Should you report it if you have a disability?

[Sillycat, LPN]

So I was working in 2006-2008 in the hospital as an LPN, I then went on to work in a doctors office, had my son and postpartum depression hit me like a ton of bricks. It took me a long time to work through that... still working on it, I've gotten severe anxiety and I am in RN school, I'm in my second year, I'm doing ok with everything so far. I have an accommodation plan provided through the school with disability services. The plan gives me like "leave class" or "attendance consideration" also alternative testing, but they didn't like that when I submitted it last year so I revoked the alternative testing part. Now that we are back in class we are doing case studies and such which makes us present to the class (there are several of us in a case study) I was wanting to know what you guys thought about submitting it? I literally panic in school, not in the clinical setting, I've never had a problem there but in a classroom setting I do. Even at my age I get terrorized when I hear the teacher call out my name and then feeling dumb as crap because my anxiety paralyzes me in a group of my peers. I was and am not bothered by it in clinical/nor lab. Should I submit or not? I am truly terrified of having to give this big case study to a group of 80 people.

[Crash_Cart]

Are you suggesting typical anxiety is a reportable disability?

[Sillycat, LPN]

No, as this is not typical or it is not typical to me. I know that some anxiety is a good thing, but my anxiety makes me want to pass out or have a panic attack. That is what the accommodation plan is for. I just don't want them to think that I am not able to complete the program when I know I can and will, it's just a matter of disclosing that to my new instructors. It was never like this until I had my fourth child and struggled to get my life back on track. I had something traumatic happen to me and I struggled with that. It had nothing to do with any patients that I took care of, I was the patient when it occurred.

[beekee]

What is it you are wanting from this post? We don’t know you. We are not your doctors. I’m guessing that the vast majority of your classmates also feel anxious about this assignment. Sounds pretty normal to me, so I have no idea if your anxiety rises to the level of disability.

So, you either need to do the presentation or get a waiver due to a disability. If you aren’t getting help for your anxiety, you probably should explore that avenue.

[TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN]

I would encourage you to seek counseling to help manage your anxiety. Fear of public speaking is incredibly common and I'm sure you can get some good help for it. I would be wary of seeking a waiver as group projects are simply a part of college and it would probably be in your best interest to defeat this fear and anxiety as opposed to trying to avoid it, you'll feel much better about yourself if you persevere through this. Best of luck to you.