Nursing and Epilepsy

Nurses General Nursing

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Hey all,

In october i was diagnosed with partial complex seizures. it took a while to get them under control but finally i am doing good with anti epileptics. i was just wondering the policies with being a nurse and having epilepsy. My mom says I can't tell anyone because they won't hire me. I hope that is not the case. I haven't started nursing school but this is what i really want to do. Anyone with any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!:innerconf

you have to be 6 months seizure free

I think it depends on the type of seizures that you have. My cousin only get seizures at night. Therfore her doctor determined she could drive before the 6 month period that is usually recommended. Once she was put on medication she never had one again. VieraGrl Good Luck. There are alot of nurses who are dealing with their own medical problems. Don't let your medical problems define you or hinder your dreams and aspirations...........

I never knew there were so many nurses who had epilepsy. I've had it for 11 years, and it took a while to get control. I now work on a neurology unit (funny, I know). I have all my seizures within 30 minutes of waking, so I don't fear having one at work. I'll admit that I never told my Unit Manager about it, but many of my coworkers know - I am always on shift with someone who knows so I have no concerns.

I plan to eventually go into outpatient nursing just because in my preceptorship in outpatient nursing, I found that I had so many less seizures because my schedule was very fixed and I didn't have to do 12 hour day/night shifts. There are so many areas where nurses can work so if one area doesn't work for my health - I can search for other areas/schedules that do!

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
Hey all,

In october i was diagnosed with partial complex seizures. it took a while to get them under control but finally i am doing good with anti epileptics. i was just wondering the policies with being a nurse and having epilepsy. My mom says I can't tell anyone because they won't hire me. I hope that is not the case. I haven't started nursing school but this is what i really want to do. Anyone with any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!:innerconf

Nowadays it isnt anything to worry about. However decades ago when I had epilepsy I couldnt let anyone at all know about it. It kept you out of nursing school and employment.

Hi,

I have a history of seizures from when I was 5 years old. However, I had brain surgery to remove a seizure center in my brain, and I have had no seizures for 8 years. I do take an anticonvulsant, but my seizures have not occured in years. after my surgery I had a couple of minor ones that my doctor said could happen before I stop having them completely. He called them refractory seizures, but I have not had seizures in years. I drive, have kids, a husband, and I am terrified of repercussions and potential discrimination. I live in Texas, a right to work state, and I HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION!!!!!!!

In 1989 or 1990, I had a seizure while working FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS TDMHMR as a patient care technician. I was never asked to disclose this condition prior to employment in any way. It wasn't asked ANYWHERE on my application form, nor was it mentioned in the interview in any way, so I didn't volunteer any unsolicited information.

After about 2 weeks on the unit, I had a seizure at work. It was a complex partial seizure, and it was over quickly with no harm to anyone or any interruption in my work. The next couple of days, I was called into a meeting with some of the supervisors (not my direct supervisor, but much higher up the chain of command) You know: managers and HR people. They gave my dismissal and terminated my employment without ANY reason stated. Since Texas is a right to work state, they figured that they could just terminate me with no reason whatsoever. Since I had no unacceptable evaluations or late to work instances or any other problem before this episode, I began to suspect the seizure was the cause of the termination.

I contacted an attorney, and took the Texas Dept. of MHMR to court and sued. I got delayed and delayed and stall tactics by the state's end of the deal, and my attorneys fees were taking a toll on my family and their finances, so eventually we decided to settle the case out of court. I WAS, and STILL AM ROYALLY PISSED BY THIS INCIDENT, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS WAS A STATE OF TEXAS AGENCY, AND DELIBERATELY BROKE THE LAW!!!!! SO, YES!!!!!!! IT DOES HAPPEN, AND THE STATE CAN DRAIN YOU DRY BEFORE IT EVER GOES TO COURT!!!!!!! I TOOK HOME A 25,000 DOLLAR SETTLEMENT, BUT I WISH I WOULD HAVE STUCK IT OUT AND GONE TO TRIAL WITH THIS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I WAS TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS, AND I FEEL LIKE THE STATE JUST REWROTE THE LAW TO THE WAY THAT MADE THEM HAPPY RATHER THAN ABIDE BY THE LAW.

Now, after some 18 years have passed, I have had surgery to corect the problem, and it worked like a charm!!!!! I am seizure-free for 8 + years, and still no problems. I do take one anticonvulsant but it doesn't have any side effects, and I am not adversely affected in any way. After some of the posts about insurance claims, and medical history and previous medical conditions, IMAGINE HOW SCARED I AM AFTER HAVING THIS EXPERIENCE!!! I have no idea how to address this issue in a preemployment screening or as it pertains to insurance or HR questions. What can they ask me legally and what should I respond?

I understand that if I am not honest it can be considered fraud of falsifying a document and so on, and is immediate cause for dismissal, but WHAT PROTECTION DO I HAVE????????? How can an employment agency or hospital ask these type of questions, and decide to hire you or not based on information that is personal and private and should be protected by your right to medical privacy? What are your thoughts and experiences pertaining to this type of problem?

Thanks,

LK

Specializes in geriatrics,med/surg,vents.

According to the ADA it is now illegal to even ask a job applicant if they have any disabilities,I don't know what the law was 18 years ago.There are a couple of good places to go for more help and support.Here on Allnurses there is a Nurses with Disabilities site,you can also go to NOND.org(National organization of Nurses with Disabillities) and Exceptionalnurse.com.Good luck

Terry

Specializes in Cardiac/ED.

I believe any questions that they ask you about medical conditions that you may have, are illegal...if they can't ask a woman if she is pregnant then it goes to reason they can't ask about anything else...And as far as your complaint goes you would be protected by the ADA (I don't remember when it passed, if it would have protected you back then)..american disabilities act...the ony problem you would have is proving that is why they actually fired you...if it means money out of their pocket then they would probably just make stuff up. Juries here in cali have been good about seeing through the BS especially when they have an employee with a spotless record and the evaluations to prove it. I can't believe that you didn't have a line of lawyers wanting to take your case on a commission basis...no money unless you win situation.

Its good that you fought it...at least maybe they will think twice about it before they do it to someone else.

P2

Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

Here we go again. I suffer from a seizure disorder, am a Type 2 diabetic, am bipolar. I have been told I don't need to inform new employers, I don't need to tell anyone, I can't have any action taken toward me for failure to disclose, it is against the law for a new employer to asks.

Based on my experience and what I know of the law:

1. To a new employer, I have to reveal anything that might impact adversely on my ability to perform my job.

2. If I am required to have a physical, as a condition of employment, I must reveal anything that might adversely affect my ability to perform my job function. Unless my employer can prove that my condition or conditions will adversely affect my ability to perform my job, it cannot be used against me. And if he does, I do have recourse via the ADA.

3. After I am hired, I may be asked about any medications I may take and have to reveal them. Again they cannot be held against me, if they are legal.

4. If an employer, in a right to work state, is going to terminate you, they are not dumb enough to to cite your health problem. And they don't have to, they have the right to terminate without even giving you a reason, by virtue of being a right to work state.

I cannot stress enough, when you are asked on an insurance form about prior medical history, please do not leave anything out, in the belief that the insurance company can't find out, they can, trust me. And if you suffer a seizure disorder, and hold a drivers license, you and your doctor must inform your state's Department of Motor Vehicles. Depending on their regulations will depend on your keeping your privilege to drive.

Woody:balloons:

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