i believe it's time to call it quits......

Nurses Recovery

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obviously no one is going to hire a nurse in IPN with a 5 year contract and with a criminal background. it's just not going to happen. I've only been in IPN for 6 months, but the financial toil and the degradation of being a failure with a criminal background is too much to bear. I am wasting my time, what little money I make working minimum wage and the small amount of dignity I have left. this November will be 5 years since I worked as a nurse, so I'm sure I'll be told I need to do refresher course which costs money and needless to say, what hospital is going to let me do clinicals with a criminal past. it seems every where I turn another door is slammed in my face. i'm 54 yo and may as well say bye to my nursing career. I had a good run and was a great nurse. I never diverted/ stole from my patients or employers. My problem was self medicating for depression and receiving dui's. hell, no one is going to hire me......

i have no idea what i'm going to do. hopefully Mcdonald's may hire me. i hate my life.

Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

Im so sorry your going through this. I dont have a criminal past, but i DO have a problem with pain pills. and all the stories here confirm and validate my decision to NEVER EVER seek help professionally for my addiction its simply career suicide. I dont divert, never have, i have a RX for my meds. . ill deal with it on my own..... but i digress... i really do feel for you, and I hope you can find a way through all this BS

Specializes in Main O.R. and CVOR.

I agree RNOTODAY. I would have NEVER self reported if I didn't have a criminal background. I had to because they would have found out and it's better if you do it instead of getting caught. do what you have to do to get your life on track. this is hell!!

every time I get a negative response from an application I submitted, it chips away at my self confidence. I got a few this morning in my email box. I am seriously considering dropping this crap and going back to school. I can't take this much longer....

Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.
I agree RNOTODAY. I would have NEVER self reported if I didn't have a criminal background.

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It brings tears to my eyes even 13 years after the fact to remember that I "confessed all" to the BON back in 2000, thinking I would get help if I were honest. How sadly ignorant I was!!!!

I will have 9 years clean and sober this December and it is despite the BON not because of them that I have been able to reclaim my life.--a life without the benefit of the expensive and difficult nursing training that apparently means nothing if you have a "past" like mine.

Catmom :paw:

Specializes in Main O.R. and CVOR.

catmom, I guess we all have our journeys.... and hindsight being 20/20, we can hopefully give insight to others regarding our trials. if anyone out there is reading this post, do not self report if you don't have to. The BON will chew you up and spit you out. They who are nurses, do not have an ounce of compassion when it comes to nurses with substance abuse issues, nor do prospective employers. once they see that you have ''issues'', you are judged without any benefit of a doubt.

so, catmom, are you saying you are no longer a practicing nurse?

Specializes in med/surg, step down, I have seen it all.

Hang in there. There are people out there who are willing to give others chances. We all do wrong in life may it be big or small we all have done it. And someone tells you they haven't then they are lying to you and themselves. I have faith you will get back to doing what you love. Work the steps, focus on sobriety. work minimum wage jobs and apply every single day for thousands of jobs. Even if you don't think the job is for you apply anyways. You will get there as we all will. If we do what is right and that is clean up our lives and know our past mistakes were wrong then we will win in the end. For those who just give up and not try they will never know what could be would they. Why some of us have to have lives full of hard times and endless heartaches we will never know why. But I do bleive there is a reason why we have to suffer with addiction and have to work harder for out licenses than others. Sending healing and loving thoughts your way. Hang in there. We will all do this and we will do it together but never give up on a dream. :yes:

Hang in there. Just got a possible offer today! It's possible! Just keep trying!

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