depression meds and getting hired

Nurses Disabilities

Published

I was just dx with mild/moderate depression which I have had for years but finally it was dx. I am on a low dose of antidepressant and feeling much better, able to focus better, etc. I am a pre-nursing student. I am wondering if being on this med and having this dx will impact someone's willingness to hire me once I graduate. If they ask about it I will of course tell them about my condition and medicine. If they don't ask, am I obiligated to tell them? I am just looking for advice. Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

no, you are absolutely not obligated to disclose your depression.

on an application, you may be asked "what medications are you currently taking" and you need to answer this.

if you listed any medication that could possibly interfere with your function as a nurse, they would have the right to ask you about it.

but other than that, it's none of their darned business.

best of everything.

leslie

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Under no circumstances, offer any information about your medical condition during an interview. Your application asked the question, "Are you capable of performing the job duties of this position?" You answered yes, and that is that. If you are required to do a drug screen, the questionnaire will ask you to list your meds. Write them down. This info will not be provided to your employer, so there is no reason for you to worry or to shoot yourself in the foot by bringing the subject up. Good luck and hope you get any position you go after. BTW, the jobs I apply for require that I bring in a doctor's statement of a physical exam within the past year. I always bring in a copy of my latest employment physical and a copy of my TB test results (all of which I pay for out of my own pocket), and never get any probing questions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Nurses are like the general public, many are on antidepressants, or have been in the past. Take us all out of practice and there would be precious few left.

Agree with the above. Keep this aspect of your medical hisotry private.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

Once you are hired, you undergo a physical. During that time you will be asked to disclose any illness and/or medications you may be on. Also you sign up for health insurance coverage. Failure to disclose can

1. Result in termination

2. Denial of coverage

And if you have ever paid for previous health care with insurance, their health insurance company will find out, trust me. It is a misconception that one does not have to share any health problems or medications at the time of employment. It is a very bad misconception.

I did not have to disclose a previous diagnoses of bipolar when hired by an agency, at the time I was hired and I was on no medication. My failure to disclose all most cost me my Workers Comp claim. I suffered severe injures and entered into a deep drepression. The insurance company attempted to deny the claim based on an undisclosed prior medical history. It went to a hearing and fortunately, the judge rule for me.

Woody:balloons:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Nurses are like the general public, many are on antidepressants, or have been in the past. Take us all out of practice and there would be precious few left.

Agree with the above. Keep this aspect of your medical hisotry private.

Yup I agree, especially about the empty hospitals if they didn't hire nurses on ADs. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'll give up my SSRI when they pry it from my cold, dead hand.

Disclose the medication when asked at your physical. It won't be a problem.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Maybe it's because I've live in semi-rural areas all my life, but I've never had to take a pre-employment physical of any kind......unless you count the UDS and TB screening. Nor can I imagine working for anyone who would require such a thing of me. Number one, my medication regimen is NONE of my employer's business, and number two, I'm obese and would never pass inspection in the first place, so why would I even apply?

God help us all if every institution that employs nurses starts forcing us to disclose our health histories---you think there's a shortage NOW?!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.

I'm confused.....

My last nursing job sent a letter of insurability to me to show my next employer. Is this a state or federal thing? I've never disclosed any medical info except once in Texas in the 80's. They just sweetly gave me a 1,000 deductible. But neve since then.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
I'm confused.....

My last nursing job sent a letter of insurability to me to show my next employer. Is this a state or federal thing? I've never disclosed any medical info except once in Texas in the 80's. They just sweetly gave me a 1,000 deductible. But neve since then.

I am not sure what you mean by a letter of insurability. I am assuming that he meant that you would be insurable if you retrurned to work for him. Any insurance claim that you make leaves footprints. Those footprints may not be an exact record but they are a record. Make a claim against your car insurance five years ago, it will still be available to a new car insurance company. Make a claim against your home owners insurance eight years ago, there is still a record of the claim. If you have had health insurance over the years and ever made a claim against it, whatever or not you reveal it, the record is still there. And any insurance company can access it. And trust me, they will. If you want to keep your insurance history free, never, never, ever make a claim against any insurance you may carry. And never make a claim against anyone else's insurance, you will leave a record there as well.

Woody:balloons:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Once you are hired, you undergo a physical. During that time you will be asked to disclose any illness and/or medications you may be on. Also you sign up for health insurance coverage. Failure to disclose can

1. Result in termination

2. Denial of coverage

And if you have ever paid for previous health care with insurance, their health insurance company will find out, trust me. It is a misconception that one does not have to share any health problems or medications at the time of employment. It is a very bad misconception.

I did not have to disclose a previous diagnoses of bipolar when hired by an agency, at the time I was hired and I was on no medication. My failure to disclose all most cost me my Workers Comp claim. I suffered severe injures and entered into a deep drepression. The insurance company attempted to deny the claim based on an undisclosed prior medical history. It went to a hearing and fortunately, the judge rule for me.

Woody:balloons:

Definately something to think about. I'm sorry for your troubles.

My facility does not give physical exams, and it's not common practice around here. Some require lifting tests, etc. Nursing schools require physicals.

Really the employer didn't ask, but it's not their business I spent a year on antidepressants in the 1984. I am physically and mentally capable of doing my job, and have an RN license. That's all they needed to know and still know. It's dead and barried medical history of no pertinence in 2007.

When I signed up for health coverage, no physical or history was done either. I just clicked a few boxes and I was insured.

I still say to the op, "don't ask/don't tell".

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
Definately something to think about. I'm sorry for your troubles.

My facility does not give physical exams, and it's not common practice around here. Some require lifting tests, etc. Nursing schools require physicals.

Really the employer didn't ask, but it's not their business I spent a year on antidepressants in the 1984. I am physically and mentally capable of doing my job, and have an RN license. That's all they needed to know and still know. It's dead and barried medical history of no pertinence in 2007.

When I signed up for health coverage, no physical or history was done either. I just clicked a few boxes and I was insured.

I still say to the op, "don't ask/don't tell".

The agency I worked for, under which I received my WC, didn't offer me any health insurance benefits and didn't ask any questions about my previous health history. I had been hospitalized, at Long Island Jewish back in the mid70's, and in New York State. It was more then ten years later I filed the WC claim and in an entirely different state, more then 1300 miles away. Their WC insurance company found out about my previous hospitalization, at LIJ. And they attempted to use it against me. One would that more then ten years later, there wouldn't have been a record. They had the dates of admission and discharge, my diagnoses, my doctor. And they attempted to get my old doctor to furnish them the records but he refused and contacted me.

In short, I wasn't asked and I didn't tell. But the insurance record was still out there, for another insurance company to use. So, even if you don't tell and aren't asked, if you ever make an insurance claim, there is always a record, available for another insurance company. And HIPAA doesn't protect you.

Woody:balloons:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment