Hello everybody. First of all I would like to say I think this website is great. I've been using it throughout RN school, and recently I decided to make an account after getting my RN License.
So, here is some back ground...
a) When I applied to RN school, I fully disclosed all medication that I was taking, which is also by order of a providers prescription. (Vicodin, on rare occasion if needed for breathrough pain, valium 5mg prn, and ambien 10mg prn insomnia)
b) In light of this information, RN school accepted me nevertheless. Throughout RN school I excelled. I maintained a 3.7 GPA, worked an average of 20 hours per week (in pharmacy), and I excelled in safe patient care, getting several recommendations from my instructors and preceptor.
The situation is this...
My final semester ended in December. I was literally sought out by the Director of the acute-care floor where I did my preceptorship to start working as soon as I had my RN License. I completed all the paperwork for hire, took the NCLEX in January & passed in 75 questions, and informed my other job, of 8 continuous years, that I would be moving on to be a newly employed RN.
a) As part of the conditions of starting, like everyone else, I had to pass the pre-employment physical, etc. Within the process of filling out this paperwork, I honestly completed it the same way that I did my paperwork for RN School.
(in other words: I was forthright about my legally prescribed medications, before I took my drug test)
The drug test showed positive for benzodiazepines,
but the test was deemed negative because I have a prescription for them.
b) The offer was withdrawn.........
c) I stated to the Doctor denying me clearance, "How is it possible that I have done approximately 500/1,000 hours of the BRN prescribed clinical hours, at this hospital, and there was never an issue when I wasn't being paid?"
The doctor responded "they probably didn't know you where on these medications".
I told him my RN program was well aware of it, and furthermore, I was one of the minority of students in my school that never got written up for making ANY minor or major errors: throughout my entire program, and I had practically almost all straight A's.
*Nevertheless, the job where I was going to be doing what I love, & make appx 35/hr, was pulled from me just a few weeks ago,
and I have been left stunned.*
If I were a threat to myself or others, i could understand the offer being pulled.
But come on, the Doctor actually just simply told me "if you were off the medications, you probably would have gotten the job".
Now I ask for your help my fellow RNs...
My question is: do you or anybody you know, who takes occasional AND LEGALLY prescribed controlled substances have a job as an RN?
If so, did you disclose this in your pre-employment physical?
Your input will be greatly appreciated...
However, I do ask for those of you who may want to say something presumptuous or rude, please keep it to yourself.
Sincerely,
RNwithHonors
(p.s., for those of you who may wonder: I NEVER have ingested ANY controlled substance at while at clinical or while working in the pharmacy in 8 years)
