Bipolar and going into nursing

[PghRN30]

I have gotten into nursing school, starting an 18 month diploma program in Feb, and just sitting here thinking about things it hit me tonight when I was thinking about all the things I have to do before then and one of them is a physical (which i don't have the paper work yet so i dont know if it asks) and now I'm wondering if my having a diagnosis of Bipolar is going to cause me issues with nursing school, getting licensed, or getting a job.

I am completely compliant with treating it, and have not had an episode in almost 2 years, and that one was caused by when the med im on when generic, so i was automaticly given that and I went into a bad mixed episode on it. Have been on name brand only since, and completely stable. Other then that episode, I have not had any other episode since I have been on my currant dosage of the med I am on. I also have learned to manage mood shifts caused by triggers, or how to cope with the triggers without letting it trigger a mood shift. On top of all that, my bipolar is relatively mild. My currant diagnosis is bipolar NOS. I think my Dr just does not care to put it in a specific "bp 1, bp 2" label since if you really consider it the label doesnt matter for anything, as long as you are acknowlege it is a bipolar disorder and are treating to symptoms to reach a level of stablility. But as far as severity, more depressive then manic, and severity of my manic episodes would probably put me somewhere between type 1 and type 2....either VERY severe type 2 or very mild type 1 as far as mania. I know myself enough to know that sleep and stress will be my biggest issues with going into nursing, as both can trigger manias for me....but i am aware and so can see those issues as soon as they pop up and know how to cope with them before they are anywhere near being an impairment, or even noticable to anyone other then myself.

[springRN]

Don't feel bad (as indicated by your unsmiley face on post title)..you have a condition and you are taking care of it, should not affect your ability to be a nurse..we all have something that could affect us but as long as aware and taken care of it should be ok, good luck in school

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

It's never been a problem for me. I certainly like you thought it was going to be and it never ahs been so don't worry.

[Brauer]

Nursing generally is considered a stressful profession, where feeling tired and overworked is common, but most jobs come with some degree of stress. I think it best you have this discussion with your doctor, but don't feel you should let your disorder define what you do, as there are a lot of very successful people, both present and past, (MANICYOUTH.COM : A Discussion Group for Young People with BiPolar Disorder.) that didn't let their experience with bi-polar disorder limit their potential.

Best of luck in whatever it is you decide to do.

[PghRN30]

I'm sorry I guess I was not really clear. I have no doubt in my own ability to get through nursing school or be a nurse. I know I have control of the illness and do not let it control me. I know the stress and sleep issues that will come with nursing, and know I am capable of coping with them.

My issue is wondering if I have to acknolage the bipolar to my school, can they decide thats a failing the physical to be able to go to school for nursing, or would I be required to notify the boards and could that affect my being licensed, or could it make me unemployable as a nurse simply because I have the illness.

[funnypharm]

Some of the most passionate people who have created great things were bipolar. You just need to learn how to react to it when you know it is coming. Think of it as a flare up. My mother is bipolar and she is awesome. When she is manic she is so creative and can do things that take most people 3 times as long. I know how it feels, I am not bipolar but I know what depression feels like because I have really bad PMS some times and I will "Rage" on my husband 1 day a month and we had "the talk" prior to that day so there are reasonable expectations. I think it is the same thing with your situation. You train yourself to recognize "Triggers" and how you will react. That's smart.

As for "legalities," you could be considered as "compromised" to some organizations. You may not get a job that requires high security clearance. There are a few jobs out there that if you have high debt, addicted to hookers, gambling or maybe bipolar, you might not qualify for high security clearance job. Do you really care tho?

Another possibility is that it is considered as a pre-existing condition on insurance.

Another possibility is if you were called into a wrongful death lawsuit or if some really bad stuff went down... they might have you on the stand and throw it up in your face and a detective might look at you as a suspect or something.... "just making up a far fetched worst case scenario"

[Brauer]

This likely isn't the best forum for you to obtain the right answers, but a quick Google search yielded the following which should get you started in the right direction http://oreilly.com/medical/news/bipolar_work.html. Also, why not call your State Board of Nursing and ask them, or even the HR department at your local hospital?

[diligent-trooper]

I know you believe nurses are perfect human beings, and no nurse would have a mental disorder. NOT! Do not sell yourself short. You are not damaged goods. As long as the medical issue is being treated, you do not have to be concerned with becoming a nurse. You do not have to mention it to the employer either. I know a nurse who has a diagnosed third block within his heart. Should he resign? NO!

[maxthecat]

The advice to check with your state board of nursing is good. There is still a perception in some states that a nurse who has certain mental illnesses is an increased risk to patient safety and the boards in those states require you to disclose and often to present a letter from your physician stating why you are stable enough to practice as a nurse.

Whether or not to disclose to an employer is trickier. On one hand, since stigma is still out there, you run a risk of your employer overly scrutinizing your behaviors and seeing a problem where there may be none. On the other hand, disclosing somewhat protects you in that your illness places you in a protected class and is supposed to prevent unfair discrimination/termination in the workplace.

Good luck to you! There are many, many very fine nurses with bipolar so your goal is definitely achievable.

[RevolutioN2013]

I have a dear friend who suffers from bi-polar disorder. Hers is type I (I always get the types messed up, but hers is the one that is milder). We are very close and talk about her medication and stressors and everything so I've had the opportunity to really see up close how this condition affects her on a daily basis. She and I work together as well and are co-managers in the company we work for. I'm sure it's different for everyone, but once her psychiatrist was able to help her find the correct combination of meds she has been able to have a very normal emotional life. What I have observed is that outside stressors (i.e. work related) do not affect her coping skills. We have had a tough time at work - had to lay off people for the first time ever in our company and the first time she and I had to go through that type of decision - who goes? Who should stay? It was incredibly stressful and in fact in retrospect I think I was in a bit of a mild depression over it for a few months afterward. She seemed to come through that fine, but where she has struggled off and on has been tied to the drama she has in her home life. She also now recognizes the feelings of compulsion she gets if she's cycling into a manic phase and she has a group of close friends that she seeks feedback from on how she seems to them. This helps her manage the condition. Good luck to you!

[KnitWitch, ASN, RN]

This is totally based on my own experience, so you may want to check in with the director of nursing studies at your school.

To the best of my knowledge you are not required to disclose your mental health status directly, either with regards to having your nursing school physical/entering school OR with applying for employment.

For my physical my doctor was only required to sign a form that stated I had no mental or physical impediments to performing the required job tasks (a checklist of stuff four pages long which included stuff like "Lifting 25 lbs. overhead"). The UAP jobs I interviewed for before starting school had a similar set of requirements. From what I understand of licensure, obtaining your license is predicated ONLY on passing the NCLEX. In short, if your and your doctor feel your Bipolar diagnosis isn't going to prevent you from performing any of the duties of a student nurse or an RN then you're under no obligation to disclose that specific diagnosis, much like you wouldn't be obligated to disclose tendonitis or any other condition which you may suffer from but which does not impact your ability to perform.

As I said, this is only my experience and if you have any questions or concerns please do talk to the director of your program. Mine has an "open door" policy where we're free to talk to her at any time about anything, with complete confidentiality. Hopefully yours has something similar if you still have concerns.

Best of luck to you!

[Trubie, LPN]

I was diagnosed bipolar type 1 inbetween LVN school and RN school. I had excellent psychiatric care and was able to finish school without problems. The BON in my state though, required that I disclose my diagnosis and provide a letter from my psychiatrist saying I was fit to practice. After moving to a new state, my new BON also required this. However, I have been licensed in both states and never been asked about my health history by an employer.