Nursing with diabetes??

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello all! It has been a couple of months since I have posted on here. School has kept me pretty occupied. During skills lab on Thursday, I ran into a situation that has left me concerned. We are learning diagnostic tests, which included accu-checks. Of course, we got to do this procedure on each other. I saw a little panic in my instructor when mine was 174. She asked me the usual questions, when did I last eat, what did I eat, family history, etc. She immediately re checked from the same finger stick which read 165. She the checked in an hour. 157. Of course she suggested a glucose tollerence test through my primary. My grandmother died from diabetes related stroke. She was insulin dependant. My father is insulin dependant with heart disease. I am aware of my risk level, and am going to see my primary to get the full work up. My biggest concern at this point is if I do become a diabetic, will this end my pursuit for a nursing career? Is medical history part of the interview process? If I am diabetic, will this make me un-hireable? Any advice would be great!!!Thanks

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Heavens no! Diabetes shouldn't limit your career choices whatsoever. It just requires some modifications in your lifestyle.

Don't delay seeing your PCP, especially with your family history.

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Absolutely not! Diabetics are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well.

http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/diabetes.html

I'm type 1 with a background in HR pursuing a new career as an RN.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

of course not, it's something that's your business and should not be made known to your future employer. just get it taken care of and start taking insulin and get it under control and keep it under tight control. it's very important.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Absolutely not, it shouldn't affect your career!! Like others said, just keep it under control.

Some places will make you undergo a physical exam; my current employer did. However, they are mostly just looking that you are physically able to do a job.

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Specializes in CHN.
Hello all! It has been a couple of months since I have posted on here. School has kept me pretty occupied. During skills lab on Thursday, I ran into a situation that has left me concerned. We are learning diagnostic tests, which included accu-checks. Of course, we got to do this procedure on each other. I saw a little panic in my instructor when mine was 174. She asked me the usual questions, when did I last eat, what did I eat, family history, etc. She immediately re checked from the same finger stick which read 165. She the checked in an hour. 157. Of course she suggested a glucose tollerence test through my primary. My grandmother died from diabetes related stroke. She was insulin dependant. My father is insulin dependant with heart disease. I am aware of my risk level, and am going to see my primary to get the full work up. My biggest concern at this point is if I do become a diabetic, will this end my pursuit for a nursing career? Is medical history part of the interview process? If I am diabetic, will this make me un-hireable? Any advice would be great!!!Thanks

No. It won't make you un-hireable, however, if it starts interrupting your work, then that's another story.

Go consult your physician regarding your disease. I believe there are ways of taming it so as it does not progress.

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Specializes in LTC, Disease Management, smoking Cessati.

No, I've been working with diabetes for the last 12 years.... just get checked so if you need tx they can begin before bigger complications have a chance to develop! :-)

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Specializes in ER ( Peds/Adult).

Having diabetes will not affect your hiring. As others have said, an empolyer cannot refuse to hire you because of your diabetes. You just need to be familiar with your body and how it reacts to hypo vs hyperglycemia so you know when to intervene. I am a Type 1 insulin dependent daibetic and have an insulin pump. I have not had any issues other than the occasional hypoglycemic episode with all of the running around I do in the ED.

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

There are plenty of nurses out there working with diabetes. As long as you take care of yourself and make controlling your blood sugars a priority you'll be all right.

I was diagnosed about 6 months ago and I must tell you, it was a shock. Not that it should have been--I was about 80-lbs overweight,triglycerides were through the roof, my mother is type 2, and my sister & 20yo nephew are both type 1. I had all the symptoms but didn't connect the dots, thought I was just depressed. It has been an adjustment, but not too awful.Since starting a low carb diet, plus exercise and Metformin I have gone from no energy to tons of energy. My sugars are nearly always under 120 and mostly under 105.My triglycerides and LDL are within normal range for the first time EVER. And I've lost 47-lbs and I bike 6 miles several times a week, plus weights. Diabetes saved my life!

Best of luck. You might want to check out this forum. http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/ These people are very knowledgeable and take their diabetes seriously. Get really educated--diabetes manifests differently in every person. Start checking pre-meal and 2hrpp sugars so you can see how food affect you. And don't worry about it affecting your job. If they fired every nurse who had diabetes they'd lose a significant part of the nursing workforce. :nurse:

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You shouldn't need to tell your employer during the interview- don't- but once you get hired, please tell them. They will be more understanding when you have lows or need time for an appointment.

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