Please I need help and support!

janie68
janie68 Member Posts: 1,186
I have just returned to work after having 4 months off. I am a staff nurse on a mental health ward and was finding that the constant walking etc was taking its toll on me. So therefore after numerous meetings, I returned with a lovley powered wheelchair provided by access to work last week. I have RA all down my right side and spine. My managers have not been, I feel particularly supportive, they didnt want me back in a wheelchair at all but had no choice in the matter (hospital policy and DDA reasonable adjustments).

Now they have called another meeting with me and occy health, as they are not happy. they say that I am unable to do CPR and this needs to be discussed. It has already been dealt with, I admitted that I could not completly kneel down on both knees but could on my left knee.

I wouldnt mind but I saw them yesterday and they did not mention it at all. It was occy health who rang and told me about it today. The meeting is monday morning.

I feel unvalued, that they just dont want me at all working on the ward.

I feel hurt and now want to throw the towel in. It is going to stress me out and you know that arthritis gets worse with stress!

Should I now apply for illhealth?

I dont think I have the strength now to fight.

My union are aware of the situation and have been very good.

I suppose I just wanted to get it off my chest and I know that you all will have an idea of how I am feeling.

I would appreciate your thoughts!!

Thanks

Janie :cry:

Comments

  • topgirl
    topgirl Member Posts: 290
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Im sorry to hear what your going through....I too have RA and funnily enough its all down my right side( plus two thumbs) which I think is strange as everyone keeps telling me its symetrical..so im glad im not the only one!
    I am currently of work as my job also involves a lot of walking( I work in retail)and im waiting for a meeting to see what reasonable adjustments can be put in place to allow me to return..I have also do not feel that my place of work has not been suportive.
    I know that when ur feeling poorly its hard to fight your case at work . I feel the same. Part of me thinks '**** it' finish work and live on benefits which, lets face it, is not enough to live on..but on a better day i think ' right, I didnt ask for this illness, im a good employee , and i bloody well have the right to stay in my job..'
    I dont know if it would be possible to stay in your job without having to do CPR but I really think you need to fight your corner.
    Nurses are so valuable...and the mere fact that you want to continue your job whilst in a wheelchair tells me how commited you must be.
    Keep fighting...we are all behind you.
    x
  • markc1
    markc1 Member Posts: 253
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    janie68 wrote:
    I have just returned to work after having 4 months off. I am a staff nurse on a mental health ward and was finding that the constant walking etc was taking its toll on me. So therefore after numerous meetings, I returned with a lovley powered wheelchair provided by access to work last week. I have RA all down my right side and spine. My managers have not been, I feel particularly supportive, they didnt want me back in a wheelchair at all but had no choice in the matter (hospital policy and DDA reasonable adjustments).

    Now they have called another meeting with me and occy health, as they are not happy. they say that I am unable to do CPR and this needs to be discussed. It has already been dealt with, I admitted that I could not completly kneel down on both knees but could on my left knee.

    I wouldnt mind but I saw them yesterday and they did not mention it at all. It was occy health who rang and told me about it today. The meeting is monday morning.

    I feel unvalued, that they just dont want me at all working on the ward.

    I feel hurt and now want to throw the towel in. It is going to stress me out and you know that arthritis gets worse with stress!

    Should I now apply for illhealth?

    I dont think I have the strength now to fight.

    My union are aware of the situation and have been very good.

    I suppose I just wanted to get it off my chest and I know that you all will have an idea of how I am feeling.

    I would appreciate your thoughts!!

    Thanks

    Janie :cry:







    I am in total sympathy with you,i am in a very similar position to you.Try to keep positive and see what happens
    :roll:
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, I'm sorry your having a rough time. I know nursing is a physical job, but mental health nursing must be less heavy especally on some wards. I know nursing now has a lot of paper work, surely you would be able to do this and people with mental health issues need staff who can talk to them I would have thoght that would be ideal for both you and the patients. As for CPR, are there really likely to be many times that you would have to do it. There must be other staffon the ward. I really hope that things work our for you as we need people like you working, not sitting at home waisting years of training. As for the chair, that could be a positive role model for people to see you working and disabled.

    Good luck, Love Sue

    PS I'm a carer who developed OA in my neck and spine and have bee retired sick. I miss working so much, but it was too heavy I went back after a year off, it lasted six months. But I did try, so at least I know that. Good wishes, Love Sue
  • janie68
    janie68 Member Posts: 1,186
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    Thanks for your comments. Its nice to know that you are there. Got the meeting on monday, my manager even phoned me friday afternoon checking I was going. Let you know how I get on.

    Janie :|
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, Good Luck for Friday! :) I hope all goes well, are you able to take someone with you, it helps sometimes? I think I'd take notes, at the meeting and write down anything you want to ask in advance. Memories, especially under stress, can be faulty! :oops: :) Lots of luck, love Sue
  • maz6850
    maz6850 Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hya Janie sorry to hear your work probs .... especially how undervalue you feel ....I left May 2007 for hip op and thought I was going back at the 6 mths they found 2nd hip needing doing ...so cap in t'hand tearfully told her that I could not get back it took till May 08 to get a bed etc etc and Sep R arm gave in so now another op ... HeadT came to see me and said I was going to be dismissed on ill health .... felt put down and so useless cried buckets ..she then said I could have been dismissed during the inbetween hip op dates, at this stage I told her to leave my house --- she then put her hand on my shoulder and said "You aren`t going to do anything stupid " ..hmmm bunch of fives !!!... after 44 yrs of working I`ve never been dismissed.. so the occup doc put me in for early retirement through ill - health and the label does feel more dignified..it has been accepted ....but lots of forms ..if u decide remember to keep p/copies ...and you will have to apply to the hospitals involved with ur case ..and this has to be paid for ...it cost me £110 to get info/hosp rec from consultants and proceedures from the 3 diff hospitals ....If you are going these are things you can be preparing ....I started last Nov to get them all filled in and signed ..It is only this past week i`ve got my acceptance letter - could be because I`ve only got 12mths to go for OAP...BUT it doesn`t make me feel any better at having to leave my profession of Primary teacher, not as yet !!!! ... Good Luck darlin chin up xx[/img]
  • janie68
    janie68 Member Posts: 1,186
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I can totaly empathise with you,i am also a staff nurse with the NHS,altho i work in the general side in an acute medical ward,very physicaly demanding .i was off sick for around 6months last year,it tooks months to get my RA under control.however eventualy with the help of 25mg MTX injections and 5 sulfa a day things calmed down enough for me to return,but i didnt realise i would have to "prove"i was fit for work,i naively assumed signing off lines from my Dr and confirmation from my rheumatologist was enough,but it wasnt,occy health were very supportive in my return it was human resources that i had to convince,i had to have a physical functional capacity assessment lasted well over 5hrs and was very physicaly demanding,but i "passed"..then assumed i would be allowed to return,but the HR needed proof that i could perform CPR,so an appointment was made for me to have a session with the rescus team whereby i was assessed on my CPR technique,and i was only allowed to return to the ward once HR had written confirmation that my CPR skills were satisfactory.there were times i felt like giving up too,Occy health advised me to start looking into benefits as i wouldnt necessarily be eligible for my superanuation,but i was determined to return and i am so glad i did.
    being retired on ill health is apparantly quite difficult to get,ive had some reasonable adjustments at work,i only work late starts,no more than 2 shifts together and no long days,ive also been told that if/when my RA deteriorates i will have to think about redeployment,but for the time being im getting by(some days by the skin of my teeth)my consultant wanted me to try Anti-tnf too,but im a bit wary due to the amount of infections i am exposed too,and the amount of patients i see with shingles and previous TB etc..but if my RA starts affecting my ability to work then i will try it,until then il continue the weekly MTX injections and occassional steroids..
    .Janie dont make any hasty decisions yourself-did i read somewhere than you too have been accepted for Anti-tnf ?,if so then this may just be the lifeline you need,the possibilty of Anti-tnf may affect your chances of ill health retirement too,as it means that you still have the chance of improvement..has your work discussed redeployment with you ? could you work as a CPN or in outpatients...must admit i was offered work in the clinics to lighten my work load,but i much prefer ward based work,ive told Occy Health redeployment to clinics would only be an option when i cant manage ward work.
    Good luck for Monday Janie..cant remember if you mentioned or not but hopefully you are taking someone with you to the meeting,dont let them hassle you into any decisions,investigate all your options first...and if the worst comes to the worst take more time off sick until you start Anti-tnf and feel the benefits.

    Scottish lass

    I must thank you so much for your very wise advice. I sit here at 5.50am (dont do that often!) wondering what to do and your reply is there and you are completely right. I've been back to work 2 weeks and then now I am having a huge flare up. Went to the docs 2 days ago and got some better pain relief and found out my ESR had shot up to its highest in years.

    I will now stay off sick until I get the anti tnf and its started to work. with regard to the meeting that I had, I took hubby. I have to do CPR with the occy nurse to check my mobility which is fair enough but will have to wait for now I think! My wheelchair is now ok to use on the ward and was working pretty well. My manager though then decided to put me on shifts like L then next day E, erm hello!! am i superhuman or something, you know what those shifts are like when you are well never mind having RA.

    Just hope my sick pay holds out for another couple of months or so!

    Thanks again everyone for your advice, I would not have been able to come to an informed decision otherwise.

    Janie