PLEASE HELP !!!

MelloRN2B · Feb 13, 2013

Can a person with schizophrenia be a nurse . Can i get my license
Please help !

Absolutely! Please read "Successful and Schizophrenic." This article is written by Elyn Saks, a mental health lawyer and professor who also suffers from schizophrenia, and can be located on the New York Times website.

Stay compliant with tx and have faith in yourself! You'll definitely never be a nurse if you never try.

Good luck!!

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2013

Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing community!

I moved to nurses with disabilities for best response. This forum has many threads about this issue.....like this one....

Getting into nursing school with a mental illness? Is it going to be possible?

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Feb 14, 2013

Welcome, Sheila82! Glad you've joined us and hope you'll be an active member for years to come.

As for your question, schizophrenia is like any other illness: if the condition is managed well, there's no reason to give up your ambition to become a nurse. There are many nurses living with mental disorders, and for the most part we are high-functioning and successful. Sometimes we have to jump through a few more hoops than those without a psychiatric diagnosis, but rarely is a prospective nurse turned away from the licensing board on that basis alone.......if we were, there'd be very few nurses to take care of the patients!

Just so you know, there is a contingent of us here on AN who are very open about our mental health issues, so don't feel you're all alone......we have many different diagnoses, but we share a common bond as nurses and friends. :yes: