Cannot find employment in WHPS :(

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 19

Allnurses Nurse Recovery forum members often suggest that dialysis centers friendly to those with narcotic restrictions.

shirene, RN · Feb 22

Hello, I am recently graduated from whps. I also had a lot of trouble and many failed attempts at first. It took me about 12 months to get hired on somewhere and that first year is a pain with the narc restrictions. So a lot of nurses are able to get placement in plasma or infusion centers if there any around you the narcotic restriction is a non issue for them bc they either don't administer them or it's so rare it wouldn't impact your ability to practice. I did not have luck with dialysis centers when I tried but I've heard that they can be whps friendly as well. Talk to your peer support group members they're often very helpful in finding leads or whps tolerant employers. I started the program while living in central Washington (yakima) and applied everywhere and never got picked :-( I actually had to move up north to get my foot in and start working somewhere. More places familiar with whps program and willing to hire. Occasionally whps will send out employment opportunity trekmails and I was just desperate enough at the 12 month mark that I applied to one of them. Oncology infusion in Tacoma area, got the call back, drove over and interviewed and was hired within 48 hours. I stayed in an air bnb for like three weeks until I found a rental to move into. Worked for that first place just over a year, it was a stepping stone job, not the best place but hey I was working and making money. We rarely give narcs in oncology infusion and if I did have an order for one my worksite monitor just did it for me. I moved on to a GI infusion center for about a year after that and we had no narcotics there but by that time my restrictions had been lifted. Now I work at one of the bigger name hospitals where I finished up my last few years of the contract.

birdo98, BSN · Mar 1

Thanks guys for the feedback. @shirene, RN thank you for sharing your experience with me... yes the first year with the narc restriction is unbelievably difficult!! I am honestly shocked with how terribly difficult it's been to find employment with it at all... makes me realize how much RNs interact with those meds, honestly, didn't consider that for a second before. I was very recently offered a clinic job that I've accepted... my case manager approved it, but will only let me work it if I can pass a blood test between now and then (march 24th start date). So wish me luck passing that PeTH!! My entire livelihood depends on passing that damn test lmao.