advice (not about kidneys) but career

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Andy
Posts: 856
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 1:02 pm
Location: Cardiff, Wales- now Christchurch New Zealand

advice (not about kidneys) but career

Post by Andy »

Hi is any one on here a nurse? I am looking for some advice on nursing as a career.
I would like to do it as a future career, but I have been thinking today whether I will be able to. Im sure that the kidney side of it would be fine. But i am a bi lateral below knee amputee and I dont see the point in trianing for 3 yrs if im not goign to be able to carry on!!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Andy
We are the way we are, if we werent, I wouldnt be me and you wouldnt be you!

www.lltgl.org.uk
amanda in CA
Posts: 1806
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: Georgia, USA

nursing as a career

Post by amanda in CA »

Hi, Andy I'm a qualified nurse although I no longer practice as one. I don't know where you are on the kidney thing, whether on dialysis, transplant etc. I'm not trying to put you off, but nursing can be pretty demanding from a physical viewpoint. I'm not sure if you would be able to nurse as a bi-lateral amputee since there is an awful lot of walking around and standing. Of course there are a lot of specialities in nursing that are not ward based so if you could get through the training phase where you wouldn't have a lot of discretion regarding avoiding standing and walking for a lot of the time you may wish to focus on those. In addition, if you are immuno-suppressed you are more susceptible to any infections that you may pick-up as a result of the work. Although in this day and age you should not be physically lifting patients, I'm sure that it still happens which would not be a good idea if you are on PD because of increasing intra-abdominal pressure during a lift. Have you considered other caring type professions, eg. counselling, social work etc.? Anyway, I wish you all the best with what you decide to do. I would be interested to know how you get on. Amanda
bluemoon
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2004 5:36 pm
Location: North Yorks

Post by bluemoon »

Hi Andy,

I am a Nurse Manager and am currently working full time. I now have a transplant but I worked when I was on dialisis. The NHS is very good, so I was given time off when needed, an office to dialisye in and even a laptop to work from home if I was unwell! Saying all that as a manager the only physical work I do is moving the mouse around my desk!

There is a blanket no lifting policy within the NHS, but you do need to have a level of fitness in which to undertake the job. I do recruit for student nurses with the University and how it works is from the recruitment point of view any disability does not come into it. BUT... any offer of employment is subject to occuational health check.

Anyway, the only way to find out for sure is to apply and see what happens. Let me know if you need any more info.

James
Jim
JMan
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Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:21 am
Location: Lives in a slightly weird bit of Shropshire called Telford!

Post by JMan »

They do say that LA's and Gov depts tend to be better at employing folks in situations like that (I've had mixed experience of this) However a lotta trusts have open days and recruitment fairs etc and even before you're at Uni these might be places to go and ask questions.

See ALso the SKILL site.
I know its a student site but as you haven't done your university course yet there may be other students who HAVE and are in a similar posis. who may have advice better than I can offer.

http://www.skill.org.uk/
"Dialysis! What is this? The dark ages!"
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wing
Posts: 345
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 10:56 am

Post by wing »

Hi Andy.
I'm a nurse - still practicing.
I honestly don't know if your health problems would prevent you from being accepted for nurse training.
As a previous respondent said - all recruits are subject to occupational health assessments.The best thing to do is apply and see what happens!
One way in may be to see if you can get employment as a health care assistant (a type of nurses' helper).
This would give you an excellent view of the nurse's role and would also give you an idea of the physical effort involved in nursing. If you were able to cope with that role - it would then be difficult for anyone to refuse you a place for nurse training on the grounds that you may not cope with the physical aspects of the job.
It is very physical though, and does mean having to do lots of walking (and running too in the event of an emergency!) but once qualified, you can opt for a less physical area of work (vacant posts permitting!).
I do not think that you would be accepted for the training if they did not feel you could do the job once qualified - they would not want to waste the money!!!
Look at :
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/careers/nursing
for more information.
Good luck with it all. Your own experiences can only stand you in good stead in your dealings with patients.
Where there's a will......and all that!
amanda in CA
Posts: 1806
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: Georgia, USA

Wing's comments

Post by amanda in CA »

I think that Wing has given you some good sound advice. One word of caution about working as a health care assistant; I wouldn't do this in a private nursing home. Even though by law, you are not supposed to physically lift, in my experience, this does still happen in nursing homes (although of course you could insist on using mechanical lifting aids as you are supposed to do). Amanda
Andy
Posts: 856
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 1:02 pm
Location: Cardiff, Wales- now Christchurch New Zealand

Post by Andy »

I know this post is old, but I was thinking about it again.
I have now sent off my UCAS application (applications to uni) after i had a meeting the the occupational health doctor. He was not that useful But i have applied to do nursing mainly in the child's field but i did put down one choice 4 adults.

Cheers
Andy
We are the way we are, if we werent, I wouldnt be me and you wouldnt be you!

www.lltgl.org.uk
JMan
Posts: 3470
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:21 am
Location: Lives in a slightly weird bit of Shropshire called Telford!

Post by JMan »

Hey Andy..

The VERY BEST OF LUCK with your UCAS application.:)

I'm sure you'll do good in whatever you end up pursueing..

Hugs

J
Elaine
Posts: 1704
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 11:06 am
Location: south west

Good Luck Andy ;)

Post by Elaine »

Good Luck Andy and fingers crossed 4 u with u nursing career etc :wink:
Least u have enough empathy etc after being on recieving end of lots of nursing etc. :P :wink:

good luck (((HUGZ))) Elaine & Rach :P :wink:
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