bcpetunia

I'm a new RN in NY, just passed last week (YAY!) I'm going for a pre-employment physical this week and I have some questions regarding disclosure. #1: The medical form asks if I've ever been hospitalized for anything other than childbirth...and...I don't want to lie. Last year I spent a month on a psych ward and a month in rehab related to this. It was a month on the psych ward because I refused medications and meditated instead [with much success, actually, towards the goal of mood stabilization], and the Psychiatrist assigned to me went on vacation during my stay so I had to wait for him to come back. I went into the hospital and rehab voluntarily. I have been in recovery from substance abuse for over a year now and am active in narcotics anonymous and have most definitely made some changes in my life in the past year, and continue to. I am very grateful I got into this process before I became a Nurse! I (and others) believe I am willing, ready, and able to handle the demands of Nursing, moreso than I was when I graduated. I've been advised by other people to say No to that question. But can I say Yes and just state that the hospitalization doesn't impact my job without disclosing anything further? I *have* managed to hold down an Administrative Assistant position for over 6 months now with accolades from demanding bosses. :) I wonder about worst case scenario...that someone, somewhere, somehow tells the hospital staff that i was on the psych ward with them. that, and I've got a huge problem lying. I also have no problem telling the whole truth because I am not the same person I was a year ago and I am more educated about addiction and what I need to do to prevent a relapse. I am committed to staying clean. No matter what stresses may come my way I am not going to pick up because I have too much that I want to do in life. My instincts, however, tell me that they don't need to know the whole story. So I'm seeking a happy medium. I don't think I can effectively plead the fifth on why I was hospitalized..so perhaps I can admit experimentation that led to a crisis. Any other ideas or cautionary tales? #2: The form asks me to list any medications I've taken in the last 12 months. I also don't want to disclose that I took lithium last year for a few months because they had diagnosed me with bipolar II when I was in the institutions and I figured I'd try it and give their diagnosis a chance. I've never had a classic manic episode...I went into the hospital because I couldn't sleep for four days because I was intoxicated! The psychiatrist at my outpatient (which I no longer attend) later refuted the idea that I was biploar and suggested ADHD instead, and I started taking Wellbutrin. At this point I have not been on any medications since January (besides a multivitamin) and have managed life just fine.