Starting School, Do I disclose my status???

Nurses Recovery

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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!

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.

As my sponsor of 18 years says,"There is honesty and there is suicide. What are you practicing?"

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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".

Spike you're right, AA doesn't work, you have to do the work. Going to meetings is not enough. Am I willing to change? If not I'm just wasting my time and my life. What was always there when I got into trouble? Me. If I'm so smart, how did I get into this mess? How do I get out of it? By working the steps with the guidance of a sponsor. Where do I learn? At meetings. Until I became willing to take responsibility for my actions nothing changed. It always boils down to the same three things; willingness, honesty and open-mindedness. Why do people relapse? Because it is easier than changing your ways. Most people do not start in AA because they want to. It is usually to save something, their job, marriage, or their ass. The ones that stay demonstrate Willingness, Honesty, and Open-mindedness. Who does this apply to? Who is reading this?

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As my sponsor of 18 years says,"There is honesty and there is suicide. What are you practicing?"

I like it ! That about sums it up for me.

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

bigred: I don't necessarily think not disclosing your medical hx is lying. We have just as much right to that as the patients we care for.

I'm not an ETOH or NA - but my daughter was. She is in recovery.

If a new PCP I'm seeing were to ask me about an ETOH hx, I would be inclined to answer "yes" - so he/she has a full hx on me.

However, if my employer asked me, I would say "no". NOT because I want to lie, but because they have no right to ask me that. How about if they asked "have you ever had an abortion?" That's none of their business either.

Unless the ETOH/Narcotic's resulted in an arrest, I wouldn't answer it - for the sake of my privacy, and for the sake of my career. Trust me, those who answer "yes" are the first to be suspected when the Narc count is off. That is wrong of coorifice, but true nontheless.

Good luck to all

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I already answered a post similar to this one but I'd forgotten about another nurse I worked with in VA.

She was treated horribly by the Board of Nursing there. The judgement is pretty harsh. Honestly I don't think she is an alcoholic. Maybe she is, I don't feel its my business. Anyhow, she's one of those who blew a .08 twice within seven years, so she's now a repeat offender. The Nursing Board told her they knew she'd get another DUI, and accused her of dealing drugs! She decided to go to a Rehab to address if she did have a serious problem. After that, the Nursing Board suspended her license for three months. They would not accept any of her Rehab. They had other things they wanted her to do including very costly therapy and drug testing, all while she couldn't even work to pay for any of that. They wouldn't accept the drug screens she had to do as sentencing.

She opted to not return to Nursing. Its things like this, and others unrelated to substance use, that cause me to choose the screen name that I have.

There isn't much professionalism in Nursing, no matter how high one's degree. I can't imagine a physician, physical therapist, etc etc screaming to each other about losing their license the way Sooo many nurses do. Embarrasing.

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The state I am in (I guess I'm not supposed to say where) treats nurses like criminals, they are guilty even if proven innocent.

Of course, disciplining etc. is posted on the websites, but they take it further, with very detailed statements that are written to make the accused look bad. I've read some really ridiculous ones on there, not just alcohol/drug related. One guy had his pulled for 6 months for something very very minor where the Nursing Board took a CNA's word and judgement over his. At the end of the six months, they actually sent him a condescending congratulations letter!

I don't understand the huge heads that grow on the Nursing Board Staffs. It is a Witch Hunt Society. :bowingpur

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