Anyone here do 12 hour shifts? (? about returning to work)

[suzanna]

I'm a registered nurse and work in a very busy orthopedic/spine unit. After most of my shifts, I'm exhausted and my back is sore from all the turning and repositioning we have to do with our patients. I also have to spend a lot of time talking to my patients, their families, and other health care professionals. I'm basically on my feet for the full 12 hours except for meal breaks. I know a few girls have had other surgeries (knees, shoulders etc) and have done return to work programs where they slowly progress back to working the full 12 hours. With our nursing union, we're allowed to take a full 15 weeks off a year as paid "sick time". Anyone here work as a nurse or in a similar environment? I'm just wondering when you returned back to work and how did it go? Did you feel like you weren't quite ready yet, was your jaw very sore, or were you exhausted? Thanks ahead of time for any input!

[Rizzie]

I'll be in the same situation late spring/early summer. I'm planning on taking 8 weeks. My surgeon bands shut for 6 weeks, so I am hoping I can talk and function well enough to get through the first few weeks on the job without too much problem. I doubt I could do back-to-back shifts, though. I will be 59, at time of surgery this spring.

[arieswithbraces]

I'm a registered nurse and work in a very busy orthopedic/spine unit. After most of my shifts, I'm exhausted and my back is sore from all the turning and repositioning we have to do with our patients. I also have to spend a lot of time talking to my patients, their families, and other health care professionals. I'm basically on my feet for the full 12 hours except for meal breaks. I know a few girls have had other surgeries (knees, shoulders etc) and have done return to work programs where they slowly progress back to working the full 12 hours. With our nursing union, we're allowed to take a full 15 weeks off a year as paid "sick time". Anyone here work as a nurse or in a similar environment? I'm just wondering when you returned back to work and how did it go? Did you feel like you weren't quite ready yet, was your jaw very sore, or were you exhausted? Thanks ahead of time for any input!

I would like to know this too! I work in Dialysis and my OS told me to plan for 5 weeks...but I work 10-12 hour shifts. Will that be enough?

[ColoradoGirl]

Hi all,

I don't work long shifts--I'm in academia, so, though I work 8-13 hours a day, I'm very flexible as to *when* I work (45-minute nap at 11 a.m.? Totally doable, unless I'm teaching before noon, which, now, quite fortunately, I'm not). I also don't have much physical labor beyond hauling books around. So, take my following two cents with a grain of salt.

About week 6, I felt like I had my usual endurance; about week 11, I felt like I had my full physical strength. But combining the two? Honestly, if I had to now (week 14), I think I would be able to pull through, but it would still be a challenge--I'm presently up to at least 9 hrs/day, and I feel very proud of myself. I do at least an hour and a half in the morning, rest for a bit--maybe half an hour--and then go onto the other 7.5ish, but with a lunch break at noon. Then as much as possible in the later evening after dinner. Right now I'm up to 45 post-dinner mins., but I want to work up to more soon.

Can you take pain meds at all when you're on shift? I stopped taking mine about a month ago, but I think my endurance might be greater if I were still taking them. For me, the tiredness is especially obvious in terms of jaw pain, but it also impacts my overall energy level. I find that taking a Tramadol/Ultram helps, but of course you'd need to make sure that the mental effects (which for me, fortunately, are pretty mild) aren't too intense.

Good luck!

[suzanna]

Thanks for the replies! I've asked my oral surgeon to write on my work insurance form that I'll need 6-8 weeks off and possibly may need modified work when I come back. I really just want to take it slow and make sure I can build up my endurance. I know my co-workers will be supportive because they all know about my upcoming surgery and are a really supportive bunch.

And I don't really think I'll still be needing narcotics when I go back to work but I'll probably take some NSAIDS to help prevent any discomfort.

[ellavs]

It sounds like you have good support and the option of taking more time if needed. I too have a very active job and am on my feet 10 hours of the day and talking the entire time - I naively thought I'd be able to get back to work after three weeks. What was I thinking!! I ended taking four full weeks and then two weeks where I've gone in a few days but I was completely exhausted. If I could do it all over again, I would take at least 5 weeks of total rest and then ease back into it. I fear I pushed it too much and am now paying for it. You work even longer and more strenuous hours than I - your estimate of 6-8 weeks is probably very wise. Just give yourself more time than you think. I was personally blown away by how wiped out I was - it's WAY harder to return to an active job than you think!! Be good to yourself

[sarz]

Hi, yes I do twelve to thirteen hour shifts too, similar environment to you. I must admit though I have never experienced a bad or sore back though as we have regular manual handling updates and use devices to assist with turns/repositioning etc.... The shifts were hard work post surgery, however you will get through it. Regular water on shift is a must and taking soft food in for your lunch is also very good.
First op had three weeks off, third was allowed a week.
Corr if only we were allowed 6-8 weeks off. I take it you are not in the UK?

[sarz]

I was exhausted at the end of a shift and could barely drag myself out of bed for one the next day.
You will manage it though. I hope that you don't need to take narcotics, I was of the same belief as you in taking NSAIDS, however, after a third go, stronger analgesia was needed.
McAffery's advice, "Pain is what is it, it's as individual as the individual experiencing it".
Six months post op now, no pain relief or ABX needed. Yay........
Best Wishes.

[suzanna]

Hi, yes I do twelve to thirteen hour shifts too, similar environment to you. I must admit though I have never experienced a bad or sore back though as we have regular manual handling updates and use devices to assist with turns/repositioning etc.... The shifts were hard work post surgery, however you will get through it. Regular water on shift is a must and taking soft food in for your lunch is also very good.
First op had three weeks off, third was allowed a week.
Corr if only we were allowed 6-8 weeks off. I take it you are not in the UK?

No I'm in Canada. We're allowed up to 15 weeks for short term illness. I go back to work on Monday. I've been feeling pretty good lately. I haven't taken any narcotics since the first week after surgery. I take some ES-Tylenol or Advil when my muscles/jaws are sore but that's not too often. I'm eating pretty well, still just really soft foods and having to cut my food into really small pieces since I can still only open my mouth 20mm. I'll ask my OS tomorrow when I see him about possibly starting some physio to help improve my ROM. I'm mostly worried about being completely exhausted by the afternoon! I'm already planning on taking a sleeping pill pretty early the night before so I get at least 8 hours of sleep before my 1st shift back in two months!

I'll definitely be drinking lots of water throughout the day and I'm going to pack lots of soft snacks I can nibble on too. It's going to be such a pain taking the elastics on and off every time I want to put something solid in my mouth. Hopefully when I see my OS and orthodontist this week they'll say I only need elastics overnight. I'll keep my fingers crossed!

[sarz]

Hi Suzanna, I am so pleased things are going well. I agree the afternoon is the worst part of the day at work.
Canada sounds like a great place to be. Good luck in your recovery and I hope that things work out well for you.
All the best