No You Can't (Long)

I'm wondering if it's legal for an employer to ask if you have a psychiatric illness. That leads me to think...if you had cancer in remission, would you feel you had to tell them? How about diabetes? How about if your spouse abused you? I'm not sure there's a need to tell them, on application or interview, about personal illnesses or issues. If it came up later, that's another story.

Psychiatric disorders are asked about on the medical history form for physicals for new employment, along with questions about cancer and other illnesses. I've been wondering how nurses with psychiatric diagnosis deal with this question and if this area has caused any problems when seeking employment.

Yes, the question is asked on the pre-employment physical history form, but that wouldn't necessarily get back to the person who hires. Maybe I'm naive, but isn't patient confidentiality in play here? I would think only things that would prevent an employee from doing the job would be told to the employer, and maybe even in a yes-or-no-is-this-person-medically-capable-to-do-the-job manner?

I don't know. For me, if it is treatable, and does not effect your work, what is the problem? Should people who have had cancer be barred from oncology? Would the guy with the limp not be able to work ortho? Tongue firmly in cheek here, but you get my point.

You will see things in the psych population that will get your adrenaline pumping and generally mess with your chemistry. You will have to be in tune to the early signs of relapse and be on it right away. Of equal importance is the need to separate your issues from the patients under your care. You may be a wounded healer but you will have to keep your own experiences to yourself to remain therapeutic. It might be tempting to self-disclose and even make logical sense. I don't believe in absolutes but it is a very slippery slope.

Would it surprise you to know that there are many diagnosed inviduals in the profession? Yeah, it's true. During the interview process, you will be asked why you want to go into psych. I'm not so sure bold truthfulness would be putting your best foot forward. Your psychiatric history is very personal and protected just like the rest of your medical record. If you want affirmation, speak to your own personal mental health professional. The decision will ultimately be yours. You can always try it.

Best of luck to you!

I worked at a psych hospital, and there were several nurses that had some form of mental illness. Some with clinical depression controlled with anti-depressants. Others were bi-polar on mood stabilizers. They were great nurses and very knowedgeable about meds.
If this is what you feel a passion for, then I say go for it. However, I would not disclose it in interview. It may ask question on physical history for employment. You need to be honest there, but I don't believe that it would be disclosed to employer unless they believed that your illness would impede your performance.

number one: do NOT disclose your diagnosis to anyone in a position of hiring. It is absolutley against the law to discriminate against someone due to mental illness, but it happens all the time.
2). I would be willing to wager that 45% of psych nurses have had, or currently have some level of mental illness; 45% have had a family member or a close relationship with someone who has a mental illness; and we let the other 10% in just to be nice.
3), eventually your co-workers will figure it out, it is what we do for a living.
I do stongly encourage you to re-read what RNKittykat says, boundries are SSSSOOOOO important...and all the tranference, counter tranference stuff.Just my 2 cents

Ditto the above. Good luck to you.

Ben, it is my belief that those telling you "No, you can't" are judgemental! They need to recall the very cornerstone of what we learned in nursing 101, (self assessment and erradication of judgemental attitudes).
You would be surprised at the number of health professionals, period, suffering from mental illness!
On a daily basis we will admit and discharge someone who works for Mobile Medical Response, the County Health Dept, Corrections Officers, Outpatient Mental Health Clinics, Acute Care Nursing Units etc.....Hell, I punched in one day only to greet my Attorney in 689B :urgycld:suffering from severe depression after his child died. The only difference between nurses who work on the inpatient psych unit is that they do not fear disclosing their shortcomings in a supportive environment. I've had opportunity to work side by side with some of the most awesome psych RN's with diagnoses, true they cycle through good days and bad, but don't we all? FMLA will be your savior if you falter and this could happen to you in any work environment you choose! Nursing is stressful period. Follow your passion with diligence, if it proves to be a burden, CHANGE....that's the beauty of nursing autonomy.