[mep715]

I have posted this question before, with very little response, I am a nursing student who has a couple of misdemeanors on my record from back in 1995, I was 19 at the time and now I am approaching 30 years old! The charges where shoplifting and a bounce check, has anyone ever been denyied a lisence because of this!! I am very concerned because I have worked very hard to get where I am and have totally turned my life around! I have to file a declaratory order, but this has my nerves all up on ends.. Any response would be sooo appreciated.. if anyone has any info on the matter, by the way I live in Tx..
thanks

[Hellllllo Nurse]

Originally Posted by mattsmom81

I have felt at risk for lawsuit and risk for reporting to the BON many many times. When I speak out I have felt (and have been) at risk for my job as well. It is because of the 'squeeze' between by ethics and mandates of my NPA and the crazy workplace, politics, warm body syndrome, and other 'bottom line' health care tactics.

A nurse here once voiced this and it is so true: It is amazing how being a good nurse and a good employee are so much at odds today.

This has been my situation many times, as well. Being a nurse today, you really are witness to things and involved (whether you want to be or not) is some very unethical goings-on.

[sleepless in norman]

After 17 years as a critical care nurse, TNCC, CCRN, Certified Cadiovascular Nurse, I succombed to Lortab addiction and I still have a hard time believing what happened to me was and still is real, I lost my license, career, respect, ability to find above minimum wage jobs, contact with my children, and worst of all my health, due to not having any health insurance in the time of need. I did the right/honest thing and reported myself, did the rehab thing, sober living thing, dependant nurse peer assistance thing, group thing, NA/AA thing, even got back to open heart recovery at a large metropolitan med center, then the Okalhoma State Board Of Nursing did their thing, they reported me to the Office Of Inspector General, wihtout notifying me, lost my job, fell behind in child support and all other bills, lost everything. Remember keep your past just that, Your Past. Good Luck.

[sleepless in norman]

When you Castout your fellow man, You become an Outcast yourself. God Bless.

[sleepless in norman]

I see alot of you stating addiction is the stealing of narcotics from patients. Not all nurse addicts are guilty of diversion, some came by their addiction honestly, I for one never took drugs from a hospital or patient, my addiction was totally outside of my profession, I too am displeased with the nurse who take drugs from patients/hospitals, but this is a very difficult/stealthy disease, and I forgive those who help themselves and do not destroy their second chance at life. Mine is not to throw stones, I never have. Good Luck.

[kim1234]

Originally Posted by paigern

Thanks for your support Angelia. It is sad that there are so many perfect judgemental people in this world...just makes you wonder... what skeletons are in their closet?

So True!!!


Kim1234

[sleepless in norman]

heres the skinny, the board only does state background checks, and will only go into depth if you give them the information, the offenses you are charged with will have refound effect on your moral turpetude and the board will view this as a questionable offense ato be reported to the OIG, the board is only going to be interested in felonies, keep all your past misdameanors, just that in your past, another thing to remember, there is a legal statute of limitation that any offense can be reported on a background check, all states are different, you also can petition the Court to have the offenses expunged from your record, and in doing this the only way anyone could find out, would be to physically go to the Court house and physically locate your aoffenses in the Court Docketts, remember, as in the state of oklahoma, this board is unethical and will report any offense to the office of inspector general, felony or misdameanor, best advice is to seek the advice of a criminal attorney, if you can afford one. Good Luck

Originally Posted by mep715

I have posted this question before, with very little response, I am a nursing student who has a couple of misdemeanors on my record from back in 1995, I was 19 at the time and now I am approaching 30 years old! The charges where shoplifting and a bounce check, has anyone ever been denyied a lisence because of this!! I am very concerned because I have worked very hard to get where I am and have totally turned my life around! I have to file a declaratory order, but this has my nerves all up on ends.. Any response would be sooo appreciated.. if anyone has any info on the matter, by the way I live in Tx..
thanks

[lovingtheunloved]

I used to work with a nurse who was an addict. She was a dear friend of mine. I'm a CNA, so I never knew about the times the count was off, or any of that. I never saw any of the "signs." But in my heart, I just KNEW. And I didn't say anything. She did eventually get caught. She got fired, but still has her license with a key restriction and she's been clean for 8 months. If only I had confronted her, she may have come clean to admin. who would have put her on probation, and she could have kept her job while getting help. I love her to death, and it kills me that I didn't try to help her. Denial was easier. I will NEVER look the other way again.

[ZZTopRN]

Originally Posted by gvkk

It's just too easy for people to write false reports about nurses to the BON. These reports become a living nightmare for the victim.

How true your words are. Someone put drugs in my purse, Darvon, Liorisel, and Haldol. A total of 5 drugs. Now you know I was really after that Haldol, dern! This happened in 1992. They decided to suspend my license in 1995, but I was never notified of it. Of course, I never went back to nursing after that Incident, it was like l933 Nazi Germany. One day they knock on your door and take you away on the say so of an LPN and a CNA.

The curious thing is that in the police report, the accounts to the police and the board, no one ever "saw" me do anything. They even admitted to searching my purse and calling the police. I thought that was kind of illegal of them. I thought only law enforcement agencies could only do that for probable cause. I was released, the case was Nolle prosequie, (dropped). No one would sign the arrest report. I went for unemployment insurance and was granted it. No one from the accusing facility showed up to testify against me.

But to this day, it is still SUSPENDED. For something I did not do. So the BON is definitely above the law. Right up their on the internet was my name. The Board would not give me information I asked for, like what addresses did they supposedly send me all of this information. So many discreapncies and facts that were not backed up with facts.

The BON very generously allowed me to reapply for my license as long as I told the employer I was on probation. Don't you know the employers would be beating down my door to hire me?

I don't know about other BONs but this one sure did not have to be accountable for anything.


Maybe I would have been better off if I was an impaired nurse.

mv

[Shell5]

My license was in jeopardy. I was unable to work as a nurse for over a year d/t my impairment with drugs and alcohol. My disease quickly progressed to demerol, morphine, methamphetamines. Shooting up in my feet, legs, breasts and even in my neck. Did I care that what I was doing was immoral, unethical, illegal in every sense of the word? Very much so. I could not stop on my own. Looking back after I was finally turned into the board for this. I could not even remember how it all started. I was so amazed at how in the world I could have started the drugs. It all started with drinking again.
Chemical Dependency is a disease. It is progressive, fatal. Some of the signs and symptoms are craving, tolerance and withdrawal. I began to do things I said I would never do. It is actually considered a psychiatric disorder by the medical profession. I eventually lost it all. I was shooting drugs with ex-DEA, a psychologist. I was in a fog, but I rember my arms being so bumped up from absesses that someone took me to a doctor's house and he wrote a prescripton for me to clear up the infection. He never turned me in. I started to prostitute for my drugs and prostitute other women so I wouldn't have to do it anymore. I took women to the lieutenant's house. It's like it was all another world. It seemed so glamorous for a while. I even danced for a while. I couldn't believe the life I was living. Then, one day, I was stealing spam from the Dollar Store to eat. I eventually ended up with Hep C. I couldn't believe the people who were involved. I finally ended up in Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN). Most states have this type of program. It is a program for nurses who are either addicted to drugs or alcohol and/or who are mentally ill. Yes, I said mentally ill. The stats on us......1 in 5 of us are impaired. That's a big number. I have been completely sober for 3 1/2 years now and I am grateful for having been turned in. At the time I wasn't, but I know that is the only way I would have straigtened up. Today, I help other people who are in the same place I was. Giving back what I was freely given. If you think a friend or coworker is impaired you are not doing them a favor by not turning them in. You are only prolonging the process. You can turn someone in and be anonymous. Be a true friend. You can also become what is called an advocate for a program. That is someone who helps others who are trying to get their life back together. Thanks and God Bless.