When I went work today I told my work friends my asthma is bad
and also told my supervisor and she said ok.
what I would like to find out would you ?
Is it best to let management know what you are on ,
so they realise you have bad Asthma and not just the case off taking a reliever ?
They will then also have info if you need a ambulance if you find it hard to talk.
OR
Best not to tell them much and just let them deal with an attack when one happens.!!!
using reliever?
Think would be a good talking point to see what you all think about it
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.EDIT !!! MY work know im asthmatic and now told them how bad it gets and got list of my meds in with my reliever ,its not for my works as they dont want or need to read it but handy for medics and know I wear a Talisman bracelet. If i need help they will know dont mess about and dial ambo x I am a first aider and work mates also.
12 Replies
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I always took the honest approach to things like this, explained that I have severe asthma and explain what signs to look for and when to get help. It helps as then there is no panic when it does go pear shapped
Hi Glynis
For your sake I would tell management and colleagues. just in case you have a bad attack, get some of the asthma attack cards from asthma uk site and hand them out at work, or keep one on you so they know what to do in an emergency.
I take the middle road. A few/small number of people know about my asthma (to my knowledge anyhow). I've never liked to talk about my asthma and wouldn't want it to be general knowledge. Its unusual for one of the few, who know, not to be around. This isn't something I've done before but I was struggling big time last year so thought someone should know roughly what was going on, so if something did happen they'd know what to do and pass any info on.
One person knows what I'm taking for the asthma, but when I'm on pred I tell the few. Otherwise the rest of them are blind - other than knowing that I take asthma meds.
My asthma isn't very fast moving at present, so its unlikely I wouldn't be able to get help anyway. I think its both dependent upon how the asthma behaves and how the person affected feels about talking about it?
I would tell the relevant persons about my condition. Those who can handle it. Those who should know and those i can trust. Many people suffer various conditions and managers have to be aware of it without broadcasting it publically. But asthma meant that the only people unaware of my condition where those in long leave.
The decision is yours Glynis, this is my opinion.
Take care
Gill
I believe every workplace has first aiders, these are the people who i would tell, as it should be confidential, and if i had an attack at work, the first aider would be the one to deal with me, there should be more than one per dept, Ask your manager they should have it up somewhere who the first aiders are. x (or am i so old i'm out of touch ha ha x)
I told my boss about my asthma and when he wanted to know what medication I was on for it I told him, he also wanted to know how to recognise if I was having a bad asthma episode again I gave this information, little did I know that one day I would need his help, last year I was at work when an asthma attack started even though I was using my inhalers they did help a little but not enough, my boss remembered what I told him when I first started with the company and he phoned 999 for an ambulance, so Glynis, if it is any help, yes, I would provide that information.
I Went to the office and gave them a list of Asthma meds im on for severe asthma,
also saying i wear a sos Talisman.
They were nice and said put it in your medical room in your inhaler case that does state do not remove from here. Mrs Glynis ! !! asthmatic.
EDIT- i am first aider in the school
Hi glynis,
I (like others) don't like people to know about my asthma really. Over the last years I had a few episodes at work where I needed my reliever so whichever colleague was with me at the time found out then.
When I first got the job I had to fill in a form stating any illnesses so I put down asthma but never talked to management about it and I never knew if they even read that form.
A couple of my colleagues who knew about it started working in the office and when I had a bad attack outside last year they were my ""heroes"" as they remembered and called an ambulance that was much needed.
I was so glad they knew!
I think it is important for at least a couple of colleagues who usually work with you to know as they could be life savers!
What if you have an attack and you can't speak up for yourself? Or if you passed out with it?
I told my place of work straight off about my Asthma, needed really as I am doing permited work!
I have shown most of them in my office how to administer an epipen ( specific to me only and not to jab anyone else!) I have an epipen poster above my desk with details of where my meds are, neb & epipens and also that my O2 is in the back of the car if needed. I work out in the sticks!
It is essential to tell employees of medical conditions as this will help them to help you in an emergency and they may panic a bit less! It will give them some confidence too!
I work in a team of six people. Of the six, four of us suffer from asthma. I am the worst and always have at least one unopened Ventolin inhaler in my bag (usually more), in addition to inhalers I carry in my pockets. All of my colleagues know they are there. They also know there is a spacer in my bag. They not only know what to do to help me if needed and know exactly where my inhalers and spacer are to get them for me, but they also know that they can help themselves if they need them in a hurry when I am not there to help them.
In my team, it's not just a two-way thing, it's a six-way thing!
I guess that makes me a ""For"".
Alan
I think it's a bit OTT. Lots of people have different health problems. Where I work, out of 50 people there is an epileptic, a diabetic, a lady with a serious heart condition, one with rheumatoid arthritis, a young chap with ulcerative colitis, a lady with Crohn's, one with ovarian cancer, one severe asthmatic, and me (severe asthma, bronchiectasis & allergy).
We don't give managers lists of our meds. They wouldn't mean much to them anyway. Anyone with a serious health problem keeps a copy of their usual prescription in the top drawer of their desks and this practice is known to all staff.
I wouldn't want an epipen poster behind me like a big label. Mine is in my drawer, labelled with short, clear instructions. Nearby colleagues know how to use it. An epipen is pretty idiot-proof anyway.
I would sugest that you discuss with your first aider and make sure she/he knows what to do. It's alarming seeing someone struggling to breathe and if your first aider has never seen an asthma attack it might be worth letting them have a bit of a practice when you're breathing ok - you might feel a bit of an idiot but it could save your life. I say this because I couldn't breath at work about 18 months ago (due to a minor heart problem, not the asthma) and out of 3 first aiders in the office 2 sat at their desks looking alarmed. Only 1 knew what to do and that was me and I was unable to speak! I was able to put myself on the floor in the recovery position (always lie down before you fall down!) but I could have done with someone other than me knowing what to do.
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