Hello, I appreciate the advice and insights given from so many Nurses through this site.
I'm a new LPN graduate looking for my first job. Last year while in clinicals I was diagnosed with cancer and had to withdraw from my nursing program to go through treatment. I have since then completed treatment, finished getting my LPN degree, and I'm in full remission.
I recently had a relative tell me I shouldn't let any future employer know that I had cancer because they could reject me as a good candidate for fear that my medical history could be future problem for them, both in time and insurance cost.
The cancer I had was Burkitt's Non-hodgkin's lymphoma and remission rates are extremely high so it is unlikely it will come back.
I feel that my cancer experience has only farther given me insight and compassion for those suffering with health issues and it has in my mind become part of what is going to make me a better nurse. So my question is, how should I present myself and my story to future employers?
Thank you for any insight you may have. I look forward to the day when I can move on to get my RN degree and overtime move from a new grade to a professional experienced nurse.
If it were me, I might say something like “When I had a serious health scare myself, I realized how important my nurses were. Now that I am healthy again, I really want to share that with others.”
I have a different take on this. I have just recently returned to nursing after a long absence due to being on disability for a serious medical issue. I felt like I needed to disclose during my interview for two reasons: (1) to explain my more than 10 year gap in employment, and (2) my condition, although no longer physically limiting, does require ongoing treatment that directly affects my schedule.
I chose to very, very briefly mention my medical condition. And then focus almost entirely on how I was looking forward to returning to nursing and then hit on some past career highlights. I also focused on the things the experience of being on the other side of the bed taught me (perseverance, hard work, compassion, importance of holistic care, etc) and how those qualities would be an asset to my future employer.
And finally, of course, I had to mention my accommodations, which really aren’t much-my schedule (I’m PRN and we self-schedule but I do require 4 consecutive days off every 6-8 weeks) and I cannot accompany a patient to MRI because of an implanted neurostimulator.
For me, disclosure worked. I was hired with my first interview. I have not shared with my coworkers about my medical condition, nor do I plan to. I have been asked why I was away from nursing so long and have answered for medical reasons. I don’t know if that is the best way to handle it or not. Time will tell.
This is slightly off-topic, but in the same general area of OP's original post. I'm seeing from the responses that it seems more are in favor of not disclosing any of these illnesses on nursing essays, pre-nursing and/or pre-employment physicals.
I had to have a partial shoulder replacement when I was a teen (20 years ago) due to a car accident. Has not affected my ROM one bit and I lift weights 3-4 times a week at the gym. I have a scar. My question is: if I do not disclose this, won't the physical uncover this? Do physicals get this involved where they would see this faded scar?
Never give an employer the opportunity to discriminate you up front. If they ask why you had a break in your education, just state, "I had some personal matters that took priority over school".
10 year Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor. Always have divulged my cancer diagnosis and always gotten the job. Only time I didn't get the job was due to lack of ER experience and lack of clinic RN experience and was told as much. Both those experiences were for internal positions and I was able to remedy the clinic portion by applying to the clinic PRN to demonstrate my skills.
I've never felt discriminated against as a cancer survivor. I mean, it literally is the reason I became a nurse, and an Oncology nurse at that. It's very difficult to explain a year gap on my resume so I'm just honest.
I think all nurses/everyone needs to buy a legal plan through Legal Zoom or other sources for these kinds of questions. Know your rights and make decisions based on sound legal advice. There seems to be a lot of legal questions on this site and it's only wise to seek out the pros to help with these decsions. I have one to review contracts, etc and many plans include legal issues such as family, business and employment law. Worth the yearly charge for peace of mind.
If it were me, I might say something like “When I had a serious health scare myself, I realized how important my nurses were. Now that I am healthy again, I really want to share that with others.”
No, would not say even that much. This prompts a question: "What serious health scare?" I don't think they ask, it's not like going to the doctor the first time. They don't ask, you don't tell.
I certainly agree that you shouldn't give this sort of information before being hired. However, afterwards is a matter of personal preference and belief system. I believe that most people are loving, and sincerely desire to help others (especially their coworkers). People are best equipped to help others when they have a more complete picture of the challenges that they have faced in the past and struggle with currently. Thus, there are coworkers who I know have "back issues" and I put in extra effort to help them bath their patients, turn their patients and transfer their patients (from the ICU to the floor). We had a nurse undergoing chemo at one point. It helped me understand why she was moody and feel asleep once or twice during a shift for a brief moment. Again, it is a personal choice but I would tend to tell the world even if I were impotent or incontinent, but I am probably at one end of the spectrum in more ways than one.
Why do you think your coworkers or bosses want to be responsible for your personal problems, like incontinence or impotence. IMPOTENCE? Do you work in sex therapy and need your member at work????!!! If not, your sexual issues should not be brought to work. Go to work to work, to earn your daily bread, not to tell your whole life story to people who might very well try to use the info against you, might be whispering about you, and telling your business to everyone they know. Pretty soon the whole facility knows way, way too much about you. Talk about the job and leave the rest at home.
Please. Pollyanna was probably not a real person. I was once as naïve as you seem to be, but then I lived a few more decades. No naivete here any more.
And it's nice that you want to help those with back issues or whatever, but do they help you in return? what if you are ever sick or injured and need help with tasks? Will they help you? I hope so but people tire quickly of having to do the work of others, with no extra pay or recognition or help when they need it. I used to think that was severe and unloving but I have worked with so many people who didn't hesitate to express their dislike of situations like that, plus aging and my own physical limitations have me unwilling to do very much that isn't really my job. If you come to work, you have to work.
That is the terrible reality of life on Planet Earth. I know people run out of Sick time, PTO, etc. But that is why we have lawyers, disability pay, and welfare. Hopefully people can get help from family, friends, religious groups, charities. Otherwise they end up living under a bridge - in America anyway.
They wash in a sink at the laundromat and nap at the library. I am not kidding. I want to help all of them but I cannot afford to do so financially, physically, or emotionally.
For OP, you would have to be insane to disclose anything to your interviewer or employer or coworkers that you don't have to. If you need FMLA in the future, for whatever reason, that will be time enough to tell your health information.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
On 7/11/2019 at 8:00 AM, myoglobin said:
I wouldn't disclose before being hired. However, afterwards I would "be ready" to apply and activate FMLA, if I had any concerns about disease relapse. Also, keeping a strong immune system (meaning adequate rest/sleep between shifts) may be an important part especially for you of staying healthy. Thus, if this became an issue (for example your employer scheduled you with three on and then only gave you one day off before another three on), I would consider raising the issue of the previous diagnosis (again after being hired).
You can't "activate FMLA" until you've been there at least a year, and without actual ongoing medical issues that you or a family member are dealing with. The OP is in remission, and it does not sound, from his/her post, that she is getting ongoing care for the health condition.
I'm pretty sure they can't legally discriminate against you based on medical history.
Just because discrimination is illegal does not mean it does not happen every day based upon anything that might make the interviewer uncomfortable.
Unless the discrimination is overt, like a declarative statement, "We don't hire people with CA hx," it is very difficult to prove discrimination without being able to cite a pattern and multiple examples.
The OP needs to use her best judgment and decide for herself based up the situation.
CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN
928 Posts
If it were me, I might say something like “When I had a serious health scare myself, I realized how important my nurses were. Now that I am healthy again, I really want to share that with others.”