RE: Leaving veterinary nursing - back problems

Selena Carnell — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 15:14:56 GMT

i had 3 months off work between sept and december last year due to a slipped disc. I was partly doing management/nursing. its difficult if i sit for too long my back gets sore and also if i stand. i get leg and hip pain too. :(

RE: Leaving veterinary nursing - back problems

r-more — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 13:59:49 GMT

Have you considered practice management/administration? You mentioned lab work, I. Ruse I worked with a good few years ago had worked in laboratory and I don’t believe she had a degree.

RE: Leaving veterinary nursing - back problems

Sal the 1st — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 23:24:02 GMT

[quote user="Josephine "]

I've been qualified for nearly 8 years now and a year ago I started to have back pain and constant sciatica. Long story short, I have spinal stenosis and 2 herniated discs so I'm now limited as to what I can do at work. My bosses have been very good - I'm not allowed to do any lifting, deal with big dogs or get on the floor to help - they even employed a vet nurse assistant to help me on the late shift and Saturdays!

Anyway, my passion for nursing is dwindling and I'm just not happy anymore. Adding to this, our rota will be changing soon and we are expected to do more hours which I just don't think I'll physically be able to do.

I've been thinking about alternative jobs but I don't really know where to start. I like laboratory work but I feel like you need a science degree for that! I'm just wondering what other people have done once they decided to stop nursing?

Has anyone else got back problems and how do you cope? It really gets me down as I just feel like a burden to the other nurses who I know are getting sick of my limited duties.

[/quote]

not a back problem exactly but back pain caused by a hip problem (waiting for hip replacement). I had some surgical intervention as a stop gap measure last October because I just couldn't stand it any longer which has helped some but its not perfect by any means.

Yes sometimes I feel a little guilty when I know there are things that are just not possible for me anymore without help - I can get down on the floor when necessary but getting up is a real problem and heavy lifting without assistance I will admit can be a bit dodgy if it involves turning as well - but then I am a good 20-30 years older than the rest of the nursing staff and doing a full time shift whereas 2 out of the 3 of them are only part time - so I figure the little bit of extra they are having to do because of me is hardly likely to wear them out, in fact its more likely that I will end up covering for their sick days than they will have to cover for me. I try to compensate by putting 150% into what I can do.

If you like talking and listening to people training in counselling and the talking therapies might be something to consider or maybe customer services.

I do spend a fair amount of time on reception/dispensing/paperwork these days - not necessarily because I love reception but because it causes fewer problems for everybody else.

RE: Leaving veterinary nursing - back problems

Katie Germany — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 18:41:49 GMT

What about teaching? You could see if there are any vacancies at local colleges. Vet nursing or animal management?

Or working as a rep for the drug ir food companies?

RE: Leaving veterinary nursing - back problems

Nicola Smith — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 18:12:16 GMT

The jab companies often employ rvns, abaxis, idexx etc? May be worth contacting the lab companies and see if they have anything on offer?