friend fired after self reporting

[pollyanna83]

Have a friend that is the best nurse I've ever known. Graduated top of her BSN class, went to work in med/surg at 22. She is now 25. In the last year she had a divorce, traumatic delivery, and serious IBS with chronic pain and began diverting waste 4 months ago. She went cold turkey (at home) then went into treatment for a month and after getting clean told her nurse manager and was promptly fired. She has no idea what is coming. She doesn't know what to do or whether her employer will report to the BON. All her drug test are clean, her assessments are glowing. Other than outing herself there is no other evidence. By the way, every nurse on staff (including managers) signed off on waste but didn't stay to witness. Anyone have any ideas what she is facing?

[catmom1, BSN, RN]

Just like with anything else that is going good, there is a tendency for once self to let their guard down, so to speak. In walks the opportunity for addiction to rear it's ugly head.

I have no "data that says being beautiful makes you more likely to be a junky." I was merely stating a possibility, since a big reason for your friend's success seems to be her beauty, that can also be a downfall. Just like the thousands of other opportunities that addiction waits for.

Well said, Easttexasnurse. That is my understanding of addiction, i.e that it is opportunistic and always looking for an opening of any kind to increase its malignant influence in our lives. I wonder if Pollyanna has personal experience with addiction recovery because if so, it differs a great deal from my understanding of what keeps me clean and sober.

Recovery from addiction is so much more about the inner person, the soul, if you will, than external circumstances (be it looks, brains, money, or whatever).

Peace,

Catmom :paw:

[med/oncRN]

Well, I guess the lesson here is if you have diverted and quit without getting caught thank your lucky stars and keep your mouth shut! If you are diverting, Stop now! I work with a nurse who self reported and it has been 5 years of hell, she has remained clean and I totally respect her for that, but what hoops she has had to jump through to retain her restricted license (and rightly so). I understand your friend was trying to do what is right by coming clean with her DON who, by the way is obligated to tell you report within I believe 3 days or they have to turn you in to the state BON. However, if you self report you automatically go before the BON, have a restricted license for like 5-10 years with daily calls to a board that monitors and tells you on a daily basis if you need to go pee for a test. nurses who are restricted go through a lot to prove they are clean, my friend is proof of that and has a lot :redbeathe:redbeatheof people talk about what what did years ago. Everyone makes mistakes and can learn from them. We should all remember that "there but for the Grace of God go I". We should pray this person stays clean and admire her for getting clean and the help she needs. I believe we should be less judgmental and more supportive. Especially if she was taking waste and not taking meds from patients who needed them, yes, I realize stealing is stealing. For the person who wasn't even involved, but heard about it and turned her in, Karma is a *****! What comes around goes around. Good luck to your friend, I hope she makes it and I'm glad she has you for support, she has a long, hard road ahead. And she has to live the rest of her life with her conscious.

[med/oncRN]

Off the subject, this is for Easttexasnurse31, I can't figure out what the heck your picture is, is it a cake, or something to do with a clown, or Easter Bonnet? Sorry no offense meant, I really can't tell what it is.

[pollyanna83]

Yep! Went into recovery 28 years ago (1 two week relapse 4 years ago) and I still consider myself a drunk. I did the dt's and the hallucinations and the perferated ulcers and all before 22. I went to hell and back several times. Where my friend is concerned I am worried that there may be the attitude that she has not suffered enough for her 3 month walk on the dark side. I really think that keeping silent is counterproductive because there is no horse in the race to vest the nurse in her own recovery. Personnally I think the trip back should be difficult. When you have told a 2 year old not to touch the oven door because it is hot then you LET HIM TOUCH IT the next time and that blister will definately get through. I'm glad my friend can only communicate with the BON by fax, phone or mail because if they saw her in person and the board was made up entirely of old crones she might get the old "don't hate me because I'm beautiful" lashback.