IC and nursing

[tiffRN83]

I've noticed a good number of ladies on this site are also RN's. How do you all handle it while at work? I work in a Pediatric ER so there are times when I can use the bathroom any time I want, and there are times where I'm soooooo busy I can't. How do you all handle it? I know I've had to fill out forms for intermittent leave of abscence forms for days when I have big flares or when I needed my cystoscopy or my MD visits. Sometimes I feel like no one at work understands the symptoms, but its like, "uh, hello, we're all medical professionals, you should understand this..." Sometimes I just get frustrated with it all.:cussing:

[SandyRN]

When I was working I hadn't 'gotten' IC yet but I did have fibro and chronic fatigue, and was hypothyroid. I worked nights and everyone just said I was tired..well no DUH...yes I was tired but I was also SICK and nobody really believed me, and I was also in pain, lots of it. I finally had to go on disability. It broke my heart.

I know that Barb (Babs RN) works full time right now. I hope she'll see this post and be able to help you out. I really miss my career...it was part of how I defined myself. I am a nurse, I am a mom, etc....One day I hope to work again, I just need to be more stable than I am right now because I can't even clean my house in one day as it is now.

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time. You'd THINK the other professionals should understand but if they don't even know what IC is, then they won't get it...and in my experience with doctors and nurses since I've had IC, most of them have never even heard of it.

Good luck and I hope things get better soon for you!

Hugs, Sandy

btw, what unit do you work on? I worked Neonatal ICU, High Risk OB, mother-baby and women's med surg and floated to other med surg units.

[tiffRN83]

When I started nursing I worked for the best Children's hospital in Chicago on the Cardiac and general surgery floor, heart transplants, congenital heart repairs, appendectomies, g tube placements, trach patients, etc. When my symptoms began, I had a hard time making the 45 minute commute there and another one home. Now I work closer to home in a local Pediatric ER seeing everything from sore throats to suicide attempts to kawasaki's patients. Fortunately, my IC has gotten better and I haven't needed to take many days off of work. I don't know what I would do if my IC got to the point where I had to leave my career. Especially since I'm working on my BSN now and then starting my CRNA shortly after I finish my BSN. Hopefully you can go back to work soon too!!!

[Babs RN]

Yup, it's true, I do work full time with a bunch of medical professionals who also don't try to understand IC. I worked in an ER when I was diagnosed, then did case management. I tried going back to the ER and unfortunately my IC worsened and made the 12 hour shifts and the commute impossible. I am currently director of nursing for a home health care company. I got accepted to a CRNA program but also had my hubby leave me at the same time so that prompted my return to full time work and deferring graduate school. My job right now is a good combo of clinical, teaching, and management plus the hours aren't bad. I have alot of back pain with my IC and the prolonged standing was killing me. I have never had co-workers understand the IC fully or the chronic pain.

Hugs,
Barb:)

PS Got my BSN in the Midwest, I love Chicago.

[tiffRN83]

Babs, I have family in Merrit Island!!!! How funny is that? I can't remember where exactly they live, but my aunt and uncle live on a channel and have manatees in their "backyard" on a regular basis!!!
I really want to do a CRNA program but I'm worried about my math skills... science and english were my best subjects, and math was always my worst. I figure if the CRNA doesn't work out, I'll get my PNP and return to the Childrens hospital I started out my nursing career at.
I get back cramping too, but I think it's from the IC, and not the 12 hours on my feet. my work clogs (dansko's) have taken away all of my back and knee soreness that I began having when I started nursing school.

[Dianne]

I'm an RN, day shift charge nurse Family Obstetrics at a community hosp. It's not that big, we have about 750 deliveries/year. As charge, I'm the free float so I mostly do couplets, triage, ante's, outpatients, admits, desk, staffing and scheduling. So I'm never far from a bathroom. My current problem is our little "planning circle" for the new unit we're building decided that the older charges are standing in the way of progress and not giving the newer generation a chance at advancement so regular charges are being done away with and call is also being instituted. (don't even start me......) Charge will rotate every 3 mos. I'm not open for call because I can't take neurontin if working, and not willing after 30 yrs. of nursing to be dragging out for C-sections in the middle of the night in Montana for God's sake. My options are flip to Labor which I could never manage my IC and I hate it anyway, or go to Peds/NICU which I really don't want either. I loved what I was doing. I don't want to learn med-surg at 53 yrs. when I've worked my entire career in OB. There's nothing else open although I check every day. I want to try for the next coordinator position (you may call it house supervisor or something). I think I'd be good at that and have free access to the bathroom. The union can't save me because our job descriptions are being rewritten for call so that doesn't cover me for ADA. I am so screwed. It's been a really hard 2 mos. Call starts next month. There is nothing else with comparable pay in this town. I was working two 12's/week which is all I can handle. Working full time anywhere else wouldn't be half of what I make at two 12's so I have to hang on to a hospital job.

[Babs RN]

Oh Dianne--call, that stinks!! I can't believe they aren't willing to be more flexible than that with the "old" charge nurses. They wonder why they can't keep people with experience in the field. Tiff--my back pain is from my IC but the standing makes it worse. Danskos are great shoes, I wore Crocs and Birkenstock clogs when I wore scrubs.

Hugs,
Barb:)