Is this legal?

Nurses General Nursing

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A new RN employee bundle of paperwork includes a form that you are supposed to mark "Yes" or "No" as to whether you have ever had any of over 50 conditions/illness.

The list is exhaustive and covers every body system... eg kidney or urinary disorder, lung or respiratory disorder, menstrual/female organ disorder, cold, bronchitis, chest pain, tumor, frostbite, bowel trouble, hayfever to MS, MD, Pneumonia, take medications.... the list goes on and on. It warns that your employment is conditioned upon the results of the questionnaire and physical.

I thought just asking someone if they are pregnant was a huge violation! Have you guys ever filled anything like this out?

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I've filled these out serveral times. I don't agree with the practice, but if they want it, I want the job, so I fill them out.

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... Sure makes you feel like ****. Welcome to nursing... I guess. I feel like maybe I should post naked pics on the internet too and that'd be OK then.

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Only if the employer wants your naked pics on the internet. The way they are, they would probably restrict you to posting them in the management bathroom.

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We actually had to fill out something similar for our nursing school info packets (we did this at orientation).

Is it legal? Really, I don't know. But, if you're willingly answering it, that probably knocks that part out.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Yes, pre-employment health screenings are legal and are standard practice in many industries. There are (or need to be) restrictions on who is allowed to see the information. Access to your private health information should be limited to those who "need to know" in Occupational Health and not be shared with your supervisor unless it effects your ability to do your job satisfactorily and safely.

I'm not an attorney, so I can't you give you details of the laws, but it has been standard practice for many, many years.

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I understand having a physical, but the questionaire is a bit over the top. I mean, if it's illegal to ask if a person is pregnant or if they are married/kids... how is this OK

additionally, it reeks of a pre-existing conditon clause when applying for health insurance

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Over the years, I've had pre-employment "physicals" that ranged from just giving a urine speciment for a drug screen + TB testing to a complete actual medical history and physical exam -- and everything in between. Most of the healthcare employers I've worked for have required something to establish whether you're healthy or not, and the offer of a job usually states somewhere (verbally or in the fine print of the paperwork) that the job offer is contingent upon you passing the physical. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it, but then you won't get the job.

I'm with llg -- I don't know where to find the actual laws that pertain to this, but it's been standard practice in healthcare for a looooong time, so it must be legal. IMO, it particularly makes sense in healthcare -- don't we at least want the providers to be healthier than the people in the hospital beds they're caring for?? :)

If you want to work in healthcare, might as well get used to it.

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Yeah... well, maybe... (j/k)

I'm healthy, but I fear for the nurse with the knee replacement, or, who had previous bc or used to be 15 pounds heaver last year (actual question). I just feel that the intentions are not coming from a good place when employers do this. They just want to rid themselves of a health insurance risk.

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

as a result of filling out a similar questionnaire, i had to get a note from my neuro that i was indeed taking tegretol for seizure control and not a mood disorder. no big deal.

i made sure the don had a list of the meds i had to take while i was working. it was my idea and it paid off one day. a difficult busybody nurse who floated to the floor reported that i was seen "swallowing a suspicious looking pill.":eek: the don just told that nurse that it was tegretol, based on the time she had given.

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Since when did it decome illegal to ask someone if they are pregnant? Usually this is done when there will be xposure to xrays, chemo etc. List of conditions is required so that the employer can cover their own intrests, providing a form is the easiest way for most people to answer, you do this when you apply to nursing school, at least I did, and it covered every system. Asking someone if they are married can't by anymeans be illegal unless it is for sexual gain, I fill out my marriage status almost everywhere I can think of, school, bank, lease, almost all credit card application, phone, cable, drivers licence etc

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
A new RN employee bundle of paperwork includes a form that you are supposed to mark "Yes" or "No" as to whether you have ever had any of over 50 conditions/illness.

The list is exhaustive and covers every body system... eg kidney or urinary disorder, lung or respiratory disorder, menstrual/female organ disorder, cold, bronchitis, chest pain, tumor, frostbite, bowel trouble, hayfever to MS, MD, Pneumonia, take medications.... the list goes on and on. It warns that your employment is conditioned upon the results of the questionnaire and physical.

I thought just asking someone if they are pregnant was a huge violation! Have you guys ever filled anything like this out?

It is not illegal since you already have the job.

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