Nurses on anti-depressants

peacockblue · Jul 31, 2019

Congratulations on getting the help you need. I take antidepressants. It has never come up or been an issue. In fact, if they got rid of all the nurses on antidepressants, there would be a huge nurse shortage ?. Antidepressants such as SSRI’s do not impair you and I really don’t think it would be a problem.

NightNerd, MSN, RN · Jul 31, 2019

2 hours ago, peacockblue said:
In fact, if they got rid of all the nurses on antidepressants, there would be a huge nurse shortage ?.

You ain't NEVER lie.

OP, ultimately, you have to take care of you. If you and your physician decide that an anti-depressant would be helpful, then that's that. I doubt that such a measure could be used to prevent you from pursuing your NP; you would simply be taking a medication under a physician's order for your health.

It's sad that we still live in a culture in which people still feel like they can't pursue mental health treatment without consequences. ?

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2019

I took Celexa for awhile, and it really helped me. Being the shy, private type, I told pretty much everyone I knew about it. I was astonished how many of my esteemed colleagues took antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds. I like to believe we are simply more self-aware and willing to treat problems others might ignore, but I recognize the possibility we are that much crazier than the general population.

heartnurse14 · Aug 1, 2019

Thank you for your kind responses. I am hesitant because I have been wanting to be a NP since I was in high school. I have a friend who is wanting to be a pilot and is having to jump through a bunch of hoops with the FAA after being on prescribed anti-depressants in college.

I am just hesitant to take anything or get a diagnosis that would inhibit the career I've worked towards for almost 2 decades. I am wondering too, if the diagnosis is not depression and the prescription is not SSRI if there would be any issues with that.

I know it's a huge postulation, but am wondering if anyone else has had any experiences like this or pushback from their BRN/BON? Thank you for all your kindness and support. I think we all agree the stigma with mental health sucks, but is still prevalent.

Crash_Cart · Aug 1, 2019

39 minutes ago, heartnurse14 said:
I know it's a huge postulation, but am wondering if anyone else has had any experiences like this or pushback from their BRN/BON?

That's a valid question.

Makes me wonder if there's any actual statistics on the matter, or if it's just a general perception.

I am unaware of any published research, or studies from any credible source on the subject.

I suppose it would be nice to see some actual "numbers."

Snatchedwig, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Aug 3, 2019

Nurses are people too. I'm a big proponent of 'you can't take care of anyone if you don't take care of yourself'

Rionoir, ADN, RN · Aug 3, 2019

Girl everyone is on antidepressants ? I think the biggest stigma associated with them comes from those that are starting to take them for the first time. I'm pretty open about the fact that I take them, and whenever I bring it up in a group setting it warms my heart to see others open up about it as well and feel like a weight has been lifted off their chest because they thought they were alone. Trust me you're not alone, and it's definitely not going to affect your status.

db2xs · Aug 3, 2019

From my experience, our industry is understanding about how stressful our work is. My employers have/have had confidential Employee Assistance Programs to help overstressed, burnt out RNs.

Re the antidepressants and renewing your license and applying for NP school, they don't ask whether you're on antidepressants.

For the record, "everyone" is not on antidepressants but even if someone is on an antidepressant, there is nothing to be ashamed of it. Although I understand certain parts of society still carry that stigma of mental illness/difficulty, that is an archaic way of thinking.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2019

My SBON doesn’t know my medical information because I don’t require them to know my medical information. No seriously— my depression and PTSD are *MEDICAL* diagnoses. We have federal laws protecting our MEDICAL information. The BON doesn’t get to know that I have environmental allergies, they don’t get to know know I have a history of spontaneous corneal erosions and had a minor surgery for it, they don’t get to know my OB-GYN clinic terms me a “grand multip”.... AND they don’t get to know I have depression and PTSD.

Fortunately in my state I don’t have to lie, because they ask if I have any dx that would impair me — my TREATED depression and PTSD don’t impair me. But if they asked for a medication list, I would withhold that information.

Until I can be assured that boards of NURSING will treat mental health dx as the medical conditions they are — NOT as a character flaw or comparable to working under the influence of EtOH — they don’t get this information.

Sorry that’s a total rant... but I get sick to death of hearing nurses fear seeking medical treatment, for conditions that if we were advising a patient there would be NO QUESTION—you need help, get help; and EBP supports the use of meds as indicated.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Aug 3, 2019

The point about the prospective pilot and the FAA interests me. It is a somewhat different matter than a prospective nurse. I agree with Here.I.Stand that a mental health diagnosis is a private matter, nor do I believe my history impairs me from my work. On the other hand, were I to suffer a relapse, my opportunities to harm others would be fairly limited. I guess I might be OK with a pilot needing to jump through *some* hoops--enough to show he or she is getting effective treatment and not likely to become a kamikaze in the future. I believe my diabetes and history of heart disease might preclude me from becoming a pilot--more so than a couple of bouts with dysthymia. I am also not sure whether my mental health history would ever show up on a background check to buy a gun, but since I've never had a desire to own one in the past, I made a choice that if I ever felt an impulse to buy one, I would seek psychiatric advice--even if it wasn't due to suicidal thoughts (there are legitimate reasons I could want a gun--they make loud noises and target shooting sounds fun). But while I am "cured," now, my couple of bouts with depression suggest I could become depressed again, and perhaps more severely than in the past. Maybe. I'd be curious to see what a psychiatrist would say, although not curious enough at this point to add to my list of appointments.