How to answer reports with life changes or health issues

[NurseJackie69]

Folks, in my opinion, stop answering yes to listing life changes on your monthly or quarterly reports to the board unless it's obvious, such as, Diagnosed with MS or Heart Disease, etc. When you list changes, the only thing you are doing is giving them more information to either increase testing or not increase testing. That's it. They don't care if your husband left you or whether your sister has Lou Geghrics Disease. They care about one thing and that is......based on your answer, should we increase drug testing since the nurse is now under "more stress," or should we mandate "therapy or more therapy," etc. They don't care about you personally. You are a NUMBER, an object, and they just need to know whether they need to or should or have the greenlight to increase your requirements.

Obviously, if you have medication changes, don't lie. List that for sure, but as it relates to your general health or major life changes or stressors, think carefully about how you answer those. Because you have a major stressor or life change or health change, they aren't coming to your house to comfort you or give you a hug or "be there for you." What they will possibly do is increase your testing or mandate more therapy if you are in it, or possibly mandate starting therapy again if you have completed it.

There are Other People you rely on for comfort and healing such as friends, family, recovery buddies, etc. Your monitoring program case manager isn't one of them. They aren't your "buddy." They have 50 to 100 other nurses to deal with and you are a number. Obviously, if you get a serious health diagnosis, it needs listed on your report, but for a sprained ankle or Covid or the flu? Save yourself the trouble. As for major life changes, you better use caution in what you divulge. This may come as a surprise to you, but your kid getting diagnosed with a rare neuromusculsr disease doesn't matter to them. They don't care about your kid. They do care about one thing and that is......if they perceive that brand new major life stressor of yours puts you at more risk, then they can increase requirements.

The above is just my opinion. To each is their own and you answer questions on your quarterly or monthly reports however you wish.