Lipoma said:
I don't understand why you responded because it gave ZERO positive feedback.

The OP asked a question. She got some answers she liked and some that she didn't. When you ask a question on a public forum, you get the answers you get. They don't all have to be positive feedback. Sometimes negative feedback is necessary and helpful.

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Mar 9, 2019

I would suggest a night shift job. Days in a hospital or clinic would be lots of standing and walking. Nights there is usually downtime where you can sit and chart. Case manager in a hospital or for an insurance company would be a sit-down job. Working as a home care nurse would involve less standing. There are pros and cons to every job.

I am surprised when people with ongoing back problems go into nursing as many of the jobs are hard on the back, neck, shoulders etc. Though truth be told many nurses live with chronic daily back pain from on the job injuries. It only takes one patient, one time to hurt a person!

I would also recommend doing stretching exercises, yoga, seeking out a chiropractor and massage therapy to help you cope and hopefully heal your back. I've worked with many nurses struggling with back pain from on the job injuries who've had to go to chiropractors, get regular massage therapy, even epidurals in order to function. A hot tub or heated whirlpool bath at the end of the shift helps too. Youtube has some great physical therapy videos showing exercises and stretches to relieve back pain. I even saw a video on the best sleeping position, side sleeper, with a pillow for one arm and one between your legs and one doubled up pillow for your head.

Lipoma, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2019

55 minutes ago, Ruby Vee said:
The OP asked a question. She got some answers she liked and some that she didn't. When you ask a question on a public forum, you get the answers you get. They don't all have to be positive feedback. Sometimes negative feedback is necessary and helpful.

Okay...I fail to see how helpful that person's feedback was. Focusing on their personal "earned their stripes" anecdote is helpful for the OP's situation how again? Yeah, they don't all have to be positive but it was not constructive because it was all about them lmao. It provided no solution.

I guess people just like to talk about themselves.

TheAngryMan · Mar 9, 2019

On 3/6/2019 at 7:37 PM, MgoBlue37 said:
I appreciate the advice so far. Unfortunately, a lot of the options mentioned such as TENS, massage, etc. have not worked for my pain. Aside from exercising frequently and being active, my biggest trigger is prolonged standing, not so much as the moving or lifting things. I could definitely look into areas such as HD or the more 1 on 1 areas as well.
I also see what you mean in terms of experience type jobs such as management or educators that require the actual work in that specialty that new grads don't have. Unfortunately in nursing school, we aren't exposed to the types of positions that nurses may work in that aren't as physically demanding as bedside nursing. With such an adaptable field, I'm curious to see how nurses fit into such roles as informatics or nurse navigation too and what they entail.

I'm in a similar boat. Inactivity will make it worse. Consistent high quality physical therapy, is the only long term solution.

twinsmom788 · Mar 9, 2019

On 3/7/2019 at 7:41 PM, KatieMI said:
Just to let you know - none of your ideas can be applied to nursing.

Totally untrue. Maybe in your area, however, I live in a large metro area where nursing shifts are offered 4-6 hours a day in a large university hospital. One of my friends who had a small child worked 7p-11p at the local hospital when her husband (a pediatrician) was at home to care for the baby.

Also, job sharing, school hour shifts, etc are quite possible. Women and mothers supporting each other on this International Women's Day.

TheAngryMan · Mar 9, 2019

On 3/6/2019 at 7:37 PM, MgoBlue37 said:
I appreciate the advice so far. Unfortunately, a lot of the options mentioned such as TENS, massage, etc. have not worked for my pain. Aside from exercising frequently and being active, my biggest trigger is prolonged standing, not so much as the moving or lifting things. I could definitely look into areas such as HD or the more 1 on 1 areas as well.
I also see what you mean in terms of experience type jobs such as management or educators that require the actual work in that specialty that new grads don't have. Unfortunately in nursing school, we aren't exposed to the types of positions that nurses may work in that aren't as physically demanding as bedside nursing. With such an adaptable field, I'm curious to see how nurses fit into such roles as informatics or nurse navigation too and what they entail.

I'm in a similar boat. I stopped working at my old desk job and became a PT aide to learn how to rehab myself better. Here are my thoughts:

1.) Inactivity will make it worse. Consistent high quality physical therapy, is the only long term solution.You should be going to PT 3x a week until symptoms improve. Not once every two weeks. Not once a week... 3x a week.

2.) A chiropractor, pain doc, dark wizards, the internet are not physical therapists.

YouTube is also not a physical therapist.

I worked for several pain docs as a scribe. They don't have many long term solution for pain. Most of what we did... surprise, was writing prescriptions for PT after the inevitable epidural, RF ablation, cortisone injection failed to provide relief.

3.) All Physical therapists are not the same. Like any profession, there are some terrible ones. Make sure they have thier DPT( new standard) and preferably have done an orthopedic residency or at least have thier OCS certification.

4.) You can recover. I broke my back, had a crap load of setbacks and I am now back to submission fighting/ MMA ,working as a PT aide and an EMT with heavy patients. Be smart and stay hopeful.

Good luck. You will not see instant results , but they will come if you are consistent with PT. Stay positive.

twinsmom788 · Mar 9, 2019

On 3/6/2019 at 7:24 PM, dream'n said:
OR nurses are on their feet alot. Night shift and certainly not in the ER might help

This is the OR reality. After 3 years working all kinds of cases in the general OR. I was asked to join the CVOR team. At that time, we did 2-3 hearts a day. It is a very physically demanding job. I scrubbed and circulated both, and was so worn out at the end of the day. My hands still feel the weakness from all the overuse. I loved it at the time. I would not recommend working in the OR if you have trouble standing for long periods of time.

twinsmom788 · Mar 9, 2019

11 hours ago, FolksBtrippin said:
Inpatient psych was a lot of sitting for me.
So is my current job on an ACT team, which is Mon through Fri 8 to 4 with no weekends or holidays.
I never worked a nursing job where I was on my feet most of the time. My first job was inpatient psych for 1 year and my second job is the ACT team.
ED experience would be a great asset for either job. Triage skills especially.

Needing an update...what is an ACT team? Like Rapid Response?