Has anyone ever taken an extended leave of absence from work? Lately, I've been contemplating taking a 4 week leave of absence from work.
I did go back for 3 weeks after COVID, but I'm not sure I did myself any favors. Any time I overexert myself, my bronchitis and angry pleural sac flare up. This last week, I worked 3 6 hour days, 2 12 hour days, did PT 2x, yoga on Saturday and Pure Barre on Sunday. Today, I spent an extensive amount of time sleeping. I also noticed that I've lost another 3 lbs, making for a 13 lb weight loss in 1 month, when I never needed to lose weight to begin with. It just seems like I'm not going to get any better until I slow down. I feel like 4 weeks with no work would give me time to exercise while resting when I want.
Has anyone else ever taken a long leave from work and has it helped?
Specializes in CNA telemetry progressive care ICU.
Silver many will continue to dig its up to you to bury the past honey I’m holding you back and I mean this in a good way if you can cut the ties maybe things will even out and finally peace ☮️ your a queen own it !
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
I don't think it is neccesarily the job or health. I think getting an independant living situation, a non-management job, and working normal hours would all help. Then, with that situation work on building up self confidence and assertion skills.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Silver Bells since we are talking about achieving balance, I would like to invite you to the breakroom. There are topics there for everyone, Cooking, exercise and healthy living, gardening, animal lovers and more.
Just put in for 3 weeks of PTO. Not sure if it will be granted, but might be a good thing. The fact that we had another COVID patient really put my stress through the roof. Since they insist on giving me all the COVID patients (even though they really should be given to the healthier manager; notice that she's managed to not catch COVID because she's been protected from these patients, I'm not sure why she's more special than me), I really feel that I need time away. I'm terrified of caring for these individuals because they put me at risk for further sickness. The one patient, who didn't experience hardly any symptoms at all, caused my body to experience a living hell. So I don't trust them even if they're asymptomatic.
It makes me angry that time after time the other manager doesn't have to be exposed to this terrible disease. Any of the sick patients come over to me. To me, if we're going to keep any COVID patients, we both should get our fair share of them, not just the one person who is struggling to recover.
I'm also angry, watching 80 year patients tolerate COVID way better than I did. We have a 90 year old male patient that hasn't experienced any side effects at all, meanwhile it's been a month since I've had it and I'm still struggling. Why did he do so much better than me? It makes me angry.
Also, with a lot of these COVID patients, our DON is wanting us to get orders for Paxlovid for them. I have to say that sometimes I don't have the motivation to do so. I wanted Paxlovid for myself, but I couldn't get it due to another medication that I'm already on. Getting it for someone else makes me angry and resent them for being able to receive something I couldn't get.
I went to a dancing activity tonight, and I was frustrated because my legs were very stiff and didn't move the way I wanted. I'm also frustrated with my digestive system; I can't seem to eat anything I like without problems arising, whether it be acid reflux or constipation. I started taking Protonix a few days ago, and the results have not been successful. I thought that maybe not taking TUMS would result in less constipation, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I wanted to try prune juice to see if that would work, but apparently that isn't good for acid reflux.
I'm angry at the residents that can have prune juice because they don't have acid reflux. I resent the patients that are able to have bowel movements every day and who have better bowel sounds than I do. I've been listening to my own, and I'm angry with them. I know what to listen for, and they aren't it. Why do people in their 80's and 90's have better bowel sounds than me? I also resent the residents that are able to eat as much ice cream as they want, and cheese. I love ice cream and cheese, but I've been avoiding dairy due to constipating factors.
As you can tell, I'm just angry. Maybe I shouldn't have exercised tonight, but I'm struggling with muscle weakness and fatigue. I'm trying to push my body to keep working and it's backfiring.
Honestly, sometimes I wish I had not survived COVID. I would have been better off than living this crap every day.
Specializes in CNA telemetry progressive care ICU.
See these things that you say outward sadden me I’m so so sorry u don’t see serve the torment I sometimes am too hard on myself and get manic with taking in too much literally in every way it’s embarrassing I think sometimes I’m spoiled I want too much asking for too much I know I’m humble and however others see me my heart is in the rt place pace yourself and shoot for the stArs what are your plans and what will you do while off?
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Best of luck to you.
Covid is a horrible disease. It's rage-inducing to see other healthcare "professionals" lying about their religious beliefs in order to avoid getting vaccinated.
Honestly? I think you need counseling. It would help you with many things. Just being off is not going to relieve all the other issues.
I actually have been. The problem is, my appointments seem to always happen on my good days, so there's not always something to talk about. Then, when I actually need someone, there's nobody.
It doesn't help that I've recently had multiple changes in therapists/providers due to them changing jobs. I'm also having a hard time finding anyone who might be covered by my insurance. They all seem to be booked or not accepting new patients, so the only places I can get in are leading to significant out of pocket costs.
I've thought maybe it might be good to get into a day therapy program that meets Monday through Friday for a few weeks just as a supplement for the individual therapy, but I haven't heard of the costs. And any group therapy program in general that I've tried getting into doesn't seem to be open. I keep getting put on waiting lists, but I need something now
I keep getting put on waiting lists, but I need something now
Yes you need something NOW.
1 hour ago, SilverBells said:
The problem is, my appointments seem to always happen on my good days, so there's not always something to talk about.
I had a major depression episode in 1990 but the days when I met with the psychiatrist, gosh, darn, I put on a happy face! Told the Psychiatrist I was fine, ...fine with the medicine, fine with my family, fine with my job.
BUT may be it is time to stop saying "good" days or "bad". If you need to, write down your "bad" days describing what you feel. Bring that to the meetings. I purchased a great planner where I write every day about how I feel....it is not a diary but a place to identify things I want to handle better. I take it to all my meetings with psych, ortho and PT (did I tell you I fell and have 6 pelvic fractures). I pursue my health as I once did my education. ARM yourself!
Or just choose ANY Kind of PLANNER. Write down your stumbling blocks, your good or great moments (I do this) and what you plan for tomorrow. The best part of a planner is the page you set goals for the month, review then weekly, and then review your actions towards those goals ( NO PRESSURE, it is just between you and your planner)
Please know I am not profiting from this I just found it works for me.
On another note...think about how privileged we are to be RNs. Yes we were smart (kept ourselves tidy avoiding all legal entanglements such as marijuana convictions, DUI) and frankly worked so hard to excel. All you have to do is look here on AN to see the current nursing students who complain about a myriad of things (Female instructor hating men, faculty writing tricky questions, missing a passing grade by one point (it is ALWAYS 1 point). You get my drift.
Truly I hope Silver Bells, things will get better....
MEDFET, CNA
242 Posts
Silver many will continue to dig its up to you to bury the past honey I’m holding you back and I mean this in a good way if you can cut the ties maybe things will even out and finally peace ☮️ your a queen own it !