Advice on contacting previous manager

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I’ve been thinking about the 9th step: making amends. A previous manager is close to the top of the list of people I owe an apology to, but I’d like to see what other nurses think. 
It was at this job that I started diverting. After being confronted a few times, and denying everything and a negative drug screen (don’t ask. I was absolutely using opiates) I was fired for suspected diversion. I’m thinking about mailing a handwritten letter to her. I really liked her. She was the best manager I’d ever had, and she was really trying to help me. Is there any reason that anybody could think the letter is a bad idea?

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Your situation sounds so very, very similar to mine. Last week I had to go in to my old hospital for a procedure. When it was done I went up to my old manager's office and told her how sorry I was and I thanked her for literally saving my life.  It was a tearful and emotional thing for both of us but in a good way  I am so glad I did this.  She was an amazing manager, I miss her and I now have some peace of mind because I owned my mistake.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Speaking from the other side of the coin - I was once implicated in diversion by another RN. I was totally exonerated but I always felt after that incident that I was looked at differently.  Years later he came to me to apologize for involving me. Of course I forgave him and I thought (and still think to this day) that it took a lot of guts to come to me and apologize. He and I remained friends until he died of diabetic-related complications. 

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Specializes in Psychiatric RN.

never hurts to apologize 

not enough people apologize or express gratitude for anything nowadays. regardless of the other person's response, you'll know you went in with good intentions and that's all that matters.

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