This board has been awesome, I have a question for you all.
I am starting nursing school (already accepted) and I have a sheet that has to be filled out by my doctor and I have to list any medications I am on. I have to take pain medictions (including anti-depressant) and I wanted to know if this would change my acceptance into nursing school?
I am currently working at a major hospital and love working as a tech and can't wait to be a nurse.
it looks as if you already have made up your mind about not disclosing any information to the school. i hope this doesn't come back to bite you in the butt.
if a future employer asks of you to disclose any meds you're on, will you be willing then to disclose this to them, or is it just that you don't want the school to know?
please know i'm not being judgemental, i think that if the school finds out you'll be in big trouble by lying by omission.
i still wish you a good future in nursing school.
my place of employment does know about my medictions, and everything that i work with have a huge respect for the medical issues i have dealt with. i mentioned this in previous post. also, my place i work had a 3rd party and i felt comfortable with this, i don't go around announcing i am on medications or complaining.
i had thought about letting my nursing school know but a friend of mine in the medical field (whos opinion i really value) said i shouldn't put it on there and it was not their business.
honestly, i was open to putting the medications there, but after reading some of the harsh responses it freaked me out. just the bias and things being said like i may steal medictions, or i am taking risks, etc. just some of the harsh or naive posts really make me question if i should tell the school.
>>As I stated in my post, I am currently on pain meds, going into a nursing program.. and I am sorry for offending you, but I think honesty is MOST important! Seriously, I don't have an issue with you being on meds, I have an issue with you lying about it.
Why do you have a right to know though? If my DOCTOR is willing to sign off on my health and competence (which she will be) then why is it anyone's business?
That is the REAL question to me here. Seriously, what gives the school (or anyone) the right to know my history if my doctor feels comfortable enough to sign her name?
Why would you not trust me then, or call me a liar and that I would steal medication? This just makes me sick to my stomach! Again, this just shows to me the bias and belief system of those dependent on medication. Very few people who are managing chronic pain are addicts or even have addictive personalities. Those who become abusers have the markers for being an addict.
I think you're misreading what some people are trying to tell you about disclosing your medical information. It seems that most of them who feel that you should be completely honest are NOT saying that you can't function on your meds or suggesting that you might steal narcotics.
This type of information is needed to ensure your safety as well as the patients'. The hospitals that will be allowing you to care for their patients during clinicals have a right to know of any conditions you might suffer from. You never know what might happen. God forbid you get injured during clinical and have to be treated on-site - whoever ends up treating you will need to know of your pre-existing conditions. I think that requiring this kind of health information is more of a preventative measure for nursing schools.
Also, there was another thread on here about a woman who had some psychiatric issues (common ones, that she was being treated for) that she felt she didn't need to disclose to her nursing school since she had never before missed work or school due to her condition. Then clinical started, and one day she had a bad anxiety attack and couldn't attend. Of course finally telling her nursing school of her condition and why she had to miss clinical looked extremely suspicious since she had never mentioned having the condition before, and she was kicked out of her program. If that's something you are willing to risk, then it is of course your decision.
I can assure you that most of us posters have good intentions. We are NOT trying to insult you, we are just trying to help! :redbeathe You asked us for advice and we are giving you our opinions. I'm sure you are used to your meds and can function completely. I understand that chronic pain can be a very serious and debilitating condition. It is just my opinion that in order to CYA for anything that could possibly happen while you are in school (you never know!), you should be completely honest and disclose your medical conditions. Also, remember that most (if not all?) of the nursing school faculty will be nurses with vast medical knowledge and I'm sure they will understand your condition and not assume any less of you just because you take pain medication to manage it.
Just my ! I truly hope everything works out well for you.
OK, now you have quoted part of a paragraph of mine and pulled it out of its context to make your point.
Pain killers are mind altering and can affect decision making and can slow reaction time. You have honestly made me angry now.
Do you think someone taking medicinal marijuanna or mushrooms should be able to practice nursing while under the influence of them.
Oh but you said you are fine, how bout you let the people who may be responsible for the mistakes you may make be the judge of that. You have no right to risk someone else's hard earned license to obtain yours.
Maybe a blind man should be aloud to drive a taxi-cab because its no one elses business he is blind. Why don't we force telemarketing companies to hire def mutes, because the persons problem is none of their business. These are extreme cases, but it speaks to the fact that personal problems DO MATTER. I am sorry you have a disabling problem I really am, but you have a bigger problem and that is the lack of moral sense to know that not telling your instructors is WRONG.
Talk about an extreme response. Opioid agonists aren't the only medication that can affect someone's mental status. Antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and even some non-psychotropic meds can alter your mental state or reaction time. How about a diabetic who allows their sugar to drop a little too much while working? How about the Pt who has migraines and takes Topamax? That med is known to slow people down - same with depakote used in migraine. How about the allergy sufferer who doesn't respond to non-sedating H1 antagonists and takes traditional H1 blockers?
I could go on and on.... Maybe we should let the FAA mandate the control of who can obtain a medical clearance to work as a nurse. The CNS is a dynamic system and many factors influence how people function throughout the day. Heck, why force nurses to work so much overtime then, that alone is a risk for patient safety. Whenever I see an RN asked to work back to back 12s because some loser called in sick, I cringe. Same goes for shifting sleep from day to night.
>>As I stated in my post, I am currently on pain meds, going into a nursing program.. and I am sorry for offending you, but I think honesty is MOST important! Seriously, I don't have an issue with you being on meds, I have an issue with you lying about it.
Why do you have a right to know though? If my DOCTOR is willing to sign off on my health and competence (which she will be) then why is it anyone's business?
That is the REAL question to me here. Seriously, what gives the school (or anyone) the right to know my history if my doctor feels comfortable enough to sign her name?
Why would you not trust me then, or call me a liar and that I would steal medication? This just makes me sick to my stomach! Again, this just shows to me the bias and belief system of those dependent on medication. Very few people who are managing chronic pain are addicts or even have addictive personalities. Those who become abusers have the markers for being an addict.
If you take issues with them wanting all of your personal health information then tell them that! Would you still have issues with them asking for it if you were not on pain meds?
I wouldn't trust you because your lying by omission, and in my personal experiences people who are willing to lie about one thing are usually willing to lie about other things. I did not say you personally would steal meds, but people have done this and I am sure this is something the nursing program will consider if they catch you in a lie about narcotics. I am sorry you find this offensive, but I find it offensive that someone who maybe responsible for my life someday has made up their mind to not tell the whole truth.
Again, I really don't think it matters that your on pain medications. What bothers ME is that you refuse to either defend you rights against them having this information or being honest and disclosing the information. Either choice would be fine, but the lying is a problem!
>>I wouldn't trust you because your lying by omission, and in my personal experiences people who are willing to lie about one thing are usually willing to lie about other things. I am sorry you find this offensive, but I find it offensive that someone who maybe responsible for my life someday has made up their mind to not tell the whole truth.
First of all, I take care of people every day and I don't have to disclose what I am on every time I walk into the room.
You are being very naive and judgmental and your personal experience must be quite limited. You are not even addressing what I am asking, and that is, if a doctor (that knows my medical history) is willing to sign off on my abilities why should I have to disclose every medication, surgery and previous medical event I have ever had?
I am guessing you are either young, or never been in the business world. I am not a liar, and would never risk a patient's health. Your posts are insulting to my work and moral ethic.
>> there was another thread on here about a woman who had some psychiatric issues
Thank you for your insightful posts but seriously, I have never and don't plan on ever having an psychiatric issue!
See, this is what concerns me. I am getting thoughts like this and it just is extreme to me. I understand there was many great posts here (yours included) and I appreciated those but there was also some judgemental and ignorant posts as well. Those are the people I am worried about! LOL
Anyhow, thank you. I am still weighing everything and the pros and cons. I am very pragmatic thinker and just want to do what is best for myself and family. I didn't work my a** off the last 2 years to not finish this up! :)
Many of us have given you info with regard to what we, as working nurse professionals have faced.
We are not being judgemental at all, just saying what we have experienced. Personally, I have worked in three states as an LPN, RN and APN and in every single JOB (not necessarily school) I have been drug-tested. When that occurs, you will sign a paper that lists your current medications.
However, as I have brought up before, it would be important for you to contact your board of nursing to ensure you can work as an RN while taking narcotics.
First of all, I take care of people every day and I don't have to disclose what I am on every time I walk into the room.
You are being very naive and judgmental and your personal experience must be quite limited. You are not even addressing what I am asking, and that is, if a doctor (that knows my medical history) is willing to sign off on my abilities why should I have to disclose every medication, surgery and previous medical event I have ever had?
I am guessing you are either young, or never been in the business world. I am not a liar, and would never risk a patient's health. Your posts are insulting to my work and moral ethic.
I am addressing what your saying. If a doctor will sign off that is great, my doctor will also, but it still doesn't change the fact that you are not giving the information that was requested of you by your program. I didn't say write a big sign that says your taking narcotics and hang it next to your name tag. You don't need to "disclose what you are on everytime you walk into the room" but filling out a paper that will be kept in your student file is a totally different situation.
As I said over and over, but will say again, if you take issue with being asked to disclose your medical information then tell the school that! But why is it that your current employer is entitled to the list of drugs your currently taking and not your school?
It seems to me that your the one being insulting and judgemental. You asked for responses but are not willing to accept the constructive criticism that your being given if it does not coinside with your beliefs. My opinion differs from yours and thats what makes this a discussion. I don't feel the need to explain my self to you, just know that all of assumptions of me are incorrect.
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Agree, again, with traumaRUs.
You might select another nursing program with less stringent requirements (no form to answer about health issues/meds).
But, in the end, you may have to face the BON. And, there is no way around that. They exist to protect the public, period. They do not take into consideration your rights as it applies to meds you take.
All said, you must be honest with the paperwork both with a nursing program and the BON.
And, if you do not wish to be honest on these forms, you may need to reconsider this career path.
in an earlier post you said that you were thinking of disclosing
this information to your school but after reading some of our responses you were having second thoughts. don't let our opinion on your issue be the deciding factor.
in my previous post when i asked about an employer, i was asking for the future employer once you finish your nursing school. i was asking if you would
! I truly hope everything works out well for you.
Hopeful3
61 Posts
my place of employment does know about my medictions, and everything that i work with have a huge respect for the medical issues i have dealt with. i mentioned this in previous post. also, my place i work had a 3rd party and i felt comfortable with this, i don't go around announcing i am on medications or complaining.
i had thought about letting my nursing school know but a friend of mine in the medical field (whos opinion i really value) said i shouldn't put it on there and it was not their business.
honestly, i was open to putting the medications there, but after reading some of the harsh responses it freaked me out. just the bias and things being said like i may steal medictions, or i am taking risks, etc. just some of the harsh or naive posts really make me question if i should tell the school.
thanks!