Advice please about student nurse placement and arthritis

Melissa1985

Hello, I'm currently at university studying to be a nurse on my last placement of my first year. I have just been diagnosed with mild arthritis of the lower back lumbar and very mild disc degeneration of the lumbar, following an X-ray due to some lower Back pain. I am currently on my last placement and I have told the university and placement about this. I said that it can be managed it's not causing me much pain and I can do the work, and I take paracetamol and ibuprofen when needed. The placement said if you're ok then that's ok with us, and so did my university. Now I have received an email saying the practice facilitators are concerned about me being fit for practice, but when I spoke to them they did not say this to me. I'm due for a teams meeting with the university tomorrow. I'm so worried as I am so so passionate about becoming a nurse and I'm scared they will try and pull me from my course. Can they do this? Is this classed as discrimination at all? I am able to work I have told them this but I thought I was doing the right thing in making them aware. I'm confused and not sure what to do can anyone help please

noddingtonpete

Hello @Melissa1985 and welcome to the Community.

I see that you are training to be a nurse but have been diagnosed with mild arthritis. It seems from what you have written that there is more than one person in the practice responding and a case of left hand not knowing what the right is doing! Have a look at the following, and if you need to talk this through we have our Helpline you could call or Citizen's Advice.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/work/

Maybe they just want to make sure that you are Ok, let's hope so.

Best wishes

Peter

Melissa1985

Thank you, I have spoken with my doctor to see if I can have a fit to work note, he is getting back to me as he isn't quite sure how this process goes. I have my teams meeting today at 10am.

I understand that they need to make sure I'm ok but I have said that it is manageable and I can still carry out the work that's required. I only have 4 weeks left of my placement and then that will be my first year completed. And I have agreed they can refer me to occupational health to be assessed for me second year with placement due to start in February.

Im hoping this can go ahead as I've worked so hard to get here.

Thank you

stickywicket

I can only suggest that, if you have anything positive in writing, from your doc or uni or the placement then take it with you.

I wish you the very best. I've had many hospital stays over the years and it's actually good to have a nurse who really understands the problems from experience.

Please let's know how you get on.