Working after ICU?

[PurplePoz]

Hi everyone. Could I get some advice on going back to work please? I am still signed off 6 months after my 9 days coma in ICU and I am not seeing a return to work in the bear future. I am tired, weak and my cognitive abilities are trollied. When did you get back to work and were you able to function at the same level professionally as you were before ICU? I don't know what steps to take next. Money is a very relevant factor in my decision making but it not the main aim. I just think I need to try and get into a rhythm and start feeling valuable to society again. Unfortunately my current job is in a hospital ward with intensive care beds so I don't think I can continue there as going into the unit to hand sick lines in triggers a complete meltdown and a explosion of PTSD emotions. Any suggestions as to what next would be appreciated. Thanks as always for the support given by everyone to everyone in this wonderful group xx

[Davscot]

I went back to work after 6mths, im a HGV driver. It was the worst thing i could of done. I thought i was fit and ready to go back but after only doing back part time my body said no your not ready for this and it set me back months. I also went back for money reasons and to help prevent me being board at home. Little did i know that i was suffering from PTSD which no one was able to help woth until i went back into ICU and got shown around as part of my post ICU follow up.

Im 2 years come Jan and im still suffering the results of having Strep A and 2 weeks in ICU.

You will slowly start to feel better and not feel so week but cognitive skills might never return to how you where before, with even typing this is hard to get spelling correct etc and its all part of the after affects.

With me its affected my cognitive skills with me being forgetful, mood swings, having nights of disturbed sleep and still thinking about my time in ICU.

You will keep getting better but as others said to me you never forget your ICU stay. Your local ICU department should be able to refer you for help with PTSD and that is working for me but its a long slow option.

[Sepsur]

I’d recommend a phased return - it takes so long to build back our inner resources - after ICU - we are well and truly spent. After 120 days in hospital & 52yrs old - it took me nearly 2yrs to get back to anything like normal.

[Gurberly]

Hiya

Returning to work post ICU is a scary thing. I guess much depends on the nature of why you were in ICU, the length of stay and your recovery in general.

I was lucky, I had a desk job and a very understanding employer. I returned to work on a phased return basis some 4 weeks after being discharged from hospital (so approx 11 weeks after being moved from ICU to ward based care).

Phased return for me consisted of a couple of hours the first week, 4 hours the next week, 6 hours the next then full time.

Again I was fortunate in that I was able to work from home so didn't have to factor in a commute to the workplace too (which is probably just as well as I wasn't allowed to drive at that point).

Your situation seems very different.

I'm assuming your employer is an NHS trust, so they would be OK with a phased return? Would your employer be able to temporarily assign you to a ward that did not involve ICU beds or could they find you a desk based job whilst you got back into a work mindset? Could you perhaps be assigned to Bank staff?

The main thing is to talk with your employer, try and establish a common ground that will work for you both.

If you are in a union, it may be worth talking to their representative. They hopefully would be able to offer guidance.

I appreciate money is a very motivating factor, but the important thing in all this is you. Look after yourself.

I do hope it all goes well for you.

[Lux95]

If you have an understanding employer, and can return in stages, then returning to work may be just fine. Just take your time, and be patient. It's been three years for me, and I still don't feel "back to normal", and have come to accept I probably won't.

I learned the hard way, under circumstances most would never face.

Less than two months after ICU release, I started a new full time job that required moving half way across the country. It was a mistake. The job situation turned out to be problematic, even if best of circumstances, and being post-ICU, it was exactly what I didn't need. I found myself under competing and contradictory expectations between two contentious departments (which would have been the main problem even I had never been in the ICU). They didn't understand what I had been through and was still dealing with, and didn't try to. I was let go without notice or explanation a few months later. It was devastating, and ruined my career and hopes of a decent job. We are barely getting by now as I try to find another source of income.

It set me back significantly, and I'm still reeling from it all 3 years post-ICU. But life goes on. This is probably a worst case scenario that most survivors would never face, thank God. Had I known what I know now, I would have turned the job down, but we needed the money.

Everyone and every situation is different. Mine is a worst case, "perfect storm" scenario if you will.

An ICU stay changes us, and can take many months, or even several years to find a new normal. People who knew us before aren't always understanding that we aren't quite the same, and can't be. Employers need to have enough information to understand that. You may have something like this in the UK, but ideally, I think we would greatly benefit from a post-ICU advocacy system in the workplace to provide as much official information as we deem necessary as survivors (so employers don't think we are fishing for sympathy). Here in the US, we only have pre-release physical therapy for ICU weakness. After that, we are on our own. PICS awareness is growing slowly, but most ICUs, physicians, nurses (and esp. employers) have no idea what it is or how it impacts us to warn us that the impact of trauma doesn't end when we walk, or are wheeled out the hospital door.

[Rdance]

I was in a coma for 12 days and in hospital overall for 6 weeks. I work in the nhs in community but I would recommend keep talking to your manager and your occupational health team. My team wanted me back in any way possible so I returned after 8 months and worked from home. I still work from home most of my week (I was part time anyway) but do clinics 1 day a week. I guess it may depend on your role on the wards as to what is possible but open the dialogue early. Then you know your options instead of just dwelling on the situation which won’t help your mental health. I had to learn to walk again and regain complete loss of function in one hand so it took time to go back. My head wanted to be back earlier.

In terms of phased return I was offered 2 weeks phased. After that I had to use annual leave to extend that return phase.

Good luck with your recovery and return!

[Misterpaulwood]

2 years on after a eight week coma and 4 months icu stay I have come to terms that I'll never be able to return to work full time, while devastating I put a great deal of my time working with the ICU team at both St James hospital and pinderfields hospital and my own doctors patients support network and other charities, my time is fully taken up and I feel a great deal of satisfaction in paying back the people who saved my life, there are other things in life other than work.I have also started a artists workshop and sell on Etsy and Ebay, as well as local farmers markets and local galleries.

My time is full and I am at peace with my life.

[NSMOD]

I had a very considerate boss who was actively trying to prevent me going back too soon. In the end I started a phased return after 6 months out of coma. That phase lasted for 3 months and was actively monitored by an Occ Heath team. As others have said, don't go back too soon, despite being desperate to get back to normality, and have proper discussions with your manager / employee before you do think about going back. Have a plan. Of course, there is a money aspect to this as well. Sounds you work in the NHS or the Health Sector? They should be all over this for you.