Starting School, Do I disclose my status???

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Hi all. I'm very glad to see that there is a place for recovering people here. I have a question, please. I have FINALLY been accepted to a 2 year program, and I am filling out the many medical forms that have to be turned in on day one of clinicals. On the med histotry form, the very first question is "Any history of drug and/or alcohol abuse." I am wondering if I have to disclose the fact that I am a recovering alcoholic? I am clean and sober 6 1/2 years.

I am also new to this site, so hopefully I am doing this right. Hope everyone has a safe and pleasant holiday!

I have chosen not to disclose my status except with a few close friends due to the conservative nature of my state. I feel that my recovery is important to me and God, and that He will let me know when to "come out". I think the best time to tell my stuff is when it would benefit or help the still suffering alcoholic/addict. The first members of the Fellowship were annonymous because they were treated differently because of their condition. That was the advice of my sponsor, and he rocks.

Right on! However, why do you have a, "he" for a sponsor?:no: Men sponsor men, women sponsor women. That's the way it works.:yeah:

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

I'm of the opinion that we nurses have just as much right to keep our medical information private as anyone else.

Unless you've been arrested or charged in some way R/T your ETHO abuse, I see no reason to disclose. So long as any illness/disease you may have will not impair your ability to do your job, in my opinion, no one needs to know.

Congrats on your long sobriety. Keep up the good work.

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Specializes in Neurosciences.

I choose not to disclose here in Wisconsin because if I did then I would be required to report it to the state BON when I apply for my license. Then the state BON would have to investigate to determine of I needed additional services in order to obtain a license.

In addition, my life insurance company could refuse me because of my addiction issues. And I have witnessed during my clinical rotations how mean other nurses can be regarding individuals with addiction issues.

Finally, I have been clean for 14 years and I truly feel that it is my business and I choose to keep it private.

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Morning recovering friends. I am amazed and excited about this forum, and thrilled that so much discussion was generated around the question of disclosure to the school on their paperwork for acceptance to clinical rotations.

The paper, a Health Questionnaire/Physical Exam Form reads "please indicate any history of the following conditions" and alcohol or drug abuse is listed as one of those conditions. I checked yes, and in the space where it says Explanation I wrote "No alcohol since 2001". In the section that the physician completes, my doctor wrote the same.

For ME ONLY, the issue is honesty. If I begin to lie about who I am, then I am in danger of picking up a drink. If I have to remember who I lied to and what I said, I am walking in the past and behaving like the woman I WAS.

This Nursing career that I have began is one of the greatest blessings and gifts that I have received in sobriety. My sponsor says "Do not let what the program gives you, take you back out."

For ME ONLY it is not a matter of DUI's or convictions, although I have none (YET!). It is a matter of being true to myself and not repeating past behavior. I am an alcoholic, and I have not had a drink in 7 years. I will go to any lengths to keep the gift. I have seen too many sister die of this disease because they did not work an honest program. I am grateful to them, and to all of you for sharing.

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Yes, you disclose. When asked about it you tell them you have 6.5 years sober. If you don't and it's found out, you could be kicked out for falsifying your app.

I respectfully disagree with this.

I rate it along the same token as once you are divorced, I feel at some point that you should be able to say you are single.

Unless there is a criminal record to accompany the fact you have been in recovery or lost another professional license, have a DUI, etc. I say it is YOUR business.

To those that claim she has to disclose this to nursing school, as yourself: Is there a national database somewhere, that former people that are in "recovery" are located.

I think some folks are being WAY too paranoid. Even the textbooks in both nursing and psychology have a very, very difficult time of deciding what abuse vs addiction vs recovery is.

How long can you say after someone is recovered that they are "safe"??? A week? A month? A year? 5 years? 10 years?

How can you define abuse? I used to drink 7 days a week in my younger years...that could be considered abuse, but when I decided that wasn't a good idea anymore, I just stopped.....I even once saw a counselor for depression that said my alcohol use was causing that...that was 15 years ago...I never had formal treatment or went to AA, I just made the decision and just quit...so do I have to disclose that to?

What if I never went to a counselor at all and decided to quit...do you have to disclose that?

I say 6 1/2 years SOBER is SOBER....whether it's drugs or alcohol. These folks have a RIGHT to not be haunted or constantly disclose their past over and over again...part of the recovery is MOVING ON.

It's not like she got out of a 12-step program yesterday.

I say, "Say no" to that answer....they would have to PROVE the opposite to kick you out of school. That kind of proof is going to be next to impossible to come by as long as you keep it to yourself.

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SassyGN

You are right! Why is it that recovering addicts continue to go to meetings night after night, pray for sobriety, been sober for nearly 6 to 10 years and still consider themselves an addict. My own believe is that they get into the habit of meetings after so all and think thats what they need to do. Why not take up biking, hiking, gardening, canoeing, boating, fishing, ect. Anything besides wasting an hour of their time to listen to the same stories in different content to stay sober.

Spike45

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SassyGN

You are right! Why is it that recovering addicts continue to go to meetings night after night, pray for sobriety, been sober for nearly 6 to 10 years and still consider themselves an addict. My own believe is that they get into the habit of meetings after so all and think thats what they need to do. Why not take up biking, hiking, gardening, canoeing, boating, fishing, ect. Anything besides wasting an hour of their time to listen to the same stories in different content to stay sober.

Spike45

Well....I have 6 years clean and I still go to meetings because I want to stay that way! I have lots of hobbies: hiking, biking, camping, snowboarding, reading, cooking...none of these things will keep me clean. Anything I put in front of my recovery I will loose. Some days I hate going to meetings, working steps and being in recovery but those are the days that I am not grateful for the beautiful life I have today. The only way that I have such an amazing life is by being committed to my recovery. We have all seen those who unfortunately convince themselves that they are "cured" and stop going to meetings and eventually relapse. I have seen people with 20 years of recovery go back out and die. That will not be me...just for today.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Psych.
SassyGN

You are right! Why is it that recovering addicts continue to go to meetings night after night, pray for sobriety, been sober for nearly 6 to 10 years and still consider themselves an addict. My own believe is that they get into the habit of meetings after so all and think thats what they need to do. Why not take up biking, hiking, gardening, canoeing, boating, fishing, ect. Anything besides wasting an hour of their time to listen to the same stories in different content to stay sober.

Spike45

I take personal offense to these comments. I don't know why someone who feels this way about recovery is visiting and posting in a recovery for nurses forum. That being said, unfortunately spike does not have any clue about the disease of addiction. Once an addict always an addict. This is a disease that centers in the mind, and most alcoholics/addicts continue to go to meetings so that they won't forget where they came from and more importantly, to help others by passing on what was so freely given to us. Hobbies have nothing to do with recovering from addiction. Busying oneself does not cure the disease. I'm infuriated that someone would refer to meetings as a "waste" since I have seen people's lives literally saved by AA/NA meetings. I guess you really can't get angry with ignorance. There is a saying about being an addict/alcoholic -- Once a pickle, you can't go back to being a cucumber.

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What is the percentage of the addicts that attend meetings have gone on their free will? Most of them, have been forced to go because of trouble with their job, trouble with the law, ect. They fall off the wagon because why????Meetings are for addicts....And I do understand the disease of alcoholism. My father died at age 59, was picked up 5 times for drunk driving, was in a very bad accident, broke his neck and back in several places. Meetings did not help him. He continued to drink as well as go to meetings. So my believe is that meetings are for some that accept their "lives as unmanagable".

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Thanks, UltraViolet and Sassy, for your heartfelt responses to the INSANE suggestion that meetings are a waste of time and that a hobby could keep us busy and therefore clean and sober. I had to walk away for 24 hours and restrain pen and tongue (and the submit reply key!) But here I go...

First off, the suggestion is a dangerous and irresponsible one to make. Meetings are the medicine for alcoholics and addicts. Would the writer suggest that an insulin dependent diabetic stop taking medication and start crocheting? Secondly, I was taught "if you can't help another alcoholic/addict, don't hurt them." Not only is the suggestion to "hike or bike" hurtful, it is potentially fatal. Lastly, my mom once suggested that "if you don't have anything nice to say...."

AA saved my life. It continues to save my life because I work my program by going to meetings, praying and HELPING others. I get to keep my sobriety and serenity because I give it away. If anyone who is newly sober hears advice to skip meetings and hike, please run ... from the person making suggestion TO the halls of AA and NA.

Thanks for listening.

(PS...I get to hike and bike BECAUSE I am sober)

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Spike, you have a resentment because the disease took your father away from you. My true sympathies for your loss. This disease take and takes and takes. It kills those that we love on a daily basis. The facts are, however, that meetings did not take him, the disease did. Kindly refrain from suggesting that people do something other than participate in their own 12 step treatment. Your suggestion that AA doesn't work just might lead others to their deaths.

Also, I am a member of AA because I made a choice to join. I was not forced to go. I also chose to put down the bottle, because I was told that AA works a lot better if you don't drink. For you to use the phrase "most of them are forced to go" is stereotyping and judgmental, plain and simple.

Again, I am sorry for your loss, and I hope that you are able to "hear" what I have shared here. I will keep you in prayer.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Psych.

Spike,

When I read your first point with regard to addiction, I could sense anger. I am very sorry that you lost your Dad to the disease of addiction. I too grew up w/an alcoholic Dad. It certainly takes its toll on the entire family. Then I ended up being alcoholic myself only considered myself to be "functional." I always held a job, owned a home, etc. etc. and never really had any problems with the law. I found AA actually through counseling. I can tell you that the large majority attend of their own will. There are some that are court mandated. That's ok. Sometimes they end up hearing something that clicks and they stick around. Sometimes a seed is planted and they end up coming back years later. Sometimes they continue in their untreated disease and end up dying like your Dad and so many others. I can understand that your message is coming from anger. I can tell you that AA saved the life of myself and my brother who was not as "functional" as I was. He was a street junkie, if you will, living on the streets of Boston. That is all just a "yet" for myself and many others. When I was 2 years sober, my brother got sober, and that was such a gift because I got him back in my life. I see that happen everyday in AA/NA. Sometimes people expect a complete change in their family members when they start attending meetings. Sometimes they get angry at God, the program, and other members if they don't see that change in their family/friend. I am truly sorry that your Dad wasn't able to stay sober and that you lost him. This disease is a killer, and when people think they are "cured" and stop attending meetings, I have seen fatal results. AA enables me to be the Mom to my children that my Dad couldn't be to me. I wish you healing from the bottom of my heart. :heartbeat

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