Time on Feet/Area of Nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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The one part of becoming a nurse that I am concerned about is spending a lot of time on my feet. I can handle working the 12 hours; I have before in different jobs - but on my feet?!? My feet are aching at the thought of it. I just need a realistic expectation of what I am in for.

What percentage of time do you spend on your feet and in what area of nursing are you in?

Thanks!

I must be very sleepy now that I had to erase my duplicate post here.

Goodnight!

zzzZZZZZZ...

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Pssst.. I'm about to reveal my TOP SECRET solution for your aching feet, so pay attention fellows :nono: .

I had the same agony like everybody said here. My feet were hurting for the last 3 years working in an ER. Out of desperation, I tried many ways I could think of to at least alleviate my aching feet ( like arch support, buy different shoes every month and etc, etc) but to no avail. After many trials and errors for years, I finally found a solution that works ( it might work with your too).

Here are the simplified version of my solutions:

1) I Keep two pairs of comfy shoes in my locker.

2) During my lunch breaks, I would put ice in a plastic bag and stuck it in the pair of shoes that I'm about to use for the replacement of my morning shoes. I usually keep the ice there for about 7 to 15 minutes ( the cooler the better)

3) Then before replacing my morning shoes, I would roll the sole of my feet on an empty bottle by rocking the bottle back and forth on the floor for about 30 seconds. My final strokes before slipping my feet inside of a cool, comfy shoes are gentle twists that serve like a massage or stretch.

What about the third pair in the locker? use it whenever you feel like you have to refresh your feet after you use the second pair. It may seem cumbersome to keep changing your shoes but it gets easier as you do it several times. And it is better than having the pain while working.

Sound simple? that's right but my solutions are able to rejuvenate my feet and help me to concentrate on my work without having to experience the pain I used to have in the old days. Now, I even ride a bike when I get home since I have no more nagging pain.

Why don't you all try it? You got nothing to lose but pain. The only problem

is if it does not work, I can't give you a refund since I'm not getting paid for my invention. :lol2: If it works, I'll be happy to know.

Alright, who wants to give it a try :monkeydance: ?

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

1) i keep two pairs of comfy shoes in my locker. wish i had a locker to put them in :angryfire

2) during my lunch breaks, i would put ice in a plastic bag and stuck it in the pair of shoes that i'm about to use for the replacement of my morning shoes. i usually keep the ice there for about 7 to 15 minutes ( the cooler the better)

this i can try- taking the shoes off during my break [hope it works].

3) then before replacing my morning shoes, i would roll the sole of my feet on an empty bottle by rocking the bottle back and forth on the floor for about 30 seconds. my final strokes before slipping my feet inside of a cool, comfy shoes are gentle twists that serve like a massage or stretch. this sounds good. great idea.

alright, who wants to give it a try :monkeydance: ?

about 95% of my shift is on my feet in the ed. make that about 93% if you count going on my knees to start ivs & draw blood on the patients waiting in chairs for a bed to open up [thinking about buying knee pads]-it's either that or becoming a hunchback.

:offtopic: now, i just need to vent a little about the lack of locker thing [came to mind thinking about the odor that will be in the trailer when i take the shoes off during my break]: get a new job that has a nicer bunch of people but way more crowded with patients. there is no place for me to put my bag. the break room is a trailer in the patient parking lot, about 500 feet from the back entrance of the hospital. tried once arriving a 1/2 hour early to put my dinner in the refrig. in the trailer; but, because i have to go through the er to get to the back entrance of the hospital (to get to the trailer), i get stopped trying to make my way through the masses and put right to work. the bag i brought now goes on a top shelf in the utility room where i forgot about until i opened the utility room on my next shift 3 days later. it was a tuna fish sandwich. couldn't decide whether to leave it there or throw it out (still can't understand why nobody else discovered and tossed it?). now, if we had a break room and/or locker within the confines of our unit (or a little respect for one's time when not officially on shift) this probably wouldn't have happened (or, at least, they would know who the culprit was). i go back to work tomorrow, 2 days after my discovery......what do you think i did with that sandwich???

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Specializes in emergency.

I am currently in emergency, and I am on my feet the whole shift except for breaks and toilet stops. When I was working on a medical ward, as a nurse on the floor maybe got to sit down 20-25% of the time. I did an admin role for a time as well where I was sitting about 80-90% of the day, and I found that I had more problems with my back with all the sitting.

Goos shoes are an absolute godsend, and I have a foot spa at home that I can use if my feet are a bit too achy when I get home (doesn't happen that often though).

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.

I have used a pedometer - and I average 7 miles per 8 hour shift on a busy MedSurg floor. If I sit at all, it is strictly spur-of-the moment accident.

I have had foot problems ALL my life - one visit to Good Feet for a REAL arch support and I have NO problems with my feet anymore.

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