Pre-Employment Health Screening

[HP32]

Hello everyone!

I wanted to see if it was possible to attain your insight on an issue thats currently on my plate. I'm currently in the process of being hired at an excellent hospital in my city as a patient care technician. I went through the hiring process, interviews and finally received a job offer. Seems like it's a good fit overall.

Well now the issue. I have had a history of test anxiety. After graduating with my bachelors and writing my thesis, the stress got to me. I finished with a 3.97 GPA, wrote a thesis, and finished my Pre-Medical track curriculum (Now focusing on PA school btw). I sought counseling and my life has finally been much better. I don't attend sessions anymore and I have never been on medication. Regardless, the history of receiving treatment still lies within my background. I don't regret this whatsoever as therapy tremendously and I find it very frustrating there is still a stigma attached to this!

The job requires the completion of a Pre-Employment Health Assessment and a screening by employee health. This rather nosy assessment basically requires that I input my entire medical history (if I wear contacts...or even if I have attended an AA meetings! I have not but still what's the point of treatment if it's not anonymous).

Should I disclose the anxiety? Will they find out if I didn't? Truth is, I want to be honest because this won't have an effect on my work performance, and I'm not ashamed of seeking treatment but I'm a little concerned about the stigma anxiety brings if I do mention it. Any suggestions are appreciated!

Thank you for hearing me out! Best to everyone.

This is not the hospital but the document essentially looks like this: http://www.uwhealth.org/files/uwhealth/docs/pdf/hcCareers_healthassessment.pdf

[llg, PhD, RN]

If you are caught in a lie, not only will you lose your job ... but you will be listed as "ineligible for re-hire," which could hurt your chances of getting hired in the future by other employers.

Don't lie. You don't have to give information they don't ask for ... but don't lie.

As you said, your test anxiety isn't directly related to your job performance, so I think it is best to be honest and hope for the best. I think that is your path of least risk.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Good lord.......are you supposed to be taking a job, or filling out intake paperwork for a new primary-care provider? I've never seen a pre-employment screening that was this invasive. I don't think they have the right to know all this stuff; it's personal health information protected by HIPAA. I wouldn't fill this out unless I knew what the information is for, how it is to be used, and who would have access to it. But that's just me, and I have skeletons in my closet that I don't necessarily want to fall out. YMMV.

[HP32]

Thank you. Yes this is extremely invasive and I feel a bit uncomfortable filling all of this out. I'm gonna call them tomorrow and get more information about this. Glad to hear that someone else feels it is a bit much.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Employers are only allowed to inquire about physical capabilities that are directly related to the physical and functional aspects of the job. These are called bonafide occupational qualifications. For instance, they cannot ask if you have had a back injury, they can only ask "are you capable of lifting 35 lbs?" However (and this is big) if you volunteer information, it opens the door for them to consider and use that information...... so DON'T VOLUNTEER.

Access to your private health information (PHI) is regulated by HIPAA... an employer does NOT have any special access privileges. Unless you have chosen to utilize this employer's Occ Health clinic as your primary care provider, there is absolutely NO reason for them to obtain all of this information. I would advise you to inquire - what is the reason for collecting this information & how is it utilized by the employer???

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Simple Anxiety is a normal response to a stressful situation. If that's what you have experienced, you have no obligation to disclose. Your condition was situational and self limiting.