Originally Posted by Mr Ian

Oooh... let me bring dissent and discord amongst the pigeons with my big cat. I am disgusted - not at the ex-patient becoming a nurse, but the reactions she is getting.

Firstly, nurses undertake a process to become nurses which includes character testing. If s/he graduated as a nurse and got a job - s/he passed - including the test of character.

Secondly, runningnurse - your sentiments are well meant - but you are so patronising and I'm sorry to shove it in your face; but not that sorry that I won't -
"the interactions that this former patient had with the nurses at the hospital has inspired them to become clean"
Become clean? Was s/he dirty for having a MH issue? (There was no mention of drug use - so if it was a reference to her/him not being a druggie 'now' then you are being highly presumptive).
The interactions s/he may have had may have well inspired them to become a nurse - and perhaps do something to stop people like him/herself being re-admitted 500 times.
"Maybe tell them something along the lines of-I'm proud of what you've done to change your life "
You have absolutely no idea what this person has or hasn't done and even less about what they might appreciate in terms of being 'supportive'. Where was the "I'm so proud of you for what you've done" attitude when s/he was trying to survive 500+ admissions?

Third, Mother Jones! Far be it from me to feel so at odds with you - but presumably 'elsewhere' means somewhere out of nursing - since the post doesn't identify what hospital - or area - or even specialty branch?
Your postulating about her/his character and 'axis II' BPD may well be accurate, or even close - but to presume this makes for a crap nurse or a danger to patients is so stereotyped and does not become you.

Let me add some colour to the picture -
Many people who self-harm, OD and the like are survivors of trauma; most often sexual or other childhood abuse trauma. No-one just 'catches' personality disorder or wakes up one morning thinking "Hey I know - I'll just be an emotional wreck - that'll entertain me". Yes, they may get into all sorts of maladaptive ways of life - like drugs; lots of useless partners; lack of direction or life plan; etc etc etc; since their whole experience of life as a child is based on pain, mistrust, deceit and torment. But they equally may not act in such ways - or any variance on this that they choose to survive by.
The history of this person suggests a time where coping was extremely difficult - just think what you'd have to be going through to "need" to "visit" the hospital 500 times. Yet here they are, some years later having lasted out a degree course and put themselves to productive use in a society that really wasn't of much use to them when they were struggling to survive - with 500 admissions.

So my take would be, if I knew this person, I would stand beside them as a nurse colleague and be pretty humble to remember how easy it was for me to be where I am today.

As a relevant aside - what do you think/feel/do when you see a child being abused? Do we not repulse at it? Do we not think "they are only but a child"?
Why do we do this? Because it makes for a poor childhood. Why is childhood important? Because it moulds who we become.
Why do we bang our fists and spit in the face of those who abuse children - yet when the product of that abused child comes to be an adult - we shun that person? We pass them off and isolate them.

Get off your judgmental horse and walk a shift in their shoes.

And I'm taking my cat with me.