For nurses, patient care is priority numero uno. From the moment you clock in until the moment you clock out (and often on your drive home), you are concerned about the health, safety and well-being of the individuals placed in your care. But for some nurses, illness is something that is understood on both a professional and deeply personal level.
So how do nurses living with chronic conditions do it? We turned to the nurses on our Facebook page to hear from them on what gets them through the tough shifts.
“I have Sjögrens, and also residual left side nerve damage from West Nile. I pace myself during flareups. The chronic left leg pain is ever present; however, the patients I care for in ICU help me keep the pain in perspective. My leg hurts if I’m at work or at home. At work, my focus is on my patients.” —Lyn W.
“It is the hardest thing in the world to take care of others while you feel your own body is failing you, but I took strength from my patients as a lot of them were going through a harder time than I was, health-wise. Even with all my knowledge, I still felt completely overwhelmed and scared. After two years of unsuccessful anti-thyroid medication, I did the radioactive iodine treatment (and got worse before I got better), but I finally feel human again. I will never forget how incredibly vulnerable you feel as a patient. I am a better nurse for it in the end.” —KT M.
“I hope that I’ve at least set a foundation for knowing how to take care of myself so that I can take care of my patients. So no all-nighters for me (or 24 hours awake, I should say…I’m a night shifter), and I stuff my pockets with fluids, snacks and my own meds that I cannot miss…I’ve even used my tube at work on really bad days. Bottom line, I had to learn not to feel guilty for taking care of myself or having needs that aren’t identical to those of my peers.” —Rachel N.
“Goodness it’s hard. Sometimes it involves advocating for myself (‘I know we’re busy, but I need five minutes to get some water, use the bathroom and take my medication’) and standing up to doctors…I try my best to take care of myself at work, but also at home. Getting adequate rest is a struggle, as is proper nutrition for my conditions, but I do try. The same goes for exercise. If I’m treating my body like crap all the time, I can’t expect it to function properly.” —Kelly V.
“I transitioned from the Adult ICU to a multi-practice outpatient center. The schedule, hours and less physically demanding workload help. But I do miss the ICU setting sometimes.” —Di M.
Do you have experience in balancing work with personal health issues? Share any tips you’ve learned along the way in a comment below!
This article was republished with permission from SCRUBS Magazine.
I was on social security disability for 2 years before I went back to nursing for multiple reasons not the least of which was a TBI from a car accident. I also am fused from C3-C7 and herniated from C1-C3 and C7-T4. They can’t do much for that except medication and injections, (I get 70 injections in my neck and back every six weeks). I fight with the system for my medication because of the opiate epidemic but being a chronic pain patient for 25 years I can’t function properly without them. I don’t take them at work of course but I need them by the time I get home. I work 120-150 hours every 2 weeks and I work nights so it’s hard to take care of myself. I find regular exercise and diet along with following my doctors instructions helps a lot. Also sleeping as much as I can aids in my recovery. I am also bipolar so taking my medicine as prescribed is a huge part of doing well in life and at work. I am grateful I was able to go back to work. Many people can’t ever get off disability. I just fought every day to recover and when God gave me the opportunity to return I took it. My faith also is a big part of what keeps me going!
Thanks so much for your comment. I have heart disease had a quadruple bypass, arthritic spine and diabetes.
Sometimes I find it hard to sit, to get up from a sitting position and the spine pain is constant. I figure if I am in that much pain I am no use to the patients, (but I work in Pediatrics) the patients don’t care about my pain.
I like to be cheerful but its hard to be cherry when you are in pain. I am also trying to lose some weight. Like you I am also deficient in vitamin D, I am thinking about retiring because of my health.
My back is shot. So bad that I could get that “disabled” label. But that would probably mean never working as an RN again (which I will NEVER do unless I can no longer walk!!) What do I do? I’m a hospice RN. I pace myself. I say “No” when I know that if I say “Yes”, I won’t be able to move the next three days. I stand up for myself, mostly without any guilt involved. I do this because I know that if I take care of myself, I can take better care of my patients & their families.
I suffer from lumbar facet joint disease,spinal arthritis and Fibromyalgia. I work every weekend double shifts on an orthopedic rehab unit and love it. I also suffer hypothyroid managed with levothyroxine. While my shifts are long and quite busy, I’ve learned to pace myself, take frequent breaks even if I have to hide in the bathroom. I try to eat a high protein low carb diet, as the less body weight I carry the less pain I’m in. I keep my needed meds in my locker and not one co worker knows what I’m taking. I also drink a lot of water to keep my system flushed. I did learn yesterday after a D25 I’m deficient in vitamin D, which my contribute to my pain levels. I’m now taking weekly D supplements. Stretching exersizes do help when I feel tight, as well as walking it off. I hope this helps someone.