Do I have to disclose mental illness

Nurses General Nursing

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So I just got accepted into nursing school and I was so excited until they asked me to disclose my medical history. I went through a pretty rough time when I was getting out of the Army and was in-patient in a psych facility for about a month a little over a year ago. There were several extenuating circumstances around it, but now that I'm out of the military and don't have manipulative tyrants running my life I've been fine. I'm on meds, I'm doing great in school, and I've never felt more normal. I don't need any academic accommodations or plan on asking for them. I don't want to disclose that I was hospitalized or that I'm on meds for ptsd/depression. Does anyone know if I legally have to? Or if I can get in trouble for lying on the paperwork. This is not how I want to start nursing school.

On 3/18/2019 at 10:30 PM, Kooky Korky said:

Part of the issue is that you lied, it sounds like.

I don't know what the school could and could not ask, but it sounds a little late for you to be deciding.

I think you need to talk to a couple of attorneys to find out what your options are.

I am glad you are doing well with school, but it sounds like your conscience is troubling you or you are worried that someone might learn the truth.

Thank you for serving and I wish you all the best.

Have u ever applied to nursing school? This was not the interpretation of the post. To apply you just need to apply for candidacy by filling out a form of intent or electronically register for the designated candidacy code. In this phase just the programs requirement for entering program is reviewed and asked for e.g., GPA, entry test scores. After being accepted it's paperwork time. They give out forms for things like physicals. Some physical forms include "have you suffered from any of the following? Check yes if so" depression is sometimes listed amongst the other conditions. OR, the school could have distributed separate paperwork inquiring on mental status. Does not sound like OP completed paperwork. They are just asking for advice.

Specializes in Critical Care.

Discrimination only occurs when an opportunity is denied due to something that isn't in any way job related, and the current established legal precedent is that nurses can be asked about mental health history for the purpose of ensuring that there are no barriers to safe practice. One could certainly argue that mental health screening questions do little to avoid future incidents that may be in some way mental health related, but currently it's a legally accepted question to ask. For nurse licensing this step is often left to the licensing board by employers, but for nursing students the clinical site facilities essentially take on the roll of ensuring 'proper' screening has occurred, which is typically what nursing schools are enforcing on behalf of their clinical sites as part of their clinical agreements with them.

https://www.nurse.com/blog/2017/10/11/rn-concerned-about-disclosing-psychiatric-treatment-to-state-board/

2 Votes
11 minutes ago, MunoRN said:

Discrimination only occurs when an opportunity is denied due to something that isn't in any way job related, and the current established legal precedent is that nurses can be asked about mental health history for the purpose of ensuring that there are no barriers to safe practice. One could certainly argue that mental health screening questions do little to avoid future incidents that may be in some way mental health related, but currently it's a legally accepted question to ask. For nurse licensing this step is often left to the licensing board by employers, but for nursing students the clinical site facilities essentially take on the roll of ensuring 'proper' screening has occurred, which is typically what nursing schools are enforcing on behalf of their clinical sites as part of their clinical agreements with them.

https://www.nurse.com/blog/2017/10/11/rn-concerned-about-disclosing-psychiatric-treatment-to-state-board/

But they cannot legally verify the information, correct? Which makes it none of their business- this is a SCHOOL asking a STUDENT not a hospital asking a nurse. Different situation. Students are already a barrier to safe practice because they haven't learned anything yet.

1 Votes

There is a reason the school is asking. The board of your state will or will not award you licensure when you have completed the program and passed the NCLEX. If there is anything that "might" affect your ability to practice you have to disclose the information.

1 Votes
Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
13 minutes ago, NGOrtiz said:

There is a reason the school is asking. The board of your state will or will not award you licensure when you have completed the program and passed the NCLEX. If there is anything that "might" affect your ability to practice you have to disclose the information.

But, if your MEDICAL diagnoses — be they DM or lupus or PTSD — don’t make you a danger to yourself or others, it’s really none of their damn business.

It’s ridiculous that we push for de-stigmatization of mental illness... unless it’s one of us who has it.

4 Votes

I have applied for jobs that ask if one has a mental illness. Did you application process consist of this?

On 3/20/2019 at 9:31 PM, Jory said:

...and this is a great reason not to work in California. So if someone had a baby 9 years ago and needed an SSRI to get through PPD or needed counseling (all mental illness is not psychosis) after the death of a family member, the BON wants you to spill your guts?

But if you have a diagnosis of diabetes or epilepsy, advanced CAD, or CHF that can run the risk of passing out or having an attack while in the middle of patient care...they are OK with not knowing.........

I'm curious about the diabetes thing as I was diagnosed w/ it, but then got my butt in shape and am no longer on medication. It's been many years ago. When you say "they are OK with not knowing" is this because people do not disclose this fact or because it's not asked when either trying to gain admittance into school or getting a RN license from California BON?

Specializes in Medical - Surgical/ General Surgery/ICU.

I agree that this a dilemma. When I was in college/ university, I did not even know if one of my classmates had such issue/ disability. May be if one confided with the school then it was treated with privacy & confidentiality. My schools had been great since there were faculty advisers who could direct if you needed help e.g. mental wellbeing services.

You know yourself better! For instance, if you are compliant to treatments if needed, or follow-up with your family doctor.

I do not know whether the pros & cons of disclosure has been discussed with you. I am just throwing a worst case scenario here: What if during your clinical rotations with patients & something happens? You are still a student. Whose license is at stake? Do you have any social support?

I am just quoting this from my Board of Nursing website (Ontario, Canada). I understand that each BON is different.

Quote

Health and Conduct

...You must declare whether you suffer from any physical or mental condition or disorder that could affect your ability to practise nursing in a safe manner.

...If you have a physical or mental condition or disorder (which could include an impairment caused by alcohol and/or substance abuse) that may affect your ability to practise nursing, then you will be asked to provide additional information with your application.

...The expectation that nurses practise with honesty, integrity and professionalism is so important to the nursing profession that it is considered professional misconduct for any member of the College to act in a way that would reasonably be considered by members to be disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional.

...The College keeps all information confidential except as required or allowed by law. Where required, supporting documents must be sent to the College by the proper authorities.

Therefore, it's your call. Whatever you choose has possible pros & cons. If you are having issues; hopefully, you know who to go to. Best of luck on your nursing career.

2 Votes
On 3/22/2019 at 9:32 AM, Mergirlc said:

I'm curious about the diabetes thing as I was diagnosed w/ it, but then got my butt in shape and am no longer on medication. It's been many years ago. When you say "they are OK with not knowing" is this because people do not disclose this fact or because it's not asked when either trying to gain admittance into school or getting a RN license from California BON?

It's because it's not asked. They are cherry picking as to which illnesses they keep to be more of a threat. If you want to get technical about patient safety, there is far more than just mental illness.

I also don't feel people should be labeled forever if they were treated.

4 Votes
Specializes in Critical Care.
On 3/19/2019 at 6:08 PM, Luchador said:

I can't think of many "pertinent" mental health histories-- addiction; that's about it. Paranoid Schizophrenia, I suppose, too. But depression? PTSD? Bi-Polar? No way

Short of a subpoena, how will they find out, anyway? And if somebody does have reason to subpoena a person's records, I'd say they have bigger troubles than being in-patient for depression years ago.

It's certainly not guaranteed that an employers or a nursing board will never become aware of a mental health history due to a variety of circumstances, one of which being that employers can legally inquire about all medications a nurse takes, and can confirm this through required drug testing, even if the medications are legally and appropriately prescribed.

I've never heard of a mental health history being an outright reason to deny or revoke a license, but I have heard of that happening when a nurse lies about background screening.

As for what history should count as relevant, it's pretty well established that it's up to the employer or board to determine for themselves what is or isn't relevant based on a full disclosure.

1 Votes
4 hours ago, MunoRN said:

It's certainly not guaranteed that an employers or a nursing board will never become aware of a mental health history due to a variety of circumstances, one of which being that employers can legally inquire about all medications a nurse takes, and can confirm this through required drug testing, even if the medications are legally and appropriately prescribed.

What drug test reveals SSRIs?

1 Votes
On 3/19/2019 at 6:00 AM, hppygr8ful said:

Sometimes schools want to know these things because they are looking for potential barriers to licensure. In California the application for licensure specifically asks if you have been treated for a mental illness (psychosis) or been prescribed antipsychotic medication or been treated for a addiction in the past 10 years. If you answer yes to these questions you can still sit for the NCLEX but your first years as a nurse could be done under monitoring which in my opinion is not conducive to a successful launch into a nursing career.

So if you hospitalization did not include psychosis or addiction with a legal record I would keep it to yourself. Depression and PTSD that is in remission and well controlled is no one's business but your own.

Hppy

@hppygr8ful Where exactly did you obtain this information? I looked at the "Application By Examination" application and searched the CA BON website but found nothing referring to that 10 year question. Am I looking at the wrong application? Thanks 

 

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