ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Post-Treatment => Topic started by: Nickittynic on November 14, 2009, 09:19:53 pm
-
After my last "back to work" post, Cheryl (Another NY postie) was nice enough to send me a PM and suggest I ask all the nurses out there about their experiences. I know there are a lot of you on here, but I'm not sure who to PM specifically, otherwise I'd do that and spare the rest of the board. :P
I was just wondering if anyone would be willing to share what your experience was like in returning to work, if there were any things that were especially difficult or maybe that you'd wished you'd known before returning, any advice, and anyone who decided to change careers instead?
Maybe you can tell I'm a little nervous to return to the 12 hour night shift... ;)
-
Hi nickittynic,
I'm a nurse, but did not have to go back to work for a while, and then only very part time as a homehealth nurse.
So I don't know how much help I am! I would definitely recommend easing into work, if possible with half shifts. Others who have returned to work whatever their field, found the fatigue to be great when returning. This is normal,and does improve.
Your body will definitely let you know if you are overdoing it. Someone got a letter from their doctor to put off full time status. Don't know if this is an option for you.
I would be more than a little nervous myself returning to 12 hour shifts!
I'm the "house manager" being a military wife, so do everything on that front. Never have gone back full time since the kids were born.
Would love to chat more. PM me. You sound like a strong willed nurse type! Everyone is soooo different.
Any other nurses?
I know Nancy Ann is a nurse and went back to work. See if she'll pipe in.
Good luck, when do you have to start the madness
And have you always been on nights? You LIKE that???!!!!!
Maureen
-
You might want to PM some of the nurses.
The ones I recall off the top of my head are: Cheryl R, lori67, oHIo, TxNurseNoelle, and nancyann.
I know that oHIo (Deb) returned to work after her AN surgery; don't know about the rest.
Jan
-
I'm not sure who to PM specifically, otherwise I'd do that and spare the rest of the board.
Don't be silly. :)
First of all, many of us will be interested to see what the Florence Nightingales of the ANA have to say. Second, there will no doubt be another newbie nurse coming along sooner or later, who will be pleased to see this topic and the discussion that ensues.
Bring it on.
Steve
-
Hi there Nicki: Like I said, I've had a 'desk job' for the past 12 years, but I was a staff nurse for 17 years. You know what the pace usually is on your floor, so for starters you're going to have to gage that energy level with how you're feeling. As of this moment, you aren't ready to go back yet. You still need to build your energy, both physically & mentally/emotionally (especially dealing also with facial/eye issues).
Getting back to work WILL be exhausting at first, there's no way around it. Definitely start back part time, see about 8 hour shifts at first, if possible, 2-3 times a week & see how you do for the first 2-3 weeks.
You may want to look into an area of nursing less fast paced, like education, human resources, infection control, risk management, etc.
I wish you all the best, Always good thoughts, Nancy
-
Thanks guys!
Well I'll be going in on the 23rd to get "approved" by employee health to return. Planning on seeing how three 8 hour shifts a week treats me and then either add or subtract from there. Honestly, I would love to move to a "desk job" or another area than floor nursing, or even just stay home!, but I'm not sure I'm qualified and I haven't seen my husband jump up to find a job, so I guess this is what I have to do.
I'll be the one standing in the middle of the hall trying to figure out where the call bell ring is coming from.. ;)
-
Good luck with that, Nickittynic!!
I hope you feel up to it. My wish for you is that they say come back after the holidays :) Any possibility of that?????? Isn't the census usually down? (except for new years eve- don't lots of babies try to get born then?)
Happy Thanksgiving too :)
Maureen
-
Maureen,
Staying until after the holidays would be great!
Honestly I don't think my manager cares when I come back as far as the unit's concerned, but just wants me to be ready when I do come back. Unfortunately all the people involved with my physical recovery are saying I'm fit to return now, so my disability ends this weekend. My new therapist (psych) is the only one who says I'm probably not ready, but she's not the one to sign the papers so whatareyagunnado?
If only I could win the lotto.. :P
-
It's not the physical which needs to be all better but the mental to think clearly and not get over tired from. Plus the paper work as my hospital is not on computer for the charting. Orders were all computer and weren't too bad to do.
I feel for you but know sometimes when one has to,they have to. I hope it does go well for you!
Cheryl R
-
Nicky~
I am NOT a nurse (but if I could do it over again after this whole AN thing - that's what I would've done!)...just some thoughts...a school nurse (NOT the health aide) or since you work in OB/GYN, how about working in an office? My next door neighbor went from working LDR to working for one of the baby Dr's. Also, she has done some OB home health care - I can't remember the name of the company but I can find out if you would like...just maybe not so demanding or fast paced. I would think LDR would be VERY active all the time!
K ;D
-
Nicki: Take a deep breath, find ways to really relax this weekend. See how you feel after working each day next week, - if it is too much, let your nurse manager know what's going on.
Who knows, this may be a time for you to take a less fast paced position in nursing; as Kay & others (including me) have encouraged.
My job entails getting days authorized for psychiatric inpatients, + alot of 'behind the scenes' work. It is do-able after the AN saga. So, a suggestion is to see if there's a case management/clinical care coordinator position open in your area of expertise.
I wish you all the best, always good thoughts, Nancy
-
Thanks all! Case management and medical crisis counseling are both things I've thought about after this whole AN thing. Home health Ob care (not sure I could do something non-OB) could be cool, too! Kay, was the company you're thinking of maybe Matria? I guess my plan is to see how I handle part-time on my unit, and then work towards something else. A friend who works at the same hospital knows a high-up in professional development so he's going to talk to her for me. :)
-
I do think it was Matria...
K ;D
-
Hi,
I am a nurse and my husband's helper after his acoustic neuroma surgery ten days ago. I'll be back to work on April19th on Pediatrics. I wish I could stay and help him with his recovery. Today he's totally exhausted and has had a headache since 4am. I wish I could share his pain and balance issues. I've always leaned on him and now the role is reversed. I wish I could help more.
Marilyn
-
Lori's a nurse. Where are you Lori ???
-
Well, just to let you all know, I have been back to work. It took me longer than the docs said it would, but when I was ready I was ready. I started with 2 eight hour shifts per week and did that for a month (PS I work night shift so that's 11pm - 7am), then did two 12 hour shifts a week for the last month, and this week I start my regular schedule - three 12 hour shifts a week.
It's tiring but I'm doing fine. Having had a 'patient experience' myself helps me be a better nurse, I think. And all the other nurses on my unit know about what happened so they help me out. One of the nurses I work with is blind in one eye, so we tease each other about standing on each other's "good side". The only thing I'm having some issues with is the SSD. When an alarm is ringing I can't find which room it's in!
The main thing is that I'm really glad I took my time and went back on *my* schedule, not the docs. I think I would have been too overwhelmed and probably quit altogether!
-
Wonderful news Nicki: being a 'young' nurse has certainly helped you get back into working the floors. I can't imagine what it's like for you. I haven't worked the floors for 13 years. Don't think I'd be able to....
You're a very strong woman, you're in my thoughts & prayers. Always good thoughts, Nancy
-
Good to hear it is going well for work and that you were able get back slowly to adjust. I had to do 11-7 ages ago for a bit and never did adjust. I did 3-11 for a long time and was fine as I am not a morning person. Before I retired I was doing 11 am -7 pm due to some weird changing around of help but I really liked that. 12 hr days every 3rd weekend which I did not like! Now retired and do miss it some and some aspects do not. More and more paperwork is added but don't think the higher ups understand that there are patients to take care of too. They haven't went to all computer charting yet.
Plus I understand how some days everyone who is on, is pushed to the limit even if one is in good health!
Cheryl R
-
Great news Nicki!
So glad you were able to work according to your body's wishes, and not the doctor's. Way to hang in there and be proactive.
The BAHA would definitely be something to look into. I know that the sounds coming from who knows where can be quite emotionally fatiguing after a while.
Rest on your days off, ya hear? HA!
Maureen
-
Nicki -
Joining the party late here (story of my life), but glad to hear you are back in the swing of things.
I haven't gone back to work yet and don't plan to until my youngest is in school full time, but I'm not sure I can do the hospital nursing thing anymore. My husband teases me that someone down the hall could be flatlining and it would take me an hour to check every room until I found the right beeping thing! He's right! It takes me that long to find my cell phone in my house half the time! I'm sure I would adjust and figure things out before too long, but I'm sticking with the "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" thing! :D Besides, my heart is in Physical Therapy anyway and the worst I could do there is lose my balance and drop someone. Oh wait, that's bad too, isn't it? :o
The BAHA is great for hearing the sounds, but hasn't helped me with where those sounds are coming from, so in my case, it wouldn't help me locate the beeping. I have a feeling you'll start to pick up on where the sounds are coming from after a while and you'll do just fine!
Lori
-
So sorry I am just now replying...I'm in the same boat as Lori......(late is better than nothing, right?) I'm a surgery nurse and I was only supposed to be off for 4 weeks, but I was out of surgery for a year. During the operation, I had rare swelling for the positioning of my neck that basically squished C 5-6 and I ended up with a brachial plexus injury from the should down in my right (of course dominant) arm. The swelling also gave me Horner Syndrome. After 4 months of much physical therapy, and pain meds :):):) I went back to work in our hospital's computer department because we were getting a new EMR. I taught the new EMR for several months while my right arm slowly regained use. At about 1 year post-op, I was given the green light to go back to my love of surgery. So, that is where i remain. Pretty much 100% now. Yes, deaf on the left, and not the world's best balance, but still as useful :) My hearing and balance are roughly the same as they were pre-op, so for me, once my arm function retunred, I was good as new.
One thing I do notice from time to time though, and I believe it would be normal once you have the insides of your head messed with, is that I notice its hard to get my thoughts out verbally. I've noticed a few times that it takes a few seconds longer to actually say what I am thinking..... but maybe that's just me getting older (I'm only 31 - but I think it's been a gradual decline since I started nursing :)
Good luck to you in easing back into our wonderful profession......
-Amy
-
Amy: you are one strong cookie to get back into surgical nursing. Though you are younger than me (I'm 54) I can't imagine working the floors with single sided deafness & balance/facial issues. I'm lucky in that I haven't worked the floors for 13 years ( I'm a clinical care coordinator in psychiatry).
Wishing you all the best ! Always good thoughts, Nancy
-
Thanks, Nancy. I am sure trying my best. I work with really understanding co-workers and docs...and most all know at this point just to talk louder and I can hear them better. My hearing was so dimished before, having the SSD didn't really seem much different. The balance issues are so mild, they are barely existent. I consider myself lucky to be getting better, and very lucky I have retained my job :)
In any aspect of nursing, I think being a patient for once always opens our eyes to facets we only thought we understood.
-Amy :)