CA BRN and Pain Medication with failed drug screen

[MariaCabRN]

Hello, I have been a staff nurse at local CA hospital for over 10 years. I have hurt my back with one fusion in 2017 and more recently was diagnosed with several bulging disks in my lower back. I have been taking pain medication since my back fusion in 2017 and increased dosage since the bulging disks that prevented me from walking. I unfortunately are going to have take the opioid medication for my pain. I am going to have get a different job than working as a floor nurse. Question if I fail a drug screen for employment but have a prescription for the opioid pain medication do they report me to BRN for taking opioid drugs and require me to go into a diversion program or since I have a prescription continue with taking the medication as needed for the back pain. Has anyone ever experienced a similar situation in California in getting a RN position. Thanks for any information. I really do need a different job than a floor nurse if my company doesn't have any appropriate job nursing positions that are open within the company. 

[Floridanurse3338]

Not sure how that works. I would think this shouldn’t be an issue, I’m not sure if you have to report you take pain medication or not. 

[CABGpatch_RN, BSN]

Sorry this weighs heavy on your mind. 

First, Diversion or as CA calls it now, Intervention is a voluntary program. Nobody can require you to go into this program.  When in trouble with drugs and faced with the alternative though (Probation), it would be wise to go the Intervention route.. 

I highly doubt that a potential employer would report you to the BRN for the failure of a pre-employment drug test (especially if you have a prescription).  A random drug test while employed is another story.  Reporting a nurse to their board is a very very serious thing that has the potential of tying a nurse up with the Board for years with  incredible monetary cost.   I think the worse that would happen is that they may not extend you an offer, but even then I think that depends too. 

I think can say with a high degree of certainty though that an employer (and the BRN) would not want you working while on pain medication.