consequences of applying in a new state?

amberrn · Apr 4, 2012

Hope this doesn't get too lengthy! I was a CRNA who diverted drugs and was fired december 2007. Initially, I lied about it and went to treatment to look good. I actually did acheive some sobriety and came clean to the board. But I really wasn't working a program and ended up drinking again. I went to Minnesota and went into an inpatient treatment and then a sober house. I informed the IA BON, and after a year sober I had a probationary RN. For the next year I went to 4 meetings a week and took random UAs, and spoke with a case manager once a month. My plan was to get an unrestricted MN RN and attend one of the very few courses for CRNA's to get back to practice. I have to have an unrestricted MN RN in order to be admitted to the school. My IA RN is active and unrestricted. Well I applied and went through the long process of them reviewing everything about me! I did mention I would like an unrestricted RN, in order to attend school- looking back, that sounds a bit arrogant! They said nope, and just listed everything I had initially told them and said get 2000 hours of safe nursing practice and reapply.

So Now any future Board's I apply to will get to read MN denial letter that includes things that New Mexico and other states don't even ask about! Live and learn. I am leery of going back to Iowa, and think finding employment will be very difficult given my history and my lack of recent experience. I was looking into moving south, and discovered GA has a ton of nurse re-entry programs. I am very interested! But I am leery about applying to another state.

If I apply and they say yes with restrictions, but I find the restrictions too much, can I withdraw my application? Or am I then bound to do whatever the board suggests? If I accept, is my IA licence then going to have the same restrictions? I am assuming I will have some sort of narcotic restrictions, but does anyone know how those work for Georgia? I will have three years sober and clean in three days!!! Thanks for any info anyone might have!