can you be an rn if you take antidepressants in CA

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:twocents:my friend wants to be an RN now she has seen me go through the program. She thinks she has BPD and takes antidepressants. Can she still go be an RN.? I didn't know so thought I would ask my friends out in allnurses.

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Specializes in M/S, dialysis, home health, SNF.

I worked with a bipolar nurse in California, so the answer is yes, you can still be an RN. Hospitals don't generally ask about antidepressants in a job interview. When I worked in the Psych unit, we did have a nurse from that hospital who became a patient there and could no longer work there, but that was not because of meds; they were concerned that since she was out of control they didn't feel they could trust her.

I don't know if that was legal, but that's the way it was.

Just tell your friend to stay on her meds and stay under her doctor's supervision. Many people function quite well with BPD.

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Specializes in rehab, antepartum, med-surg, cardiac.

You can be a nurse and be on antidepressants. I know a lot of nurses that are on antidepressants. It's very common. :smiletea2:Lord knows that some of the units I have worked on would be in a lot of trouble if the nurses weren't taking antidepressants!

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I was on antidepressants early in my nursing career, and again briefly after the birth of my son. It was not an issue, though it never came up in casual conversation either. And I don't recall ever in my 12 years being asked that question on a job interview or application. I would think quite a few nurses take them, just from the sheer stress the job can bring and then add family and life responsibilities. As someone else said, most places would be in a lot more trouble if nurses couldn't take them :D

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I don't know.....can you take antihypertension medications and still be a nurse? Can you be diabetic and have to inject yourself with insulin and still be a nurse?

Mental illnesses are diseases to be managed--much like diabetes and hypertension. Of course you can take medications for a chronic condition and still be a nurse! It's too bad that bipolar and depression still carries such a negative stigma that people think they won't be able to be productive members of society if they have such a diagnosis. Very sad.

I hope your friend is very successful and happy in her career as a nurse. Tell her she is more than welcome in our ranks.

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THANK YOU ALL SOO MUCH. :yeah:

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I was talking the other day at work, one of the nurses just got on prozac, then another nurse chimed in that she had been on prozac for two years. I was totally shocked because the second nurse has always struck me and the most well adjusted, personable person around, she's really cool. I've interacted with her for years, way before she got on prozac. She said that she got on it because she was being too grouchy with her family, and it really evened everything out for her.

My guess is that more than half the nursing workforce is on some sort of psychotrophic medication. I take PRN xanax myself, mostly for plane rides and large gatherings of people. I haven't used it for months, but it does come in handy from time to time.

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You could even take them in Oregon and work as a nurse in California.

Seriously, medications are not an issue if they are prescribed. You might run into trouble if you were on narcotics but otherwise it's a non-issue as long as your divulge it.

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Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.
you can be a nurse and be on antidepressants. i know a lot of nurses that are on antidepressants. it's very common. :smiletea2:lord knows that some of the units i have worked on would be in a lot of trouble if the nurses weren't taking antidepressants!

yup!! the 53 nurses left working in the us would have a hard time staffing all the hospitals around the country!!!!

:bugeyes::lol2::bugeyes:

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Specializes in Med Surg.
I don't know.....can you take antihypertension medications and still be a nurse? Can you be diabetic and have to inject yourself with insulin and still be a nurse?

Mental illnesses are diseases to be managed--much like diabetes and hypertension. Of course you can take medications for a chronic condition and still be a nurse! It's too bad that bipolar and depression still carries such a negative stigma that people think they won't be able to be productive members of society if they have such a diagnosis. Very sad.

I hope your friend is very successful and happy in her career as a nurse. Tell her she is more than welcome in our ranks.

VERY VERY well put!! it is true...

forget about the stigma...concentrate on YOU and your well being!

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I cannot live without mine!!

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I don't think it matters where you take them.

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