Can you work at Baptist Health if you've previously been in IPN

[JuneBug13]

Hello all,

I have completed IPN this past month and I want to work at Baptist hospital in Florida. I am filling out the application and it's asking me if I was ever in a recovery program and gives IPN as one of the examples. 
 

I am doing the employee health assessment portion and I disclosed that I have been treated for mental illness in the past. 
 

I am being honest like they say to be but I really don't want to be honest if it's going to automatically disqualify me. 
 

Has anyone here worked at Baptist and either was in IPN or has completed IPN?

[Healer555]

Do not lie . You could get in a lot of trouble.  

[JuneBug13]

Healer555 said:

Do not lie . You could get in a lot of trouble.  

Okay. Thank you

[SheelaDavis]

Important. If you want the job and want to have the best chance of getting it, you need to get the phone number of the unit/nurse manager of the position you applied.  You need to call that unit if you don't have the number, and ask for the unit managers phone number. Call her directly. Call her now. Tell her your situation, your background. Be an open book. Do not lie. 

Why do the above? Most (nearly all) human resources departments are the people that first see your application when it comes across. This HR person will not be a nurse and knows nothing about nursing. He or she is told to immediately discard applications that have red flags such as participation in a monitoring program at present, or in the last 5, or 10 years, etc. Every HR has their own criteria, but the main point Im making is........so many applications from people in recovery never make it to the nursing department. The nursing department never sees them because they are discarded by an HR person. This is why, you reach out to the nursing department (the unit manager of the place you applied) so the unit manager approaches HR and ensures your application reaches them without it being tossed.

Your best bet is honesty, don't deny, be truthful, and reach out to nurse manager immediately. There are countless nurses who go back to work with a monitoring agreement or mental health or nurse board issue by first contacting the nursing dept before the app is in the hands of HR. There are thousands of nurses over the years who get turned down by HR and the application never reaches the nursing department. Sadly, many nurses who don't get jobs unknowingly say, "the nursing department won't hire me." In reality, an overwhelming number of nursing departments would be willing to hire you, but the nursing department never even sees your application and doesnt even know you applied. 

Lastly, if you, me, or any nurse in recovery are so uncomfortable in being truthful, telling your story, and are so uncomfortable with "someone knowing' that you are unwilling to approach the nurse manager and are just taking chances on sending in the application through HR and "hoping" ot works, then you know where you need to work in recovery. You know where your work needs to be put because secrets and shame equals Relapse at some point. Being an open book, honest about your past, owning it, letting the shame go equals the best chance of Not Relapsong. It also equals the best chances of landing a job.