Welcome to the New Nurses with Disabilities Forum!

Hi All,

I am a retired disabled nurse but still very pro-active in nursing issues and have been all the years I worked.

Kelley1941

Hi Again,

This is my first day using All-Nurses and I am looking forward to talking with all of you as nurses. We need to start helping to take care of our own nurses who are in need. As a nurse I have done a great deal of work in this area. I have a web site and we are sponsoring a Pitch To Nurses to help them financially it is like a loan based type of foundation where the nurses we help would pay us back a small amount when they get back on track.

Thanks, mkelley1941:redbeathe

Hi Again,

This is my first day using All-Nurses and I am looking forward to talking with all of you as nurses. We need to start helping to take care of our own nurses who are in need. As a nurse I have done a great deal of work in this area. I have a web site and we are sponsoring a Pitch To Nurses to help them financially it is like a loan based type of foundation where the nurses we help would pay us back a small amount when they get back on track.

www.anynursecan.org/pitch_to_nurses_foundation.htm:heartbeat

This website is sponsoring Pitch to Nurses :heartbeat

Thanks, mkelley1941:redbeathe

Hi, I am in my first year of nursing school. I have a question regarding a medical condition and whether I would be required to disclose it prior to receiving my license. I suffer from depression. Does this have to be disclosed?

hi,

as far as i know the board of registration is more concerned if you have a criminal record or any other issues in your background relating to a red flag that you abuse medications. millions of americans suffer from depression and this shouldn't hinder you in your new profession.

mary:heartbeat

Hello, first visit to site, read thru site & didn't see any nurse working with Parkinson's. Was working in LTC & thinking I missed acute care-applied for & got a job in a busy local ED. Passed employee physical in AM & was diagnosed in PM. This was in 3/06--I lasted 17 months & the fatigue was wearing so I returned to my first love--LTC. I appear to be very fortunate as only have 1 limb that tremors--right hand & arm

(never had problems starting IV's in ED), have had more trouble with medication & adverse effects up to this point. After 1 yr as night Supervisor applied for a nurse manager position (which held previously) and was offered a job share with a much younger and less experienced RN -who is very good, has many great ideas, we get along great & the perks of having more time off is working well for both of us. My question to anyone out there is--this position was offered d/t a decision couldn't be reached between the 2 of us, felt we both had qualities needed to do job SO both of were chosen & statement was made that if d/t my age 62, OR if my health became an issue and I needed to retire early my partner would have benefitted enough from my many years of experience & could carry on solo in position. I like my DON but should I file something in HR about the statements made re: age & health to protect myself? I may have Parkinson's but I work very hard not to let the disease have me, a real challenge when I work with residents in varying late stages of the disease. Would value comments from nurses with similiar experiences. Love the site!!

Hi! Cowmom,

I absolutely loved the way you said you had Parkinson's but work very hard not to let the disease have you! Thank you for putting it so well, I have lupus and that statement fits me, too. I think you were put in a difficult situation unnecessarily, and unproffessionly victimized, too. We have protections under the law, remember, age and disability are prevented by FEDERAL law, and methinks your HR record or personel officer and DON need to be tactfully reminded about that? sue

Don't ask, don't tell...words which may have saved my bright and long-term nursing career. When it became medically necessary for me to disclose to my shift (long after department heads, administration knew, etc) I was frozen out, suspect of being an addict and unreliable. I also was called by and id'd by, my disorder's name rather than my name. I was treated as a pariah, working relationships were broken and people shifted away from me so they would not become endangered as administration reved up to get rid of me. I was too much liability. I was denied a medical leave, and shunned.

It took months, but I finally heard that the "real story" leaked when the head nurse became ill; no more lies came out from the office.

So if you say "tell what you are dx'd with" I cannot and will not since I have recovered , am in remission and can work again-after 12 years. I cannot risk another chance to work within the profession I love.

Franny

Hi nurses,

I am new to this site and think this might be old forum so will be brief. I am struggling tremendously with Fibromyalgia and OSA (obst. sleep apnea). I am only working one day per week. I was diagnosed with FM almost 2 years ago and OSA this past January. My life is difficult as I am single with my two cats. I am headed to FL next week to look around at a move as it would be better for me than living near Boston. I am trying to connect with others who have FM and or OSA and no treatment is working or better yet, if a treatment is working. I have been accepted for Mass Rehab as a Priority I for disability. I haven't applied for disabilitty as I don't want to admit that I may be disabled. I also have bipolar and MD's want to blame everything on this disorder ie. stating depression is cause of all the illnesses. I don't agree as they fail to look at the whole person ME! Thanks for listening.

Hi, I am in my first year of nursing school. I have a question regarding a medical condition and whether I would be required to disclose it prior to receiving my license. I suffer from depression. Does this have to be disclosed?

I have bipolar and I only once told about it when it was at the point that I was in trouble at work and being written up for my behavior which was out of control. They then said, "You shouldn't have told me". "You didn't have to tell me that." Then, there it was; they couldn't fire me now because I told them of a medical diagnosis and it would be discrimination. Instead, I was granted a six week leave to do a day program at a local hospital. I have had many many jobs and been fired from 3 now. There is somehting about me that people don't like and I think it is the disease manifesting itself at times. So, don't worry about depression because there are programs that they should give you. And, as Mary said...many millions suffer from depression but it doesn't make it less of a problem. Mental illness is the worst thing you can go through but it does get better. Chronic illness is horrible to deal with.

hi,

as far as i know the board of registration is more concerned if you have a criminal record or any other issues in your background relating to a red flag that you abuse medications. millions of americans suffer from depression and this shouldn't hinder you in your new profession.

mary:heartbeat

hi mary,

you are my neighbor. i'm in lynn, ma. are you the one handling the pitch for nurses foundation. i just printed it out and will read it and give a call. this is amazing that i found this site. thanks a bunch.

I recently met a disabled nurse that was determined to get back to work and not stay on disability even though she qualified. I was so impressed by her determination that I am proud to say I advocated to the Texas BON for her and helped her receive a limited license and do her refresher course without clinicals to re-activate her license and she now has a job doing insurance case management at home. FYI: Dept of Assistive & Rehab Services (DARS) assisted her in many ways financially to assist in her successful return. Also, wanted to suggest you guys and gals check out the exceptional nurses website. They are a disabled nurse professional organization and do lots of cool stuff.

Carefully review the questions re:licensure and renewal in your state. In Texas the wording I believe is have you been hospitalized or had an acute exacerbation in the last 2 years for renewal of license. So, it may depend on where you are. By all means if they ask tell the truth. Never lie to a regulatory body. That will get you in deep doody. They will have questions and may want a medical statement from your MD that you are fit but, it should not keep you from your profession.