The Student Room Group

Placements and Therapy

Hi guys

So I'm hoping to do Mental Health Nursing this year. I have entry tests next week. I have recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and have been referred to specialist psychotherapy. While I am on medication and things are fairly under control, and I hope to pass occupational health, I am wondering if under disability/reasonable adjustments I'm likely to be able to have my placement shifts work around the NHS therapy I am offered? (I won't be offered until July due to waiting times). If not I can get private therapy, but obviously would prefer not to, but worried this is going to make me fail occupational health :frown:
Original post by ChancedTravels
Hi guys

So I'm hoping to do Mental Health Nursing this year. I have entry tests next week. I have recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and have been referred to specialist psychotherapy. While I am on medication and things are fairly under control, and I hope to pass occupational health, I am wondering if under disability/reasonable adjustments I'm likely to be able to have my placement shifts work around the NHS therapy I am offered? (I won't be offered until July due to waiting times). If not I can get private therapy, but obviously would prefer not to, but worried this is going to make me fail occupational health :frown:


The point of OH is not to stop people with health conditions from entering the course but to make adjustments so that these people (who it has already been decided would be great nurses) can do so without being at a disadvantage due to their health conditions, which is important to bear in mind when you're getting worried. OH is not a pass/fail thing, and the people who have issues at these points are those with serious physical disabilities which would prevent them doing any moving and handling at all, or those with mental health conditions which make them a danger to the public - two categories you definitely don't fall into. Most placement mentors are understanding if you have appointments and can arrange your shifts to be changed so honestly, don't worry about it.
Original post by ChancedTravels
Hi guys

So I'm hoping to do Mental Health Nursing this year. I have entry tests next week. I have recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and have been referred to specialist psychotherapy. While I am on medication and things are fairly under control, and I hope to pass occupational health, I am wondering if under disability/reasonable adjustments I'm likely to be able to have my placement shifts work around the NHS therapy I am offered? (I won't be offered until July due to waiting times). If not I can get private therapy, but obviously would prefer not to, but worried this is going to make me fail occupational health :frown:


I really wouldn't worry about this. When you go on your placements, if you tell your mentor you have an appt to go to say, every Wednesday then they can just plan your shifts around this. You don't have to say what it's for and most mentors will not ask questions. If you did have a problem with your mentor on placement, I am sure your university's occy health can provide you a letter to excuse you from placement from that day, then your mentor will have to honour it. As I said, most mentors will not even ask questions so it shouldn't be a big deal.
Original post by ButterflyRN
I really wouldn't worry about this. When you go on your placements, if you tell your mentor you have an appt to go to say, every Wednesday then they can just plan your shifts around this. You don't have to say what it's for and most mentors will not ask questions. If you did have a problem with your mentor on placement, I am sure your university's occy health can provide you a letter to excuse you from placement from that day, then your mentor will have to honour it. As I said, most mentors will not even ask questions so it shouldn't be a big deal.


Thank you - this is SO reassuring x
Reply 4
I also have bpd and from someone with it I wanna say make sure you're healthy enough in yourself to do it. Even though it could be completely different, I know for me I wouldn't have been resilient enough to do it when I was first diagnosed and has taken a fair while to build up emotional coping skills - although my team only diagnose when you've had multiple psychiatric admissions and are usually unwell. Although I'd guess some don't.
But I went to uni a few months after getting diagnosed and it was awful.

But bpd gets farrrrr too much stigma! So never listen to anyone who says it's impossible and it's awesome to show people you still live your life!!


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Original post by Swagio
I also have bpd and from someone with it I wanna say make sure you're healthy enough in yourself to do it. Even though it could be completely different, I know for me I wouldn't have been resilient enough to do it when I was first diagnosed and has taken a fair while to build up emotional coping skills - although my team only diagnose when you've had multiple psychiatric admissions and are usually unwell. Although I'd guess some don't.
But I went to uni a few months after getting diagnosed and it was awful.

But bpd gets farrrrr too much stigma! So never listen to anyone who says it's impossible and it's awesome to show people you still live your life!!


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Thank you!! Yeah I was really unwell earlier this year but still managed to finished my English degree on time somehow. I will have to pass occ. health anyway so I'm not going to pressure myself to do it if I'm not ready :smile: Hope you're staying well!

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