I am writing to tell a little about myself. I am new here. I am an LVN and have worked as a nurse for about 10yrs. I was injured at work falling onto a concrete floor. I Damaged my neck, broke my collarbone, tore my rotator cuff and managed to get damage in my lower back as well. After the injury I sustained at work and a few months after I had another fall at home when my kids left their mardi gras beads on the parkay floor. Anyway after I was hurt at work I was fired from my job. They refused to give me any information on how to get any medical help for myself. I had to get an attorney and didn't have any other medical insurance and had to wait about 8 months just to see a regular doctor. I did have to see the ER doc for the extreme pain that I was experiencing because I couldn't take it anymore. After waiting about five years to get to see a judge. He denied my lower back injury and I was only compensated for the neck injury. I feel that they were atleast half responsible for the lower back too. But since then I have had increasing back trouble and have developed RA which I found out is hereditary in my family and nerve damage. I have tried to work but don't last very long due to the pain. I have tried to get disability insurance but have had no luck. The attorney I hired for the disability claim doesn't even keep contact with me but to send letters every so often so I don't know what's going on with it. I try calling but only get the answering service and get told that the person I need to speak to is not in. My doctor has told me I can go back to work but cannot stand on my feet and can only lift 5lbs or less. I am disgusted and just confused as to what to do now. I am dissapointed because nursing was supposed to be my life career and now I can't even find work doing what I love to do. I have tried only to get really rude responses to even filling out an application. I have even had potential employers tell me not to even bother filling out applications. I have no idea what to do now.

Your state likely has a Rehabilitation Commission with a goal of helping disabled people get into employment- they may be able to help you? I am in teh UK and things are very different here, but knowing your limitations, maybe you could consider working in a school or clinic, or even the possibility of using a wheelchair/ scooter in your work. Which state are you living in?

Think about what you *can* do... make a list of the things you are good at, and prioritise them 1,2 or 3- 1 is not the best, 3 is tops, absolute best. You can have as many 1 2 or 3 as you want. How can you turn more of the 1's into 3's?

Then, make a list of the things you struggle with: again, 1 2 or 3. If you don't really struggle too much, put a 3. If you struggle a lot put a 1, etc. Now think about what accomodation or adjustment you need to turn your 1's into 3. For example, if you can only walk short distances, but you could use a scooter to overcome that, it would make that part easier, so you wouldn't need to struggle as much. Or if pain was an issue, you might want to get a plan to develop a pain management regimen- to make it something that is less of a struggle.

As a nurse, you are skilled in assessment and in problem solving: it's a bereavement to become disabled, and its natural to be angry at others- I'm not being critical of you. BUT at some point you have to make a decision how much control you are going to allow others to have over your life.

Nursing is flexible and there are many facets. Maybe you could consider becoming an RN to open up your options. Or get a teaching certificate. Or management qualification. Think about what you want, then make a plan. Under the ADA, if you can show how reasonable adjustments will make your job easier, or make it possible for you to work, you have the right to have those adjustments. Its not quite as good as the law and resources here in the UK, but in both cases its up to the individual to tell the employer what they need.

Good luck, and I hope you find your pathway through all this. Think of how much better a nurse you can be knowing all you do about the practical receipt of healthcare!

Beth