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Chronic illness and discrimination
Good morning all!
Happy hump day!
Tomorrow is my infusion day and I am looking forward to the couple day break from work and refueling.
Today I want to talk about discrimination and chronic illness.
As most of you know, I work in the healthcare field as a nurse. You would be surprised how even healthcare workers aren’t understanding or sympathetic to chronic illness, and in fact can be downright cold.
This morning, there was a patient who is COVID positive scheduled for surgery in the OR that I was assigned to, I spoke to my charge nurse in private because I have notes from my Rheumatologist and PCP requesting that I do not care for COVID positive/confirmed patients because I am at a high risk for complications. Another nurse came in my room and angrily asked me “How do you still have a job here?” “Why do you work in healthcare?” Sadly, this wasn’t the first time I’ve had discriminatory statements said to me (at work or elsewhere) due to my chronic illness.
I know some of you still work, while others here are unable to.
Have you been discriminated against before? If so, how do you handle it?
I told the other nurse that she was making discriminatory comments and informed my managers of the situation. I try not to take it personal, but it still stings the same, especially when you are doing all you can to help.
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2 Replies
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I find the behavior you describe as shocking, inappropriate, and harmful. I’m glad you reported this person. Needless to say, I’ve had plenty of contact with nurses in a hospital setting, and I’m always amazed at the caring and thoughtfulness almost all of them have. I guess there are exceptions. You nurses rank very high on my list of great people.
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@pricewool
Yes, thanks for your kind words! I hope I’m one of the few who has personally experienced this.
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