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Is there life after nursing? Actually, yes, there is and sometimes the options may surprise you. I had been a Ward Clerk for a number of years before I decided to go into Nursing. My decision was based on the fact that I would have more job mobility and choice as a nurse, and also, that I would make more money as a nurse, to support my photography habit.
I know that this reasoning sounds just a tad skewed, but I gave those reasons when I was interviewed by the Misericordia School of Nursing. I had to modify the answer to all of the above, plus, I felt that it was time to learn something again. (I felt that I should be honest about my reasons for wanting to become a nurse). Every so often in one's life, comes a time when it's time to learn something new.
I had to go through a battery of IQ tests, as I didn't apply for the nursing course until I was 25 yrs old. (I guess they didn't want any illiterate, doddering, senile 25 year olds at their school). Since I wasn't young, fresh out of high school, I believe that they had to evaluate me as to whether or not I still had the ability to learn. (You CAN teach an old dog new tricks, you know). I didn't bother going through the "mature students" program, because that was more trouble than it was worth.
When I went to write the IQ tests, I was told to be prepared for 3 hours of testing, "bring coffee and cigarettes" (at that time you weren't a social paraiah for smoking). After about 1 hour, I was done, and went to hand in my tests. The examiner was flabbergasted, she asked me if I had checked my work. (With multiple guess tests, I never check my answers). I told her that I was done with that part, and asked where was the rest of the test? At this, she commented that I had finished the test in record time, and was I sure that I had answered all the questions?
Suddenly, I remembered that I had made a mistake. I told her this, and she said, "ONE mistake?" I said yes, I had made a mistake, and told her which question I had erred on. (I think that she thought that I was one cocky little witch, but actually, I did only make one mistake on that test). My acceptance came in the mail within one week.
I told everyone that I had been accepted, conditionally, depending on the results of the physical exam. My sisters were the first to tell me not to do it. (two of my sisters are also nurses, from the same school of nursing that I was going to...family tradition and all that...). I told them that I felt that I'd have no problem getting through the course, and they agreed, but they both told me that I was NUTS to even think about becoming a nurse.
I've had knee problems all of my life. I was quite active in sports in High School, did martial arts, and was an all-round athlete. I have a condition known as patello-femoral syndrome, in which the bones and kneecap don't line up properly, which eventually leads to arthritis from wear and tear, sooner than would happen naturally, as I aged. Despite this, I still passed the physical (I had had corrective surgery at 18 for both knees), and was accepted into Nursing School. (They gave me 5 years to break down in the knees). I've nursed for 20 years. (Sometimes, you've just got to prove them wrong, eh)?
I did well in Nursing School, and, to my surprise, I actually liked nursing, despite what my 2 sisters had to tell me about the pitfalls. Not only did I like nursing, but I was actually good at it. I earned a reputation for being honest, straightforward and not a person to take any B.S. from anyone, including the doctors. The main task for a nurse is to insure patient safety and comfort, and I took that rather seriously. I was not about to let some doc screw up and kill a patient. (Especially if I followed an order that I knew could harm the patient, my licence is on the line here,too). So, I was a success as a nurse, and had the respect (not necessarily the liking) of most of the doctors. I was accountable, and I let them know it.
In 1999, September, I injured my left knee, at work. I smashed the kneecap into the bottom of the Triage desk drawer. The Workman's Compensation Board turned me down,(no surprise there) being as there was no witness,(I must have lied about the wheres and hows of the accident), and I ended up on disability.
I tried to convince the doctors that horseback riding was good physio for my legs, that I had used it as physio after my surgery in 1993 and 94. The doctors were slow to come around about horseback riding being good physio, but when my Physiotherapist announced that they had gone as far as they could to help me, the doctor acquiesed.
I have been off work since Sept 10, 1999, and I ride my horse or whichever horse needs a little work pretty much daily, (weather-permitting). My orthopedic surgeon now recommends that I ride as my physiotherapy. "Unfortunately", I have been told that I need to ride my horse as often as possible to keep my quadriceps muscles in good shape until I have my knee replacement in September, 2001 (rats, eh?).
Les, (my life partner) and I bought our ranch (where I boarded my horse, and he managed and kept his horse) in October of 2000. It's not the easiest life, but I didn't ask for easy, I wanted to do this, and Les agreed. We bought the ranch from his dad,and still run a boarding stable, break and train ponies and horses to ride and drive, give riding lessons and do 'jobs' at the Hitch'n Post and in town (weddings, sleigh rides, hay rides, usually). It's a much better life than I had before.
A lot of people would say that I was unlucky in health, but I think that I'm very lucky. I've broken my neck going off a horse, broken my nose, numerous bones in my hands and feet (you know, the stuff that happens with horses). But, I now have a straight nose, I have no disabilities as a result of my broken neck, (I was even able to go back to nursing after my neck problem healed). My fracture wasn't diagnosed until three months after the fall off the horse. I was able still to lift patients, and do all the "bull work" associated with nursing.
I think I'm the luckiest girl (woman, if you like) in the world, because, at 47 yrs old, I'm living my dream. And, its better than I ever dreamed. Yes, there IS life after nursing. I also outlasted the 5 years that the school of nursing predicted and had my 20 year reunion this past June.
As of January 16th, 2001, I have been released to go back to work, but the restrictions on what I am allowed to do are very strict, and permanent. This places my employer in the difficult position of finding me a job at my salary, in my line of work, nursing, that doesn't require standing on hard surfaces for a prolonged time, squatting, kneeling, climbing, or lifting heavy weights. This just about makes me the "former nurse", that my doctor wrote about in his consultation to another doctor.
Despite the seeming adversity, I still feel that life is good. Where do I go from here? I'm still waiting for the bureaucratic wheels to grind me up and spit me out. Meantime, I ride as often as possible (weather permitting), work on saddles and other leather and tack projects, and write articles to take my mind off what could have been and what is to come.
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