Health Assessment prior to starting my first RN job...

[NowImaNurse]

I'm not sure if there's a better forum to list this under, I'm still new to this so if do please let me know.

I have been formally offered and accepted my first RN job. I have to, of course, take a drug test, and have a health assessment. So...I have had a valid prescription for years for hydrocodone, and xanax. My conditions, which I'm sure you can gather, are chronic back pain from a MVA and anxiety/insomnia, are well controlled. I don't like to rehash what caused the accident, I have moved past it and am in a good place with what happened. To be clear, I was not at fault, but it was very traumatic. So, will I have to go over all the details, what I went through in PT, how long it took, etc during the health assessment? It is giving me a bit of anxiety trying to prep for a conversation-that may not even happen, about a very difficult time in my life. Should I expect more of a general physical sort of thing, or do I need to ready myself to go over the long road here, to the great place I'm at now.

I am so ready to embrace my new path in life, and I would prefer to do this with my dignity and without having to bare my most vulnerable time in my life.

Should I be concerned about the drug test? Do they need specifics about when meds are taken? Do they want to know the entire history that lead to this? If I don't have to talk about it I'd prefer not to. Thank you in advance for you attention.

[SleeepyRN]

When I had my physical and drug screen, I was upfront about a med and the high dosage I take. I felt the doctor should have minded her own business, because she said how there are other meds out there than what I was taking and that I can't take these meds at work. 1st: duh. Of course I don't take this particular med at work. 2nd: as far as her telling me there are other meds I could take, I was thinking...seriously? You have NO clue about my experiences. I have been going to the same psychiatrist for 7 years. My medication and dosage is between me and him. Not a doctor doing a simple physical. She has NO idea what I've been through in life to make me be on this medication.

All you have to do is say I take this medication, and if they pry further say that you had a traumatic event that you see a doctor for on a regular basis and that things are going well. Period. The person doing the physical is not a therapist. They have no right to know the details of your personal history.

[walkingdeadhead]

You should be able to just produce your prescriptions and tell them a very basic health history. You have a right to privacy so you shouldn't have to give out all the details.