txmomof3

That is an excellent question! Although I am not currently working, I am a RN and Pedi NP. I worked for 7 years as a nurse before going on disability for rheumatic fever. About a year later, I destroyed my ankle...and now have RSD from my toes to mid-thigh. There are several areas of nursing I could return to, but my husband is an ER Nurse Practitioner and we have three kids. We decided it was best that I stay home for now due to my limited energy/functionality from RSD.

I have a SCS and it has enabled me to come off of most of my medications. My only concern is practicing while on narcotics. The Board of Nurse Examiners (BNE) has said it is ok as long as you are medically and psychologically cleared (to make sure you are not impaired by the meds). Personally, I don't know that I would do patient care while on narcotics because of the lawsuit factor. God forbid, if something goes wrong with one of your patients, I don't think a jury would look favorably on the narcotic use. This scares me because the jury is made up of people from the general community who do not have an understanding of the difference between pain management and recreational drug use.

<removed> I am not trying to scare you out of becoming a nurse...I just want to give you some things to think about. I promise I am not all gloom and doom! I think that your history would make you a great nurse. <removed>