Can bipolar disorder get in the way of recieving lnursing licensure?

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Here is the story. When I was 17 I took myself to the hospital because I was suicidal. The same thing happened when I was 19 for the same reasons. A few months later I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder 2 and put on many meds including lithium. I am now almost 22 and in nursing school, I havent had any depression or manias since 19 and I have been off of all meds for 5 month and doing great. I am worried that when the board of nursing checks my background for the NCLEX that they might hold my hospitalizations against me, figuring I'm not competent. Does anybody know if this is true?

Specializes in PACU/Cardiac/Nrsg. Mgmt./M/S.

i have personally worked with nurses who were bipolar. everyone else on the floor knew it; whether she had turned it in as a disability to the mgr or not i don't know. it didn't get her fired or in trouble. however, i admit when she was in a 'mood' it was a bit difficult to be around her. on the up side, boy, could she get her work done and then some!!:heartbeat

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I'm glad to find this post with its responses.

I am a student nurse and also Bipolar Type 2. I was admitted to the hospital in August 2007, but have been stable since then.

I also wondered whether my diagnosis would keep me from getting my license. It's good to see that it most likely won't.

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I hope someone reads this soon. I'm a nursing student, got less than a year left. I was dx bipolar type 2 over a year ago. I'm struggling in school (absences) at the moment and my instructors want to know what's up? The more I get pressed or think about not being a nurse, the more attacks come on. I'm on meds since dx, did great until recently, school doesn't know bout meds or dx. I've missed over alloweded time to miss for clinical due to 2 recent cycles. I love school/nursing. I'm told if they findout, I'll be released from the program. Help please!

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I hope someone reads this soon. I'm a nursing student, got less than a year left. I was dx bipolar type 2 over a year ago. I'm struggling in school (absences) at the moment and my instructors want to know what's up? The more I get pressed or think about not being a nurse, the more attacks come on. I'm on meds since dx, did great until recently, school doesn't know bout meds or dx. I've missed over alloweded time to miss for clinical due to 2 recent cycles. I love school/nursing. I'm told if they findout, I'll be released from the program. Help please!

Hi, I am BP2 as well. If the meds are no longer effective you really need to go see the doc. He needs to be in the loop so he can do something about the anxiety.

As far as the school goes, I am not sure about that. I would do some investigating and find out their policy. I am not sure a school can dismiss you because of a mental disorder. I'm thinking that would be a civil rights violation since bipolar IS covered by the Americans With Disabilities Act.

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I hope someone reads this soon. I'm a nursing student, got less than a year left. I was dx bipolar type 2 over a year ago. I'm struggling in school (absences) at the moment and my instructors want to know what's up? The more I get pressed or think about not being a nurse, the more attacks come on. I'm on meds since dx, did great until recently, school doesn't know bout meds or dx. I've missed over alloweded time to miss for clinical due to 2 recent cycles. I love school/nursing. I'm told if they findout, I'll be released from the program. Help please!

You need to go back to your doctor or psychiatrist and let them know the combo of meds you are on are no longer working. Being in school is a huge stress and could have changed things as far as how your meds work. I was on the same combo of meds for years and they worked great, then at the beginning of this year, everything changed! I have no idea why it changed, but my meds were no longer working for me. I finally admitted this to my psychiatrist and we started down the journey of finding a new combo of meds that worked. Luckily for me, it didn't take long and now I am in much more control than I have been in years, and only cycle if I forget to take my meds or run out of them.

Go to your doctor and talk about it. They are there to help you!

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I was just curious if anyone wanted to share what medications they take. I would be interested to know what is working for everyone else. Bipolar is treated so individually.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, ICU, OR, PACU.
I was just curious if anyone wanted to share what medications they take. I would be interested to know what is working for everyone else. Bipolar is treated so individually.

I am BP1, and I take:

Seroquel 450mg at HS

Lamictal 200mg BID

Effexor 75mg BID

Neurontin 300mg at 5p and HS

I've been on the Seroquel/Lamictal/Effexor combo for about 5 years, and recently added the Neurontin for breakthrough hypomania in the evenings. Everything is stable.

The Seroquel is my main pain in the *** drug--without it, I'm manic beyond belief, but anything more than 450, and I'm too "stoned" at work the next day. Even at 450, I've got to drink at least 2 cups of coffee before I'm well and truly awake.

Coffee is my friend!

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I am BP type 2 and have generalize anxiety disorder. I take:

Effexor 150mg

Wellbutrin 300mg

Geodon 80mg HS and 40mg upon waking

Doxepin 50mg HS

Lorazepam 1/2mg TID and 1mg HS

I have tried lithium, Depokote, Lamictal, Seroquel, Trazodone, Ambien, Lunesta.

I recently added Wellbutrin because I tend to the depressive side of BP 2. It's made a world of difference!

Geodon manages my hypomania even though Geodon is labeled an anti-psychotic.

I've been completely stable for 5 months now. Before that I was majorly depressed and my anxiety was out of control.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
I hope someone reads this soon. I'm a nursing student, got less than a year left. I was dx bipolar type 2 over a year ago. I'm struggling in school (absences) at the moment and my instructors want to know what's up? The more I get pressed or think about not being a nurse, the more attacks come on. I'm on meds since dx, did great until recently, school doesn't know bout meds or dx. I've missed over alloweded time to miss for clinical due to 2 recent cycles. I love school/nursing. I'm told if they findout, I'll be released from the program. Help please!

I don't see how they could kick you out for being bipolar and ill. If they did, I would file a lawsuit against them for discrimination. I always hear about stuff like this, and what gets me is that THEY are NURSES and should be compassionate and understanding. It took me all of 3 years to get stable and just over this past week, I had a bad episode of moodiness and rapid cycling. I hadn't had that in over 4 years but I'm under some different stressors right now and at the very least, I could see myself objectively and knew from the start what was going to happen. And for the first time, I didn't use medication....just some venting and writing about it.

I hope you are able to make it through the rest of your schooling; seeing a therapist might help...just to be able to vent to someone. Good luck!

Blessings, Michelle

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My only question is... if you have not had an episode since you were 19, why did you stop taking your medications 5 months ago? Don't you think that helped you not have an episode?

I'm not sure of your situation but I know that any nurse that works with psych patients it is important to explain the need to continue meds... even if "they are feeling better." What alot of psych patients don't want to realize is... it is the MEDS that make you better.

Good Luck, I'm sure you can do it... everyone has their own issues that they have lurking in the background

Here is the story. When I was 17 I took myself to the hospital because I was suicidal. The same thing happened when I was 19 for the same reasons. A few months later I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder 2 and put on many meds including lithium. I am now almost 22 and in nursing school, I havent had any depression or manias since 19 and I have been off of all meds for 5 month and doing great. I am worried that when the board of nursing checks my background for the NCLEX that they might hold my hospitalizations against me, figuring I'm not competent. Does anybody know if this is true?
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Hi everyone :) I posted in another thread before I saw this one, I hope it's ok for me to cross post over here, too. If you'd like to skip the long version, my questions are at the bottom.

I have a couple of questions about being bipolar and a nurse or nursing student and was hoping maybe someone could share their experience.

I was diagnosed with bipolar II 8 years ago when I was only 18 years old. I was living with abusive parents and rebelling as a teen. My doctor said I was bipolar after treatment with an antidepressant caused some aggressive/irritable behaviors. I was on medication for a few years and felt the "cure" was worse than the "cause". I have been off meds for three years and am stable and going to school living a drama free life. However, I haven't seen a pdoc in three years. I stopped the meds after getting fed up with side effects and deciding to take control of my life and just kind of disappeared. I'm not interested in taking medication for symptoms I don't have. Understandably, my situation has changed now that I am an adult and have a family of my own. I do realize and understand that bipolar disorder can go into remission.

Now, reading about the sxs of bipolar, I feel like I may have been incorrectly diagnosed. I don't think having a past diagnosis of bipolar disorder removed would be easy, does anyone know about that? How do you get certified as healthy?

I'm in Texas, and here the BON requires that you disclose treatment, diagnosis or hospitalization for certain mental illnesses, bipolar disorder included, in the past five years. It has been three years since I have been treated. If I finish the program I have applied to, it will be five years since treatment when I graduate and I don't think I would have to disclose it. I've read the BON rules handbook (here's a link to it), but it's in lawyer-ese (attorney speak) and is about as clear as mud to me.

I was wondering if anyone knows if I'll be required to disclose my past dx to be accepted into an ADN program (I have been conditionally accepted already), or if I'm only required to disclose at the time of application for a license? when do you do that anyway? at the end of your education? or must you apply for some kind of temporary license to be a student nurse and disclose mental health hx to the board while you are still in school?

I am leary of going to an adviser for fear they will deny my application into the program on basis of a past diagnosis. I'm also worried they'll just tell me to write to the BON for a declaratory order and I don't want to do that unless it is necessary. If I don't have to disclose it to them, then I prefer not to, but obviously if it is required I would not lie. I've wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl, and had I known a past diagnosis of bipolar disorder might bar me from getting a license, I would have fought it, but at the time, I didn't know any better.

Whew! Sorry to write a novel. I hope someone will be able to share their experience. Thanks in advance

my questions in brief:

*Did you have to declare past mental illness while in school, or only after graduation to apply for your license

*When do you apply for a license? And how long do you have after graduation to take the nclex-rn?

*Has anyone been misdiagnosed as bipolar and had the misdiagnosis corrected?

and more to the point, if you were me, what would you do? If I'm going to need to jump through the hoops to petition for a declaratory order, I guess I need to start now to establish a pattern of stability. WWYD? would you just wait out the 5 years?

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