Time on Feet/Area of Nursing

HealthyRN · Jun 5, 2007

When I worked in the ER, 92-100% of the time was spent on my feet. The other 8% was when I got a lunch break and got to sit down for an hour, which was most of the time. But I did not sit down for the other 11+ hours. This was in a level 2 ER with 80,000-100,000 patient visits per year.

Now, I work in community health and spend only 15-20% of the time on my feet. This suits me much better. I'm only 22 years old, but those non-stop hours were too much for me to handle. I consider myself to be in excellent shape- I do step aerobics and run 6 days/wk. However, nothing compares to a nursing shift in the ER. I think it has something to do with the mental stress that goes along with the job and contributes to the fatigue that you feel at the end of the day.

AimeeJo RN · Jun 5, 2007

A few suggestions of where you may be able to spend less time on your feet... Doctor's office for example at group health. Assisted living. In home care. Telephone consulting nurse.

I don't know what is available in your area and the pay may not be as good but there are options. I myself work in home care. Being on my feet all day is not appealing to me either.

TazziRN, RN · Jun 5, 2007

It will definitely depend on what area of nursing you choose. I worked ER and there were days when I never sat down unless it was on the toi-ty.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jun 5, 2007

When I worked days on Med/Surg I NEVER sat down except to use the potty or woof down lunch in 10 mins while beeper continued to go off and off again. We did a study at work. We all wore pedometers, we averaged 18 miles in a 12 hour shift. After 6 years I gave up. I'm 51 can't do it anymore.

Lorelai22RN, RN · Jun 5, 2007

I work med/tele and am usually running the whole 12 hour shift except for charting and lunch if I get time for a lunch break! I'm 22 years old but I feel worn out at the end of my shift and for days later because we are so busy! I feel like KatRN about the mental stress.....lol but I am going PRN at my job after Friday and I will be working for an insurance company......busy in some ways but not nearly as much stress on my feet/body! My feet hurt just thinking about it!

allnurses Guide · Jun 5, 2007

I worked as a Med/Surge RN for three years, and some nights I rarely got to sit down, and then some nights my patients weren't as acute and I got to sit down a bit more.

Now I work psych, and I probably am sitting down about 90 percent of the time. I actually miss the physical fitness that came with being a Med/Surge nurse =), but I don't miss the mental stress.

Medic2RN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 5, 2007

I work in an ICU stepdown and am on my feet 98-100% of the time on a "12" hour shift. Charting is even in a standing position due to how the computers are set up.

My feet hurt, the next morning I can hardly walk with those puppies throbbing.

Funny I came across this today - I just made a doctors appointment for the very same reason.

jolleygirl · Jun 5, 2007

As an LPN in a doctors office I spend 75% of my time on my feet, (The RN's jockey phone calls between pt/doc, pt teaching etc, and are not on there feet nearly as much- it may be different in different specialities.)

In Nursing home (previously), I was lucky to get 30 minute lunch, and was on my feet 90% or more.

Good Luck finding the right job for you.

rn/writer, RN · Jun 5, 2007

I work postpartum. On my feet at least 50% of the time. When in a room for teaching, I try to grab a guest chair. This also contributes to patient's feeling that I took more time with them.

I changed from wearing nursing/athletic shoes to clogs. That has made a world of difference. My feet used to hurt all the time. Especially after I took the shoes off and my feet would swell. No such problems with the clogs. I do need to wear the strap on my heel and I put arch supports in the less expensive models, but that's a small price to pay for the huge increase in comfort.

Just the reduction in the weight of the shoes alone makes a difference. And now, when I kick off the clogs, there is no swelling, no throbbing, no aching.

The side benefit is the cost. Most of mine were $9-15. I have one pair in a hard to find color (that I wear often) that I paid $30 for. That one extravagance aside, I can buy 3-5 pairs of clogs for one pair of athletic shoes. And all those colors . . . .

I wish you well in trying to fing a good fit, both in job and shoes.

RNinSoCal · Jun 6, 2007

I have been wearing a pedometer to work recently and the shortest amount of miles I walk in a day on med/surg is 4.5 and the longest is 7. My feet do hurt when I get home.

allantiques4me · Jun 6, 2007

It definetely depends on where you work.