Just took random drug test

[learninglessons12]

Hello everyone.

I was working last Sunday and at the end of my shift the OA came up to me and asked me to walk with her. I asked her if I had done something wrong, she told me I was fine but she escorted me off the unit. She then told me that one of my patients family members stated that I looked like I was under the influence. She told me I had to submit to a urine and blood test immediately. I told I did not want to and she stated that I would be reported to the BON if I refused. Long story short, I was not inebriated but I smoke weed on my days off. It is now Thursday and I still haven't heard anything back. My manager called me before I was scheduled to work to tell me not to report to work until the situation is resolved. I fully expect the test to come back positive for THC. I am so scared and I do not know what to do. It feels like the end of the world. So what can I expect to happen next? Will it be easier to pursue another career than to go through TPAPN? I have researched the TPAPN process and it seems so humiliating. I don't know what to do. I know I need to admit I have a problem and I am almost there but not quite. Any advice, Please?

[gmkj]

I am in my 6th year. I unfortunatly wasnt so lucky finding a job. it took me three plusyears ti get back in nursing. i am however working in a ltc facility and have been there 3 years which one of I had to work as a aid to get back in their good graces. I am very happy with my job and when i go to furums like this i remember just how fortunate i am to have a nursing job. It will be six years i have been sober and life ius good. I wish the rest of you success and if your having trouble finding a job dont give up.

[Isabelle49]

It is not a good idea to use illegal substances when you have a nursing license and want to keep it!

[learninglessons12, BSN, RN]

Yep, you are right, not a good idea to smoke pot if you want to be a nurse.

[learninglessons12, BSN, RN]

Sober life is great.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

So i never heard anything from the board directly, they just referred me to tpapn. I went for my eval and was diagnosed with cannibus abuse disorder. so i was accepted into tpapn and have to do the 12 steps and iop. i have to tell my current employer where i have been employed 2 years about this. i am nervous. can they fire me? i have no practice violations that i am aware of. the job where all this happened was a new job but i never left my old job (thank god). at this point i am wondering can they fire me since i now have a disability?

Coming in late, but I'm dying to know what your "disabillity" is! Abusing an illegal substance automatically means you have a disability? (other than poor judgement?)

[Trenia]

Coming in late, but I'm dying to know what your "disabillity" is! Abusing an illegal substance automatically means you have a disability? (other than poor judgement?)

Some people are born with addictive personalities. I would consider that a disability. Get off your high horse, before someone or something knocks your butt off of it. Otherwise that fall is going to hurt.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Some people are born with addictive personalities. I would consider that a disability. Get off your high horse, before someone or something knocks your butt off of it. Otherwise that fall is going to hurt.

Chillaxe, save your threats. It was a question. One that the OP didn't answer....

[learninglessons12, BSN, RN]

Coleen, you say chillaxe, but I took offense to your question. I won't dignify it with an answer. Yes, smoking weed was a bad decision. So your are stating the obvious...Thanks for that. In therapy, I actually had to do a family tree and found that addiction runs strongly on both sides of my family. So I feel strongly that there is a little more to addiction than just poor judgement. And when you are living in your addiction, you make lots of poor decisions. After reading so many of the judgmental comments, I wish I had never started this thread. This whole process has taught me how there are so many judgmental people out there in the world. The whole point of my last post was just to show that I get it, I smoked weed, I got caught and now I don't smoke weed anymore. Maybe I wouldn't have taken offense to your question if there was a different tone but it was intended to be sarcastic so I won't dignify it with an answer and I am all for closing this thread if people are gonna just continue to make judgmental comments and continue to state the obvious.

[TXRN2]

i agree with you, learning lessons. we are all here to learn, grow, share- not put each other down. we all did things when active in our addiction- no matter what it was- that were shameful, that we would never do now that we are clean & sober! we should be here to support each other & not put each other down! & i, personally, was glad to read your update- so often we don't get to know what happens to people who post. best of luck with your recovery, your career, your life!!

[rngaltx]

Learninglessons, you are SUCH an inspiration!! Thank you for sharing your story and replying to some of these comments with dignity. Living in addiction is something that won't be understood unless you lived it. I wouldn't wish it upon ANYONE. However, it doesn't give the right for others to judge those of us who are living in addiction, trying to find the courage to admit we have an addiction, or working our recovery. Trust me, living with addiction also means living with guilt and shame, not to mention the repercussions of our poor decisions. One thing I have learned is people are going to judge us for our past mistakes, and I do my best to stay away from those people. It is none of my business what you think of me. Yes, I am an addict. I thank GOD that it didn't kill me, or anyone else for that matter. Stay strong my friends!!

[learninglessons12, BSN, RN]

rngaltx,

When I read a post like yours, I feel truly inspired. I am so grateful that a community like this exists. Thank you so much for your kind words. I feel like a lot of us are blessed. A lot of us got a second chance with our careers and our lives. Truly a blessing!

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Coleen, you say chillaxe, but I took offense to your question. I won't dignify it with an answer. Yes, smoking weed was a bad decision. So your are stating the obvious...Thanks for that. In therapy, I actually had to do a family tree and found that addiction runs strongly on both sides of my family. So I feel strongly that there is a little more to addiction than just poor judgement. And when you are living in your addiction, you make lots of poor decisions. After reading so many of the judgmental comments, I wish I had never started this thread. This whole process has taught me how there are so many judgmental people out there in the world. The whole point of my last post was just to show that I get it, I smoked weed, I got caught and now I don't smoke weed anymore. Maybe I wouldn't have taken offense to your question if there was a different tone but it was intended to be sarcastic so I won't dignify it with an answer and I am all for closing this thread if people are gonna just continue to make judgmental comments and continue to state the obvious.

See, the thing about internet boards is that you are NOT able to interpret the "tone" of somebody's written word. Therefore, it is up to me to tell you that you are off the mark (wildly) when you say that my question was "intended to be sarcastic". It wasn't. I asked how choosing to smoke an illegal substance qualified as a disability. No sarcasm, it's a straight up question.

My previous post was not directed at you though, I took offense to his/her threatening nature of the reply that was posted and as such, it was reported.