Personal Statement Requested to Register because of Depression/Anxiety -- Help?

Nurses Disabilities

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I'm a new grad in Ontario and to register with the College of Nurses of Ontario, I have to declare my mental health issues so they can decide if I'm fit to work as a nurse. With my registration application, I am supposed to send "a personal statement, signed and dated, stating the applicant's opinion of how the condition might affect their ability to provide safe nursing practice".

I've never had to write anything like this before and frankly I do not know how to even start something like this or what to even write. I've been a long-time lurker here, and I'm hoping someone out there can lend me some advice on this. I'm worried that I'm going to mess it up and they are going to deny my registration (after 5 years of college and uni...). Any advice is appreciated!

~May

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I see a pychiatric nurse practitioner and she prescribes my meds. When I told her I needed something for stateboard due to my bipolar, she recommended non-disclosure. When I first applied for my license in 1992 I did not have that diagnosis so there was no reason to worry about that question. In 1999 when I was diagnosed and it came time to renew my license I freaked out.

I took her advise and have not self-disclosed my illness. I have enough hassles in life without having state board breathing down my neck. I don't want to have to enter a recovery program. Whether MI or substance abuse, it's the same program. Do they even have a right to ask that question? I am a nurse practitioner and none of my collegues are aware that I have bipolar.

Thank you for your input. I was just talking with my family about this issue today, and they think I should disclose because if I were ever to be reported to the BON for any reason (or NO reason), it would "come out in the wash" then and they'd yank my license for lying. I'm an honest person, almost to a fault, and it would kill my soul to be caught in a lie like this. Taking that chance would be stupid.

OTOH, if I did disclose it would probably be a never-ending hassle, even though I've been practicing for many years and was undoubtedly bipolar before that.....I just wasn't "official" then. I am now. That's the only difference! And in all the years since I first got my CNA certification, I've never come to the Board's attention in any way except when it came time for renewal. Why on earth should I have to go through a monitoring program when I don't abuse substances and have been sober for almost 21 years? Why should I have to "prove" my worthiness to practice when the only thing that's changed in two years is the addition of a 296.x diagnosis code to my medical record?

Still don't know what I'm going to do about this, but getting several points of view is a good thing. I appreciate this information.

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it would kill my soul to be caught in a lie like this

This is how I feel... I've been caught in a lie before about something stupid and I almost fainted when I was confronted (and I have never fainted in my life!). This is why I disclosed, and if I move to the States, I will then too because I don't ever want to be caught in a lie; this is something too big to risk it in my opinion.

But you are right.. we shouldn't have to be monitored for having a mental illness... But I figure, this is what they want and if I want to work as an RN, I'll do it. I know I'm not a risk for patients (if anything, I'm a risk to myself -_- and that is my business, and my doctor's, right?).

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In VA, if you have a mental health issue ONLY, then it's typically just reports from your therapists and pdoc. I do screens because I had a hx of alcohol abuse. Just a thought, Viva. If it only said BD and nothing else, then it may not be that costly even if you were in a program. That's just the way it is in VA though.

Lying just wasn't an option. I just didn't feel comfortable. Everytime I have a question in regards to license concerns, I email someone at the BON though. Obnoxious? Yes. But, I am a new nurse and I have to contend with HPMP. Don't know everything yet. So, it is what it is.

I don't think I should have to lie or hide anything from anyone. Mental illness is NOT a crime. When our society gets past the mentality that it's a crime, we will be better off.

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Any chemical, physical or mental impairment and/or disability or treatment for such that impacts the advanced practice registered nurse's ability to practice nursing safely, and a description of accommodations and/or practice limitations needed, if any

Specificlly, this is the question above that I am referring to. My psych NP claims that my MI does not impact my ability to practice nursing safely because I am medicated and stable. Everytime I have been unstable I have stopped working.

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glascow, I asked specifically about our question and I was told that even though the question said "could" or was stated in that weird way, that I had to disclose. I was/am treated too. I am still in HPMP. Nothing will ever change with it being healthcare providers mentality that we are a danger. How do you change society's perspective when the "danger" warning comes from the health care profession????

I think it is dangerous on the part of the health care profession to hold such mentality because that scares people who need treatment/are mentally unstable into not getting treated. At least I can say that I am treated, cannot say that for others that are afraid of the stigma and have not gotten help. Just a thought.

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