NEED EMPLOYMENT

[coladot]

I was working without any problems until May 06' when I had a meltdown and my being bipolar became obvious to all my coworkers. I put my license in inactive status and did not work for 3 yrs. I could not function without fear of doing harm to a pt. and losing my license. My pdoc was concerned and encouraged me not to work until I became more stable and on the right medications and suggested I apply for disability because at that point she would not clear me for working. I have been on disability since 01/07'. I spend many times in an psych hospital and had ECT for my severe depression. I have changed meds several times and now feel the cocktail I'm on now is working well for me. I hate taking lithium but it is one of the drugs that works well for me. I really hit rock bottom to say the least. I reactivated my license in April 09' but u know that one question In the past 5 yrs. have u been diagnosed with any mental illness i.e. depression, border line personality, bipolar etc.. will I answered yes. I will regret that for the rest of my life. It has caused me nothing but grief and a lot of frustration. I have been put under the microscope. It has ruined my career. I now have warning with stipulations on my license. I gave them all the documentations and clearance from my Psychologist and Psychiatrist. I landed a job in 11/09 but the hospital closed in May of this yr. I have a "Agreed Order" from the BON which states I am to inform any employer of my stipulations and if hired give them a copy of the Order. The reason I did not give my last employer the notice b/c it did not go into effect until 3/10 and I already knew the hospital was closing in May so I thought whats the point. Will now when I apply for a job they ask if your license is in "good standing" If I say yes when they verify it they will find out so no point in lying. My problem now is I can't get anyone to hire me. I have send numbers of resumes via e-mail to no avail. I get call backs but they ask that question and it bites me every time. I have experience in ER,ICU,PACU but it's not "recent experience" and of course that bumps me out of the pool. I was working in post partum and really enjoyed that b/c the stress level was minimal and good for my mental status. Does anyone have any suggestions same issues or any thoughts. Please share I really need help. Thank you for reading

[coladot]

Sorry, apparently I don't have pm privileges yet. But this is 4 the person who send me a message. While I did not work I was in therapy, attended DBSA meetings, had 18 mths of CBT(cognitive behavior therapy), and of course the appts. with the psychologist and psychiatrist. Yes I checked the box about having a mental illness. That is what started the investigation. The BON referred my case to TPAPN they send me a letter. I called talk to the case manager assigned to me asked her some questions and decided I did not want to participate in the program. It's your choice the BON wants you to take that option b/c it's off their hands. Maybe in retrospect I should have taken that route but there were those stipulations and 2 yrs required which I did not want but I could have avoided having a warning with stipulations on my license. Yes I have a mental illness but I have been getting treatment for it and don't feel I need some program to tell me I need recovery. I did not retain a lawyer I went on it alone. I challenged the BON to prove I was not safe to practice when I provided them with letters from both my docs, gave them my documentation of therapy etc.. The investigation started in 4/09 and completed 3/10 with the "Agreed Order". I called the investigator and told her I felt that it was a punitive measure of course she disagreed and replied it's for the safety of the public. I suppose I could retain a lawyer to get them to drop it but I can't afford it. When I go to interviews I don't say anything unless I feel It will lead to something. Just send me a pm if u want

[phlox]

Thanks for explaining. I hate the TPAPN idea so much I could scream! I just don't understand why I have to be in some program where I have to call each morning and ask if this is my day for a UA...for 2 years! And pay for it! I never went to work drunk or high or hungover and I certainly never stole narcotics. Others on here have pat answers that make it somehow seem ok that Bipolars are classified with substance abusers but I am sorry, I hate it, resent it, and it does not seem appropriate.

[InERisiTABEREin]

Just woundering from your posts, it seems like anyone with a mental disability, including depression, has to do this program. Is that true, or is bipolar a specific case? This seems crazy, and like something they would out and out tell you BEFORE nursing school. I am hoping to start nursing school next year, and even though I think I would do it anyway, I want to know if I will be stuck dealing with this program for 2 years for what for me is just very mild, but documented depression. I'm not in Texas, so maybe it's different. Any info? Good luck with finding a job!