Hello all,

I have worked at two prisons where I live. I've work in the MH crisis bed at one and in the main clinic in my own office that has a bathroom very close to my office. I often "rush" as much as that is possible for me to get to the bathroom and barely make it sometimes. I was told by my boss last week, he and the other psychs want me to go from my office at that prison to the other prison to work with more antisocial, life term or double like term inmates. I told him "There is no known successful treatment for people with that diagnosis and that i am well used where I am at the other prison" but he wants me to transfer to the other prison. He left town so we were unable to talk more about it. I posted all this to ask about ADA and if the closeness of a bathroom would be a good enough reason to stay were I am? The fear of being somewhere that a bathroom is not that close to me terrifies me. Thank you all for any thoughts or documents that help lead credence to my concerns.

Doctor T,

Close proximity to a BR is "reasonable accommodation." When I worked, I needed an AC for my my office. There was no resistance to this. And when my office needed to move for construction, the AC went w me.

Another part of accommodation was that the hospital turned AC's on in mid-May and off in Sept. I needed it turned on in April for that very hot, surprise day that would come and to be left on thru October. I just asked.

Good luck to you,
ANN

Doc,

Absolutely it should qualify. A note from your PCP should do the trick.

Bearing in mind that I'm in Canada, and so the regulations may be different... but as an employer, I am required to accommodate or provide pretty much anything that an MD requires for their patient to work as an employee of my company in a safe and health maintaining environment.

I extend this as much as possible to all associates who maintain private practices within the clinic as well; even though it is not required, as they are not my employees. They do however, utilize the clinic facilities to operate their practices and because of that, their comfort is as important to everyone, as is the comfort of employees.

For example, my office assistant is environmentally sensitive, so our cleaning products are natural products that are unscented. The janitor does a disinfection over-haul cleaning on a weekly basis, but she does that on Friday evenings, so that the odor has dissipated by the time the work week begins for that employee. We also have special filters on the furnace/AC unit, as well as HEPA filters to keep dust (we do a lot of laundry and it produces dust because we use flannel clinical sheets). The filters also control odors.

Our counselor has a dust allergy so an additional HEPA filter/ionizing unit is installed in her session room. That also allows her to have a thick rug in her session room to decrease noise and maintain patient privacy (sound proofing), because it would probably collect dust even with vacuuming. The HEPA unit also prevents allergens from her therapy dog (a large yellow lab) from accumulating.

These are small accommodations, but well worth it. A happy work place, leads to contented workers and that is essential in the provision of services to others .

In your case, your PCP might mention in his note that if you were made to work where facilities were not easily accessible, that it would be a hardship (both mentally and physically), and that would could well affect your ability to provide services.

When I am requested by patients to write such a note (insurance coverage, disability etc), I ask them to write & provide me with a draft, including who it is directed to and what needs to be mentioned. From that I get a better picture of what the patient specifically requires to have their needs met.
You might do the same and provide a draft to your PCP when/if you make the request for the note.

Please let us know how you make out.

With love, Erika

Is the bathroom at the other prison that much farther away? I totally get not wanting to be far from a toilet but it kind of sounds as if you really don't want to work with the anti-social population and have said as much to your boss.

Your correct that is a big deal but also the bathroom is steps away at the Prison I've been at for the past 8 months and the other would not be close at all on that yard.

i agree with what you're saying but it brings to mind a Q...
could you be helped from a medication for an overactive bladder.
i had problems like that early in my MS dx and was helped by meds.

Thank you Nancy. I've tried medication but the lowest dose dried out everything in my body. I carried around eye drops for months and my spinal lesions really affect my bladder a lot. Good thought though. That is one toiling option I've tried and have not tried meds for the other type of toileting issue. I takes to the Urologist who told me, "You have to find somebody else to fix that issue."

Happy news! I spoke to my boss yesterday. He was gone all last week and came back yesterday when I called and asked to talk to him. He took a special trip to see me. He was an hour and half away and in another state. He came, I explained what I am going through and educated him a little bit on MS. He listened, understood and made the decision to keep me where I am. There are three bathrooms in my clinic there. One very close to my office and if that is in use there are two others available to me. I am very thankful and feel relief at this news! Praise God!

That is exactly why I think educating your employer is important. So many people want to hide it. But he was willing to work with you to keep a good employee where she can do her best. Good for you for speaking up!

Great news Doc..