Someone tell me how to deal with this-please

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I recently had a severe fracture of my left wrist. It now has quite a bit of hardware present and has healed as well as it is going to ever be. I have been a RN for over 30 years and for the first time ever, I can't renew my BLS because I can't do compressions with my left hand on a hard plastic surface. This has now put me in a situation where I may never be able to work again if I can't recertify my BLS. Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do? I can use my wrist and hand enough for all daily activities including at work- I simply can't tolerate the recert. process.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Could you perform CPR with adaptation? Perhaps a wrist splint?

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no, I tried-

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Or compensate with your right with your left much more secondary? That must be possible for passing CPR? Maybe with some strengthening with a trainer or PT?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I'm not going to chime in on advice about accommodating your new limitations... I'm sure you have already explored a ton of options.

Just want to make sure you get the appropriate disability validation process in motion. Your injury means that you are no longer capable of performing your primary job (direct patient care). There may some available support for re-training into a different specialty area that does not involve direct care. You deserve all the help you can get & it would be horrible for your valuable nursing knowledge to go to waste.

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Hospice often doesn't require BLS certification, for what it's worth.

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I would do the bulk of the compressing with my right hand while just having the left hand on top of the right hand for show. As long as you do the compressions as required, to the right depth, they aren't going to care that you are in fact using your right hand instead of both. I would just practice as long as possible so that I could get through the recert class. Bite lower lip. You can also ask for a private session with the instructor. They can tutor you on your technique, and may be able to certify you after a "one on one" session. They make accommodations for others, such as pregnant ladies. No hurt to ask.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I work with a woman that does a one handed revert.

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One handed. Or the primary compressions hand is your non-injured one.

It is more than just passing the test. Should you be in a situation in your job where you are needed to do compressions, that would be the issue, I would think.

I would think about disability with accommodations. I would think about other areas of nursing.

I would also see if any ambulance companies in the area have compression machines. They are being used more and more as opposed to manual compressions. If so, can your accommodations include access to a similar machine? Especially if in an alternate role (ie: if you were to decide to take a job away from bedside, for instance) that you would not be in a position to do CPR with much regularity, if at all.

Best wishes

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