Can taking an antidepressant affect getting my license?

[sdcalichan]

Hi,

General question about nurisng licensure- do they ask what medications you are currently taking? I currently take an antidepressant and already found out that the military can reject you for that- can the state boards also deny me a license because I take an antidepressant?

I will be graduating in August and if I need to stop taking it, then I guess I will stop taking it.

Thanks!

Chandra

[NurseCard, ADN]

*raises hand* I was on Paxil when I graduated nursing school and then took my boards. It never, even came up as an issue.

[Anjann, RN]

All the nursing board wants to know is if you are psychologically stable (like not a mass murderer) and do you have a criminal record.

As far as your meds go: It depends on what you are taking when you go to get a job and this is why:

I have seen some laboratories (check out the Quest Diagnostics website) that have started including tricyclic antidepressants/anti-anxiety agents (sp?) like Elavil in their healthcare screening panel. I have no idea why a hospital would be interested in whether or not an employee is taking specifically a tricyclic, or why it is any of their business, unless they believe tricyclics can be abused, but I do know that some hospitals screen for them if they do the comprehensive health care panel screen.....total HIPPAA violation IMO

[kstec, LPN]

If being on any type of psych med affected taking boards or being a nurse, then most of the nurses I know including myself would be unemployed and you think there is a nursing shortage now, take people out of the profession with mental illness and the healthcare system would be sunk.

[mom and nurse]

please if everyone that was on anti depressants was denied a license there would be an even bigger nursing shortage.

you are taking your medication as prescribed and not abusing there is not problem.

yep...there would be a much larger nursing shortage. i've known nurses and nursing students on antidepressants.

[EmilyUSFRN, RN]

I guess it depends on your BON. On my application it asked "have you been treated for/still receiving treatment for depression or any other mental illness?" and since i was one that answered "yes" as i take wellbutrin, I had to both provide a letter from myself saying that I take it and why, and also a note from my prescribing doctor....

has it affected anything? no.

are there gajillions of nurses out there on some kind of medication for anxiety and/or depression? yup.

good luck to you!

[KellNY, RN]

I guess it depends on your BON. On my application it asked "have you been treated for/still receiving treatment for depression or any other mental illness?" and since i was one that answered "yes" as i take wellbutrin, I had to both provide a letter from myself saying that I take it and why, and also a note from my prescribing doctor....

has it affected anything? no.

are there gajillions of nurses out there on some kind of medication for anxiety and/or depression? yup.

good luck to you!

Is that legal...?

[newRN0903]

I just took the NCLEX 2/07 and they didn't ask what meds I was taking. However prior to getting my job I had to go for a physical. I was then asked about the meds I was taking and they did a drug test. Mine showed up positive for opioids because I was taking prescribed tylenol with codeine at the time for a kidney infection. All I had to do was show them the prescription bottle and explain why I was taking them, and everything was fine. Now that was for opioids I would think they would be less concerned about antidepressants.

[caliotter3]

Your psychological or psychiatric history, treatment, and meds only become an issue if they affect your ability to do your job. You have to read the questions on the licensing paperwork and answer them accordingly. In general nothing would come of any of this if you are functioning well in your daily life. This usually only becomes an issue if you break down on a job and are hospitalized or attempt suicide or otherwise are severely incapacitated. Then the board gets serious about your ability to hold a license.