Depression Discrimination on the job-how common?

[Sunbird21]

Hi,

I'm interested to know,for my own benefit,how many nurses are out there who have had pretty bad depression(either episodes or ongoing)and have had negative repercussions from it at work?

I know that most places aren't going to out and out terminate someone for it,without covering their tracks VERY carefully,but has anyone received the undercurrent discrimination(comments,shift changes,subtly pushing you out,etc) from it?

My story(very very briefly) was that I more or less was terminated b/c of it. I had an episode related to recent stressors in my life,and ended up in the hospital myself. At the time,my work appeared supportive,but soon began the comments of asking when i was leaving( I had planned to move out of state), low census-ing me at least once a pay period(it was somehow always my turn) and then finally creating a situation in which I made a medication error that gave them "cause" to fire me.

I've investigated civil suits and tried to argue my case internally,but the place that I worked was very large,very well known,and very good at covering their *****.

I just wondered if anything like this has happened to anyone else,and how they dealt with it. Others tell me to move on,but the confidence blow i took from it was hard and its affecting me at my new job. I feel like they got away with discrimination and won,and can never set the record straight.

I know that depression is common in nursing,but am curious as to how a known case of depression is treated in this career.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Sad to say but best to keep your illnesses to yourself.

[Guest717236]

I agree with TraumaNurse. You need to address your depression

and job loss with your Doctor and therapist. No matter what job

a person has, including outside of the nursing or healthcare fields,

support from employer varies widely. The suggestion here is to work with

your Doctor and therapist to identify your symptoms early

and have a treatment plan in place. You have the right to

privacy and to address any medical or mh problems outside

of work. Find support in areas other than work peers.

When you build a support team and have a treatment plan in place,

you are in a better position to catch the symptoms earlier.

Try to move on, it is ironic that nurses with MH issues or medical

issues are not given support in a health care system .

But sadly, it is often the case.

They have won if you let it affect you on the new job.

Do not give the old employer that power. You have the right move on and

be successful.