Unexpectedly unemployed

[tinern]

Hello. I am 45 years old (quadriplegic since 1993) and as of today find myself unemployed. I am a registered nurse. Unfortunately
I haven't been able to do hands on care, but have been fortunate enough to do detailed data extraction for hospital reimbursements.
I cannot see myself doing nothing. But, at a loss of what to pursue next. I would appreciate any suggestions. BTW?
I use a power wheelchair and utilize my computer strictly by voice. Thanks for any input!

[triumph]

Have you considered contacting a local office of state vocational rehabilitation? I worked for them for 20 years and once had a doctor client, progressive condition, whom I assisted in finding a consultant position.
Your ability to use your voice is a strong asset for similar work, group presentations, etc. Would be good to develop a good resume indicating any special skills/knowledge.
Good luck! Let us know of your progress.

[SCI-Nurse]

If you have sufficient experience, there are a number of jobs you could do with your RN skill set. Do you have a BSN or MSN? Many of these jobs require that. Jobs in case management, discharge planning, utilization review, process improvement, or nursing education are the areas that I am referring to. Nursing informatics is also a growing field.

You might want to connect with the Exceptional Nurse organization, which works with nurses with disabilities. Here is their website: http://www.exceptionalnurse.com/

Good luck. It would be unfortunate to loose your experience and expertise in nursing for our profession. I hope you can find another position in that field.

(KLD)

[ancientgimp]

One thing that comes to mind is being a hearings official for the Social Security Administration.