Accepted as mature student (mental health nursing) Disclosing Information in Medical?

T

TonyWanda

Registered User
Messages
11
Hello, I have a friend who has been accepted as a mature student, along with myself to study Nursing at University next Sept'.

The only problem is that she will be studying mental health nursing (i'm doing general). Her main concern is that she was hospitalised as a young adult for depression and treating on a out-patient basis.

She is 32 years old now, hasn't suffered from depression for over 10 years but, the H.S.E. ask particular questions in regards to medical forms that have to be filled out, and she feels this could very much jeopardise her chances of placement if she discloses this information on the medical booklet.

Should she say no and hope for the best?

or

Say yes and risk being deemed unfit to work in that particular area because they will more than likely look into her medical history?

What can she do?
 
Re: Disclosing Information On a Medical?

I would say ( althought not knowing for sure ) that if they are asking these questions then there has to be a reason for it.

Does it say anywhere on this form that by signing you they can access your medical information. Similar to when you are applying for credit, once you sign they can check your credit score.

It's going to look twice as bad if they find out she lied on the form.

Maybe someone here with a medical background would be able to answer better for you. It could be that after a set amount of time it wouldn't matter anymore.

Depression is a very common thing, and it has been 10 years, so i hope she is still to go ahead and do her course.
 
Re: Disclosing Information On a Medical?

Of course, she must tell the truth.
I work in nursing and do not think that a history of depression 10 years ago will affect her application. I in 10 people ( and that includes nurses) experience depression at some point in their lives. Her GP usually has to complete a medical form also. Then shes likely to be called for a medical and she explain that shes been well for 10 years
 
Re: Accepted as mature student (mental health nursing) Disclosing Information in Medi

Shes going to speak with her GP next week as far as I know. Fingers crossed and all information is much obliged.
 
Re: Disclosing Information On a Medical?

It is in your friends interest to answer questions on occupational health questionnaires truthfully and to disclose her medical history... if it was an illness of a non-psychiatric nature would she have any hesitation in disclosing that illness? Your friend needs to think laterally. She will be working in psychiatric environments during training and hopefully on qualification and should any incident arise in relation to the nature of employment, or say for instance she has a re-emergence of symptoms - how would she handle it.... her history will invariably come out if occupational health gets involved or alternatively if injured at work through an injury claim. Furthermore, occupational health physicians can contact your GP and thats another way for this to come out. I understand your friends concerns as there is alot of stigma and mis-understanding around mental illness... even in today's society, but to put a positive spin on it - your friend has nothing to be ashamed of - she has been in recovery and her experience enables her to empathize with service users - the people who she herself will be providing services for.
 
Re: Accepted as mature student (mental health nursing) Disclosing Information in Medi

Being hospitalised for a mental health problem in the past will not preclude her from studying mental health nursing. Get her to disclose the information. If she is a HSE student, which it sounds like she is, she may be required to have an assessment from the occupational health dept of the HSE area she is applying to but in my experience this does not pose a problem for potential students.
 
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