Nursing Trends
No prohibition excludes people with epilepsy to have a medical license.
Some jobs are not suitable for people suffering from health problems like epilepsy for their safety and the safety of people around them. However, there is no such problem in the healthcare environment that can trigger an individual’s epileptic episodes. If you have epilepsy but have the ambition and drive to become a nurse, you should make an effort towards your goal. There are no legal restrictions that hinder an epileptic individual’s nursing career. However, there are some challenges like long working hours, night shifts, etc., that make it more challenging for an individual with epilepsy to become a nurse.
Being a nurse with epilepsy
A nurse with a medical condition like epilepsy is obliged to inform the administration so that preventive measures can be taken to avoid any unnecessary problems. Once the administration knows about your health status they can put you in the position that serves you and your patient the best. Don’t worry about not getting the job just because you have epilepsy as there is no law that limits your potential in nursing with medical conditions like epilepsy.
Epilepsy is a common brain disorder that causes seizures regularly. Seizures are brief bursts of electrical activity in the brain that disrupt its normal functioning. They can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Epilepsy can strike at any age, however, it most commonly strikes children or persons over the age of 60. It can be managed with proper medication and self-regulation.
Challenges faced by a nurse with epilepsy
Epilepsy is a serious issue for people working in fields where they are subjected to flickering lights, alcohol, going to concerts, or watching an animated television show. Nurses with epilepsy should choose their lifestyle carefully and avoid all such causes that may trigger epilepsy seizures. The hospital environment is free of any of these triggers and thus, it is safe for nurses with epilepsy to work.
One of the major triggers of epilepsy is flashing or flickering lights while the lights in the hospital are very consistent with no flickering to make sure that patients are not disturbed. This also mitigates the threat for nurses with epilepsy. However, sometimes nurses spend hours in front of the computer to enter medical records or perform other duties for their patients. It is the duty of the hospital administration to limit such duties for epileptic nurses for their safety. Patients and hospital employees place a high value on safety, which is why it’s great that the lighting infrastructure isn’t likely to alter anytime soon.
How to manage the symptoms of epilepsy
There are numerous light sources available, but a few of them are hazardous to epilepsy sufferers. If you have epilepsy, you’ve probably had discussions with professors or supervisors about what it’ll be like to work with this condition. It is true that in a professional working environment not everyone will be willing to accommodate you, but going to the right people and mentioning your health status will help. The good news is that a nurse with epilepsy enjoys the same benefits as a nurse without epilepsy. So, epilepsy is not going to cut back your money or other professional credentials.
It is the duty of a nurse with epilepsy to approach their work with responsibility and caution. They should take their medicines regularly to avoid seizures or other symptoms that may make their patient cautious. People with epilepsy should avoid working night shifts since the lack of disturbance of sleep can cause seizures. Research shows that better sleep may help you control your seizures. The best way is to start adapting in nursing school as in a learning environment there is a better chance for the graduate nurses to learn self-management. The professors and fellow nursing students should always be supportive of individuals with epilepsy and they should never be disregarded. There should also be some specific training for nurses with epilepsy before officially starting their careers.
Role of a nurse with epilepsy in the healthcare department
Seizures are most commonly caused by an excessive reaction to light, but they can also be caused by other factors. They may have a unique reaction to a certain chemical. Some people get seizures as a result of a lack of water in their bodies. A seizure is not only perilous to others around the nurse, but it is also the most dangerous to the nurse herself.
Hospitals currently provide accommodations for a variety of conditions that nurses must deal with. A nurse with a contagious health problem poses a risk to other staff and patients but fortunately, epilepsy is a disorder-like ailment and is not transmissible. Although a nurse with a seizure disease may have different preferences than the rest of the staff, the impact they make on the community is incalculable. And the fact that they’re able to accomplish that job while under the stress of caring for people with that condition is something to be quite proud of.
Conclusion
It is settled that you can become a nurse with epilepsy if you have the right qualifications and management techniques. Hospitals are also ethically obliged to provide flexible working hours and breaks for such staff. Meanwhile, the nurses employed with epilepsy should be extremely responsible for their actions and lifestyle as it affects their careers. If you feel like your job as a nurse is posing a negative effect on your health status you must immediately get help from an expert.
Self-management and self-awareness play a crucial part in the career development of a registered nurse with epilepsy. There are no limitations to your success in your nursing career if you take good care of your health status. We should always encourage and appreciate individuals especially nurses working with such ailments. A good support system makes it easier for nurses with epilepsy to work efficiently and play their role as salient players in the healthcare system around the world.
