Applying for Licensure in Recovery

Nurses Recovery

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Hi everyone, I am looking for some advice on applying for a license with 5 1/2 years of recovery. I will be able to provide the board of nursing will all of the required paperwork including a letter of explanation from myself, a letter from my sponsor and up to ten letters of recommendations from previous and current employers, members of volunteer organizations and other mentors. I will also be including the required paperwork and letter of explanation for an expunged misdemeanor from 6 years that was a result of my life before recovery. I am wondering what the chances are of having my license approved without any restrictions? Can anyone share their experience with this? I have worked hard to change my life and am looking for some hope that achieving my dream of becoming a nurse will not be impossible!

Thank you

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I hope they leave you alone but I'm in a weekly nurse support group with one nurse who has 10 documented years of recovery and another who has 6. Both got stuck in the same meat grinder as everybody else

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Do you have to tell them anything? I'm not sure what exactly they would see for your expunged misdemeanor when they do your background investigation, if it's expunged doesn't that mean it's basically as if it had never happened? Your records should be sealed right? If at all possible I'd try to not admit to any of it!

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Thanks for your reply. Do you know how long they are required to attend these weekly meetings?

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Hi thanks for your reply. From my understanding an expunged arrest will still show on a fingerprint background check so I will have to disclose it to the Board which means I will have to write an explanation letter. I know honesty is key with the board and the honest truth is the arrest resulted from an addiction which has since been treated which I can show with my years of recovery.

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Here when you first get in the program you have to do 90 in 90 (I know you already did this but they may make you repeat) not return / start work until you get permission (3-6 months) and then have restrictions on your license. In addition you are subject to random DAUs and have to file monthly reports with your counselor showing meeting attendance (3X per week), get your employeer to file a quarterly resport and attend weekly meetings for one year, then every two weeks for 6 months followed by 6 more months of monthly meetings. The whole program usually takes about 4 years

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Specializes in OR.

My understanding is that expunged means that in the real world, you need not admit to it but the DOH will still know about it and can bizarrely still punish you for it. Sealed, I think they may know something might be there but they they don't know what and they can't do anything to you for it.

In monitoring-Stan they don't care if you've been a complete angel and a model of recovery, if they can jam you through thier farce of "evaluations and treatments" they will find that you need a contract (and quite possibly treatment) that will require the expenditure of lots of money, in order to "protect the public" just in case you might not have learned yet.

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Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.

It depends on your state, and what is specifically asked in the application. Unless you are asked specifically, and if covered by state law regarding expungements, I'd think twice about revealing anything.

In any other world, honesty is rewarded. Not necessarily in nursing.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Women's Health, LTC.

It does depend on the state, but, I know that although my record is sealed, it will be (and therefore I was honest from the start) discovered via the fingerprint check.

I have not received an answer to whether or not they will reissue my license (nearly 13 years of documented sobriety), and I am almost positive I will be given the same restrictions, requirements, etc, as someone with less than a year of recovery.

Good luck and keep us posted!

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