Temporary Disability

[newmom17]

Hello all. About 6 weeks ago I dislocated and broke my kneecap among other things and got surgery in the hopes to repair it all. During this time I have been out on short term disability which sucks since it only pays out 60% of my actual pay. My husband and I figured we could put up with it in the short term but after my first surgery we learned the damage was more extensive than they’d realized and a second surgery would have to be performed requiring me to be out to at least June at the earliest. Did I mention STD pay sucks? I am desperately looking for something else (literally any other work I can do in the interim to earn what I’ve been making as an RN. The caveat is I’m not allowed to supplement per my insurance company, so any money I earn would be subtracted from whatever I get from the insurance company which would mean I’d have to earn enough working to at least make up for, if not surpass, my benefits. See my dilemma? Anyone had to go through this and have some advice? 

*If it helps any I can walk right now but it’s with a pretty gnarly limp and I’m not yet able to carry extra weight which is why I can’t just go back to my bedside role

[amoLucia]

On ‎3‎/‎24‎/‎2021 at 10:50 PM, brandy1017 said:

My hospital only gave light duty for WC.  Otherwise you were on your own.  I had my own STD policy till I retired, because we didn't have that till later on.

TY. I was beginning to think that I must've worked in the world's worst insensitive facilities. So lucky for those staff in places so much more sensitive & accommodating.

[C.Love, MSN, NP]

It would be ideal to get light duty, which is hard to find. I'm on state disabily now while recovering from surgery. I don't think you can be on medical leave from one place of employment and work at another. My state disability is about the same take home pay as my regular working hours, but I'm responsible to pay for benefits out of my PTO bank.  In California state disability goes for a year. If you can get that and just relax and let it heal, then return to work. It's paying insurance benefits that makes it costly if you run out of PTO, and if that's the case you may need to take a loan from the 401K. In the past I have gone back to work too early after an injury and later regretted it.  Hang in there.

Connie

[londonflo]

I always returned to my job within a day or two of my pneumonias. Wrong decision and worse outcome. When 'rest' is RX'd. REST. I have so much scarring in my lungs that I am lucky to get a pulse ox of 90 and have to live with it.

I am wondering if further education would be an option. You are getting 60% which is better than those who quit their job to go to school. You have a  new baby (congratulations).  

Try to think about how you could use this time (with the minimal pay) to maximize your future.