Chadprepton's protips to the Maryland Board of Nursing (MBON) rehab committee

The rehab program: In Maryland as long as you are not selling drugs or manufacturing them you can get into the rehab program for a substance use disorder. It's 5 years on every contract. You can keep working as a nurse. And nothing on your record if you complete it. However the restrictions very wildly depending on your situation and your actions.

Your best chance at minimizing the impact to you is to prove you are trying to do something about your problem. Request you want to meet with them before they request you see them. Start going to recovery meetings (AA, NA, CR, Women for sobriety, SMART, etc), get a slip signed to prove you went and go as much as you can, it will make a difference. If you choose a 12 step program get a sponsor and work with them. Giving a name and number to vouch for you will make a difference. Get into professional addictions treatment asap. They will advocate for you and document your progress in treatment. Along with urine tests showing you are clean. If you do all of this the restrictions placed on your license will be very different. You can still find another job if you get hired before you see them. But no matter what however:

You will have you check a website for a monthly urine 365 days a year for 5 years (at about $50 a month), 2 AA/NA meetings a week, Submit a report every 3 months to them, in person meeting with the rehab commitiee every 9 months, ask for permission to change jobs, document any medication you have to take and provide supporting documents.

Now, in MD, I say that's the minimum. Because those had been mine. I've yet to meet anyone that had such a light contract. Other things they can add on the contract:

How many hours you can work, when you can work, what type of nursing you can do, what type of medications you can administer, going to a therapist, Reporting to your employer that you're in the program, your employer has to submit reports on you every 3 months. I'm sure there's more but those are the common ones. They just didn't do all of them with me.

I was told at my 2nd in person meeting by the rehab committee themselves why they did that. Because I was taking serious steps about my problem. And while they are not my friends it was doable. If I stayed on course it would have been a lot easier. As I was kicked out.

PM me with any questions. Thanks!