Career Suicide

[pinkyshadowCRNP]

I was considered an excellent employee at another job I had until I made a very stupid mistake which got me booked into the county jail with my mug shot on the front page of the paper. Ultimately, the DA agreed it was an honest though stupid mistake, dropped all charges and expunged the arrest.

It's been a year now, but where do I go from here? Will I ever work as an NP again? I haven't applied for any jobs out of fear of being put in the spotlight, but I have to work. I was a good NP, but the company I worked for-naturally-disowned me.

Any nonjudgemental advice would be appreciated.

[lemur87]

Could you possibleove to a new area or commute outside of your community? I live in a small town where gossip spreads like wildfire but if I were to go to the next town over no one would know me at all.

I'm sorry for your struggles and hope that you find a new and fulfilling position. Try to let go of the whole event yourself...sometimes it takes us getting over the tough things before others will. You were and are a great NP...foxus on that! Best wishes!

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I'm going to conclude that this matter did not need to be reported to your state BON, or you reported this and they didn't see the need to yank or discipline your license. If you haven't done this yet and you have to report it, do so ASAP as neglecting to do that would really be career suicide.

The fact that it's expunged is also a good thing.

I agree with the prior poster: since your local reputation has taken a hit, consider looking for work in a new location.

If relocation or commuting isn't an option, then you need to suck it up and apply locally. I know you're afraid of being back in the "spotlight," but the fact is that you won't know if someone will hire you until you actually start applying for jobs. As it's been a year, and as everything was dropped in the end, people probably don't remember you as vividly as you fear they do.

Best of luck.