Help! Trouble finding a job with my license being on probation!!!!

Nurses Recovery

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To make a long story short, 2 years ago the Board started investigating me after some coworkers said I was acting "goofy" at work. I had excellent patient reviews, etc.. I had recently started on 2 antidepressants and worked 12 hour midnight shifts so I do think the medications were causing me to be a bit "foggy" at times but I always got my job done and done correctly....That job decided to fire me, I had a panic attack at home and took too many klonopin to try to calm down, my husband took me to the hospital so now I am labelled as "overdosing on the klonopin and suicide attempt"

Skip ahead to this past March, my nursing license was placed on "Probation with restrictions".. The only "restrictions" I have are 1)to not work for a staffing agency 2) to not be a nursing supervisor... I have NO narcotic restrictions or other practice restrictions.. I have no criminal history whatsoever.....

I'm an R.N. and I am unemployed. No one seems to want to hire me but yet I have worked with people in similiar situations in the past so I know nurses on probation do get hired places, but where?

My husband works full time but still we are on the verge of bankruptcy right now. I have to find a job. My husband has MS so while his work is regular, if he has a relapse, well then he is off of work too. Does anyone have any advice such as where they were hired after being put on probation, or certain types of facilities that tend to hire nurses on probation?? I appreciate any advice, I feel beaten down, confused, scared and pretty low right about now so any advice would make my day! Thanks.

Specializes in Telemetry.
To make a long story short, 2 years ago the Board started investigating me after some coworkers said I was acting "goofy" at work. I had excellent patient reviews, etc.. I had recently started on 2 antidepressants and worked 12 hour midnight shifts so I do think the medications were causing me to be a bit "foggy" at times but I always got my job done and done correctly....That job decided to fire me, I had a panic attack at home and took too many klonopin to try to calm down, my husband took me to the hospital so now I am labelled as "overdosing on the klonopin and suicide attempt"

Skip ahead to this past March, my nursing license was placed on "Probation with restrictions".. The only "restrictions" I have are 1)to not work for a staffing agency 2) to not be a nursing supervisor... I have NO narcotic restrictions or other practice restrictions.. I have no criminal history whatsoever.....

I'm an R.N. and I am unemployed. No one seems to want to hire me but yet I have worked with people in similiar situations in the past so I know nurses on probation do get hired places, but where?

My husband works full time but still we are on the verge of bankruptcy right now. I have to find a job. My husband has MS so while his work is regular, if he has a relapse, well then he is off of work too. Does anyone have any advice such as where they were hired after being put on probation, or certain types of facilities that tend to hire nurses on probation?? I appreciate any advice, I feel beaten down, confused, scared and pretty low right about now so any advice would make my day! Thanks.

I'm curious if you have found gainful employment yet. I too have a license on probation and it has been a difficult process with no luck of employment yet. The economy hasn't helped either but I remain hopeful.

Go2Girl: I think you've done nothing wrong to be placed on probation. It's estimated that 25% of the population lives with an anxiety disorder. I think you made the mistake of showing up for a board hearing without a lawyer (?). Please, EVERYONE, hiring a lawyer is cheaper than having an action against your license.

I could not agree more! I am going thru a terrible time because I did not consult a lawyer w experience in this area before I signed those papers! Now because of this I am more than likiely losing my 7 year relationship, my home which I worked so hard for, filing bankruptcy, and well, my entire life is a horrible mess. All this because I did not consult a lawyer first! If I could say one thing to anyone potentiially going into the program it would be TALK TO A LAWYER FIRST!

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Go2Girl: I wish I had the power the undo what has been done and give you a comfortable life back. But I can't offer advice better than the previous posters. Don't give up. You can never predict when a job will have your name on it. Please keep in touch with us and keep spreading the message of GET A LAWYER. Can you PM me and let me know what state you live in.

Subee- I am in PA

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Getme2work: Now I'm confused. I are you the person who was taking antidepressants? I thought that was Go2Girl. I can' find a prevous post from you on this thread.

My nursing license was also placed on probation this past May for a DUI...I do not have any restrictions but I have to jump through hoops for the state. I send in quarterly reports, have to submit to monthly random drug testing(never touched a drug in my life), notify them when I change jobs, and cant consume alcohol. I have been unemployed 5 months now and no one will hire me. I have 11 years experience as an LPN, am IV/phlebotomy certified, I work tons of overtime, I do all my work and then help others, but none of this matters. The corporations in my area will not even CONSIDER hiring a nurse whose license is on probation. I am at the point where I think I will just let them suspend it and save me the $60/month for drug testing. I received my DUI over 2 years ago and I have been more than punished for this. It is insane. People do change, they get better...but no one cares.

Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.

I hear you NurseJen79-

I am in a similar situation. I have 1 year to go of my 5 years of probation for drug diversion from my job in 2000. (Stayed away from nursing for 5 years after the problem due to shame).

When I have a job, being on probation is really not tough at all, but looking for work really sucks. The prejudice I have encountered in what is my longest job search ever has been unbelievable. For example, every insurance company in my area specifies that the license must be unrestricted. Argh! :banghead:

Catmom :paw:

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Subee- I am in PA

Have you tried posting on the Pa. page under the "Region" section of Allnurses? Perhaps someone might help you find recovery friendly employers in your county. Best wishes.

Specializes in geriatric.

I am not sure how far you wanna go to work as a nurse again but i worked as a cna(nursing asst) for eight months to prove what a reliable trusted valuable employee i could be. it paid off I am now working as a LPN on a unit with 40 beds where I am the charge nurse. I have done well and it was definatly worth the humiliation of working as a aid for the eight months;. I am not saying working as a aid is humiliating only after being incharge for several years befor having to go back to doing it. i was very proud when i was a aid for 5 years befreo becoming a nurse.

Specializes in All but the OR.

TRY your best to stay calm. See if you can get off nights...I met a friend who went through that...and it does almost break you down...especially financially. But DO NOT give UP! Try a company called Davita they do dialysis....just keep applying. You were probably really tired and unfortunately, people are not just "NICE" these days. You stay in God's hands...I am praying for you and your family. In the meantime find another job in something....you may even find security or somethingelse is a nice break...Keep your eyes on God....he feeds the sparrow and He will feed you, too! Try somethingelse until something in nursing comes through DO NOT WAIT, now go apply somewhere...YOU WILL MAKE IT ....U R A NURSE! LOVE YOU!

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

OMG. Moderator. Can we remove the previous post? Encouraging desperate people to give money to strangers is so wrong.

What to do??? In 1994 I was taken hostage by a prisoner at knifepoint (working at the prison hospital) - once I returned to work, I was a nervous wreck and wrongly started taking Vicodin to soothe my nerves at work (I had a prescription for it). I told my supervisor about the problems I was having, and she reported me to the State. Before the state intervened, I had already gone to Rehab. Fast forward a few years - completely disgusted with all the hoops they wanted me to go through, I went back to college and graduated Cum Laude with another degree, and of course, can't find a job in that field. So, now I'm trying to get my license back - and you'd think that I was the absolute worst person that ever walked the earth. I've jumped through all of their hoops so far ($500 worth to date), and now they tell me I've got to apply to a different department - another $500 no doubt.

So, is it going to be worth it? I assume I will be on probation even though it's been over a decade later. No jobs out there? I've got a spotlessly clean record, don't drink or do drugs.... geesh...

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