Does being in a monitoring program make it harder to get nursing jobs for the rest of your life?

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When I was being investigated, I had to sign a cease practice agreement, which was reported to the NPDB. I imagine this will show permanently on the NPDB. Now I'm in a monitoring program, which I obviously have to disclose to employers. But once I'm done with monitoring, won't any employer in any state be able to see what's on the NPDB? They'll obviously ask why I signed a cease practice agreement. Does this mean I'll have a hard time getting a hospital job for the rest of my career? 
 

Does anyone have any experience searching for jobs after finishing monitoring? Is it as difficult as finding a job while in monitoring? 

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See previous response in other thread. No, it's easier, much easier and I would even say, EASY to find a job after monitoring. Don't hide your monitoring program completion, because it's impossible to hide your NPDB entry. Employers can see this forever. The fact that you completed monitoring works in your favor, not against. It's looked at as a positive Because you are in the NPDB. I would be aggressive about disclosing it. Most jobs, especially in 2025 and beyond ask about whether you have had entries into the NPDB, and if they don't ask it, it's AUTOMATIC that human resources checks. They have access and it's as simple for them as one click of the mouse to check the NPDB which literally takes them 10 seconds. When you get asked the NPDB question on future applications, this is where you click Yes and when it says "Explain," be sure to include that you "Completed a 3 or 4 or 5 year (however long it was) State of......Monitoring Program which was "rigorous, required daily check ins, and random drug testing and required meetings and monthly/quarterly reports." The previous sentence is a PLUS, it's looked at as favorable by employers because it puts them more at ease about your past and the anxiety they had from seeing your name in the NPDB gets immediately lowered because you have years of proven safety under a rigorous monitoring program.

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SheelaDavis said:

See previous response in other thread. No, it's easier, much easier and I would even say, EASY to find a job after monitoring. Don't hide your monitoring program completion, because it's impossible to hide your NPDB entry. Employers can see this forever. The fact that you completed monitoring works in your favor, not against. It's looked at as a positive Because you are in the NPDB. I would be aggressive about disclosing it. Most jobs, especially in 2025 and beyond ask about whether you have had entries into the NPDB, and if they don't ask it, it's AUTOMATIC that human resources checks. They have access and it's as simple for them as one click of the mouse to check the NPDB which literally takes them 10 seconds. When you get asked the NPDB question on future applications, this is where you click Yes and when it says "Explain," be sure to include that you "Completed a 3 or 4 or 5 year (however long it was) State of......Monitoring Program which was "rigorous, required daily check ins, and random drug testing and required meetings and monthly/quarterly reports." The previous sentence is a PLUS, it's looked at as favorable by employers because it puts them more at ease about your past and the anxiety they had from seeing your name in the NPDB gets immediately lowered because you have years of proven safety under a rigorous monitoring program.

Thank you for this! This gives me a lot of hope! I was worried that I accidentally flushed my entire career down the toilet by ending up on the NPDB. 

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Specializes in Psych.

I completed Arizona's state monitoring program from 2021 to March 2025. Since then, finding meaningful nursing employment has been almost impossible.

I have extensive experience, and when I interview, supervisors and staff are always enthusiastic—they see my value. But once my background check reaches HR or compliance, the door closes. Every time.

It's frustrating. It's demoralizing. I've been forced to accept the lowest-paying jobs in the lowest-tier facilities, despite my qualifications and dedication.

And I am not alone. Across Facebook, countless nurses share the same story. If you search for Recovery Room for Nurses, or Nurses for Change, you'll find a group where we're supporting each other and working toward change.

The problem is so pervasive that we are beginning to unite and call for legislative action—to give qualified nurses who have completed their monitoring programs a fair chance at employment. If we truly believe in rehabilitation, healing, and growth, then our systems should reflect those values.

This issue is now gaining national attention. I recently reached out to Arizona Representative Selina Bliss, who is currently developing a proposal on this matter. I don't yet know the specifics, but I look forward to hearing more—and I know this is just the beginning.

If you want to stay informed, join our Facebook group. Change will only happen if we stand together.

1
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Prime said:

I completed Arizona's state monitoring program from 2021 to March 2025. Since then, finding meaningful nursing employment has been almost impossible.

I have extensive experience, and when I interview, supervisors and staff are always enthusiastic—they see my value. But once my background check reaches HR or compliance, the door closes. Every time.

It's frustrating. It's demoralizing. I've been forced to accept the lowest-paying jobs in the lowest-tier facilities, despite my qualifications and dedication.

And I am not alone. Across Facebook, countless nurses share the same story. If you search for Recovery Room for Nurses, or Nurses for Change, you'll find a group where we're supporting each other and working toward change.

The problem is so pervasive that we are beginning to unite and call for legislative action—to give qualified nurses who have completed their monitoring programs a fair chance at employment. If we truly believe in rehabilitation, healing, and growth, then our systems should reflect those values.

This issue is now gaining national attention. I recently reached out to Arizona Representative Selina Bliss, who is currently developing a proposal on this matter. I don't yet know the specifics, but I look forward to hearing more—and I know this is just the beginning.

If you want to stay informed, join our Facebook group. Change will only happen if we stand together.

Wow that is really disappointing to hear. I was hoping all of this would be behind me someday. Someone else in this thread is saying it's easy to find a job after monitoring. I want to find out where she got that information from. 

SheelaDavis said:

See previous response in other thread. No, it's easier, much easier and I would even say, EASY to find a job after monitoring. Don't hide your monitoring program completion, because it's impossible to hide your NPDB entry. Employers can see this forever. The fact that you completed monitoring works in your favor, not against. It's looked at as a positive Because you are in the NPDB. I would be aggressive about disclosing it. Most jobs, especially in 2025 and beyond ask about whether you have had entries into the NPDB, and if they don't ask it, it's AUTOMATIC that human resources checks. They have access and it's as simple for them as one click of the mouse to check the NPDB which literally takes them 10 seconds. When you get asked the NPDB question on future applications, this is where you click Yes and when it says "Explain," be sure to include that you "Completed a 3 or 4 or 5 year (however long it was) State of......Monitoring Program which was "rigorous, required daily check ins, and random drug testing and required meetings and monthly/quarterly reports." The previous sentence is a PLUS, it's looked at as favorable by employers because it puts them more at ease about your past and the anxiety they had from seeing your name in the NPDB gets immediately lowered because you have years of proven safety under a rigorous monitoring program.

Can I ask where you got this information from? Is this your personal experience? Someone else in this thread is having the opposite experience. What state are you in?

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NurseGray said:

Wow that is really disappointing to hear. I was hoping all of this would be behind me someday. Someone else in this thread is saying it's easy to find a job after monitoring. I want to find out where she got that information from. 

Can I ask where you got this information from? Is this your personal experience? Someone else in this thread is having the opposite experience. What state are you in?

I don't share my OWN personal experience with employment and monitoring because that is ONE person's experience and that is NOT evidence. I share what I did after finishing monitoring many years ago. Was a legal nurse consultant. Watched nurses from the very start (the day they went under investigation) until not just finishing monitoring but also a couple years later after monitoring. Literally. over 100 and watched them through the legal process and dealings with the BON. I retired 3 years ago.

Like I wrote, EVIDENCE or Good data is 100 people's path or story, NOT just one. There will ALWAYS be the outlier or exception the rule such as someone who has low tier jobs or can't find work After Monitoring. There will always be the brand new Toyota or Lexus that has to have a new engine at only 5,000 miles. But, they are the exception to the rule, not common, not the majority. The overwhelming majority of nurses who finish monitoring have good success eith finding employment. Many go back to school. It's fun and enlightening to get one person's experience, but don't take one person's experience as evidence.  You need a massive amount of experiences to get a decent sample soze.

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A medical licensing attorney once told me - doesn't matter if you are in the NPDB or not.  "Your recovery journey is a story that you will get good at telling and you will use it as an advantage in your professional career and life."

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PassportCruiser said:

A medical licensing attorney once told me - doesn't matter if you are in the NPDB or not.  "Your recovery journey is a story that you will get good at telling and you will use it as an advantage in your professional career and life."

That is very true. I would argue that it doesn't matter completely. As It relates to jobs and the NPDB, your recovery story will definitely cover that and No big issue there. However, as an advanced practice nurse, your (if you pay it on your own out of pocket) will be higher and your recovery story can't attenuate that. Still, the price is generally not dramatically higher, but it is generally higher compared to someone who is not in the NPDB.

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Specializes in Psych.

I appreciate your perspective and the work you've done over the years, but I have to challenge the idea that negative employment outcomes after monitoring are simply rare "outliers.” While one person's experience is indeed not "proof,” it is still a valid data point, and when the same struggles are repeatedly shared by nurses across multiple states, online communities, and advocacy groups, it begins to indicate a trend worth examining.

Your sample size of "over 100" nurses is valuable, but it is also important to consider when those cases occurred, in what states, and under what economic and regulatory conditions. Employment climates, healthcare hiring practices, and background check procedures have changed significantly in recent years, particularly with electronic verification systems that make disciplinary histories more visible and, in some cases, permanent in databases like Nursys. A nurse who completed monitoring 10 years ago may have faced very different hiring dynamics than one finishing today.

Dismissing those who struggle to find meaningful employment as statistical "exceptions" risks overlooking systemic barriers that are very real for many. In numerous recovery nurse forums, Facebook groups (like Recovery Room for Nurses), and state-level advocacy circles, the same story repeats: qualified nurses with years of sobriety, glowing references, and successful program completion are turned away at the HR or compliance stage, sometimes for years. That's not an isolated incident; it's an issue being echoed nationwide.

Anecdotes do not replace research, but they can signal where more formal study is needed. If hundreds of nurses across different regions are voicing similar post-monitoring employment struggles, the ethical and responsible step is to investigate why, not to write them off as anomalies. After all, policy reform and legal protections often start with recognizing patterns in lived experience.

In short: my story is not "the" story, but it's part of a much bigger conversation. Dismissing it because it doesn't match past trends risks missing what's happening right now to nurses in recovery.

1
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Prime said:

I appreciate your perspective and the work you've done over the years, but I have to challenge the idea that negative employment outcomes after monitoring are simply rare "outliers.” While one person's experience is indeed not "proof,” it is still a valid data point, and when the same struggles are repeatedly shared by nurses across multiple states, online communities, and advocacy groups, it begins to indicate a trend worth examining.

Your sample size of "over 100" nurses is valuable, but it is also important to consider when those cases occurred, in what states, and under what economic and regulatory conditions. Employment climates, healthcare hiring practices, and background check procedures have changed significantly in recent years, particularly with electronic verification systems that make disciplinary histories more visible and, in some cases, permanent in databases like Nursys. A nurse who completed monitoring 10 years ago may have faced very different hiring dynamics than one finishing today.

Dismissing those who struggle to find meaningful employment as statistical "exceptions" risks overlooking systemic barriers that are very real for many. In numerous recovery nurse forums, Facebook groups (like Recovery Room for Nurses), and state-level advocacy circles, the same story repeats: qualified nurses with years of sobriety, glowing references, and successful program completion are turned away at the HR or compliance stage, sometimes for years. That's not an isolated incident; it's an issue being echoed nationwide.

Anecdotes do not replace research, but they can signal where more formal study is needed. If hundreds of nurses across different regions are voicing similar post-monitoring employment struggles, the ethical and responsible step is to investigate why, not to write them off as anomalies. After all, policy reform and legal protections often start with recognizing patterns in lived experience.

In short: my story is not "the" story, but it's part of a much bigger conversation. Dismissing it because it doesn't match past trends risks missing what's happening right now to nurses in recovery.

1. When you entered and graduated from a monitoring program, your life is changed and employment is changed forever, PERIOD. Nobody is arguing that. What I'm telling you is, IF you graduate a monitoring program and want to be an ICU Nurse, you WILL be one. Out of 50 applications, will someone turn you down? Heck yes. But if the number that turns you down is 25, is it really a "negative outcome?" I don't think so. 25 are still saying yes. If you want to be a NP or CRNA, you will be one. I know. Went back to NP school then a PhD after monitoring. Served on ANA Board for 3 years with a background in Diversion. How did I get there? HONESTY about my background. Owning it!  Not playing stupid a$$ "nursy breakroom secrets" and looking around everyday and wondering "who knows or will she find out." Honesty, Openness, Owning it and not giving a dam% about "who knows." That is tru recovery. For the ones having issues with employment, I guarantee you the majority are still playing "secrets." Worried to death about "who knows or who will find out." From a recovery standpoint, if you are here, then guess what? You aren't recovered. Your risk for relapse is through the roof because your ego still has a problem. Every recovery textbook will tell you that.

2. I've NEVER met one human who graduated monitoring that didn't land in the area they desired. Not one. Now, are you going to Yale? No, you aren't. Are there people out there who have had employment issues after monitoring? Absolutely, but they are very rare compared to the majority. An analogy here, not a 'dismissal,"......I own a Jeep Gladiator and belong to an offload gladiator club in Idaho for females and we have 14 gals in our club all with jeeps. 2 of the 14 owners had engine replacements at less than 50K miles! 12 of us have had no issues. Guess who posted in Jeep Forums about their vehicles? Yep. The 2 that had engine failures. The other 12 who had no problems didn't post about how great their Jeep Gladiator is. 

3. Nobody ever "dismissed those who want to find meaningful employment." Never done. 

4. Voicing concerns. It's like reviews of products, goods, and services. A negative review is far more likely to be posted or discussed. 

5. Again, when you graduate a monitoring program and you live in for example, Dallas and you want to be an ICU nurse, you will be an ICU nurse somewhere in Dallas. Now, it may not be at the hospital you want 1 mile from your house (so maybe that is considered a barrier to some people) but you will be an ICU nurse somewhere in Dallas. If you want to go to NP school, you WILL get into NP school somewhere in Texas. It may not be Dallas, maybe Houston area, but you will be able to go.

6. If the argument is your life is completely untouched after monitoring, then of course not. It's obviously touched, but the barriers for the majority of nurses are not overwhelmingly significant barriers In My Opinion. They are there, but not at the level one may think.

7. During monitoring? Oh yea. Major barriers.

8. To say someone has "Dismissed" your story or others is Hyperbole, a form of Fallacy. I gave you Another Opinion, of which the OP ASKED for. You obviously Do Not Like that opinion and that is fair. Nothing wrong with another take or pushback, but there is something wrong when you go personal at the person with a different opinion which is conveniently crafted as "dismissing others opinions."

9. I'm going to repeat for all reading this now and for the future for nurses when you finish a monitoring program. If you Tell the Truth up front to your potential employer or school, you Will be accepted for that position Far More times than not. Will you still be turned down 20 years from now from SOME employers? Yes, you will, but you will find its Nowhere in the Same Ballpark as difficult compared to while you are actively in a monitoring program.

10. My best friend was arrested for diversion, license revoked. NPDB and OIG list followed. Completed a 5 year monitoring program. Went back to become a CRNA, then went to Law School. Was she turned down from CRNA programs? Yep, applied at 10, and 3 accepted her. Turned down from Law School? Yep, applied for 15 programs, got into 2. She is now a CRNA and attorney and on the NLN Board. 

11. The largest variable few nurses think about. The VOLUME of substance abuse and how common place it is to the point that it either effects most families or families know someone close who has a problem. This means, substance abuse isn't as UNfamiliar compared to 10 or 15 years ago. Human Resources Staff, Risk Management, College Admissions are MORE than familiar with it. They have likely been personally touched. The majority LOVE a good recovery story. They love it and in many cases (not all) it can actually work in your favor.

12. Back to the OPs original question. "After monitoring, is it HARDER to get nursing jobs for the rest of your life." The answer is....Compared to what? Is it harder to get nursing jobs COMPARED to when you were actively in monitoring? Absolutely NOT for the overwhelming majority. Is it HARDER compared to someone who has never been in monitoring? Of course it is. If you have the exact same qualifications as a nurse applying for same job and you have been in monitoring and she hasn't, who are they likely to pick? But, it is Hard to get the job you want after monitoring? My years of experience say NO. Does it sometimes require More work? Yep. Is the job you want automatic? Nope. But if you are persistent, you will get that job More Times than Not AFTER monitoring. Now, for some people, that is considered "Hard." Depends on the person. If you have a recovery background and live in Dallas and you finish monitoring and want to be an NP. You don't get accepted to programs in Dallas but you get accepted in San Antonio or Houston and will have to go there. Is that "hard?" Maybe. Depends on perspective. My perspective is.....I just got into NP school and will do the 2 years or 3 years in Houston and make 50 K more per year when I finish for the rest of my life. Not a bad gig considering I have a recovery background. For some, the mere inconvenience is considered "hard" and nothing wrong with that. To each is their own.

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Prime said:

I appreciate your perspective and the work you've done over the years, but I have to challenge the idea that negative employment outcomes after monitoring are simply rare "outliers.” While one person's experience is indeed not "proof,” it is still a valid data point, and when the same struggles are repeatedly shared by nurses across multiple states, online communities, and advocacy groups, it begins to indicate a trend worth examining.

Your sample size of "over 100" nurses is valuable, but it is also important to consider when those cases occurred, in what states, and under what economic and regulatory conditions. Employment climates, healthcare hiring practices, and background check procedures have changed significantly in recent years, particularly with electronic verification systems that make disciplinary histories more visible and, in some cases, permanent in databases like Nursys. A nurse who completed monitoring 10 years ago may have faced very different hiring dynamics than one finishing today.

Dismissing those who struggle to find meaningful employment as statistical "exceptions" risks overlooking systemic barriers that are very real for many. In numerous recovery nurse forums, Facebook groups (like Recovery Room for Nurses), and state-level advocacy circles, the same story repeats: qualified nurses with years of sobriety, glowing references, and successful program completion are turned away at the HR or compliance stage, sometimes for years. That's not an isolated incident; it's an issue being echoed nationwide.

Anecdotes do not replace research, but they can signal where more formal study is needed. If hundreds of nurses across different regions are voicing similar post-monitoring employment struggles, the ethical and responsible step is to investigate why, not to write them off as anomalies. After all, policy reform and legal protections often start with recognizing patterns in lived experience.

In short: my story is not "the" story, but it's part of a much bigger conversation. Dismissing it because it doesn't match past trends risks missing what's happening right now to nurses in recovery.

1. When you entered and graduated from a monitoring program, your life is changed and employment is changed forever, PERIOD. Nobody is arguing that. What I'm telling you is, IF you graduate a monitoring program and want to be an ICU Nurse, you WILL be one. Out of 50 applications, will someone turn you down? Heck yes. But if the number that turns you down is 25, is it really a "negative outcome?" I don't think so. 25 are still saying yes. If you want to be a NP or CRNA, you will be one. I know. Went back to NP school then a PhD after monitoring. Served on ANA Board for 3 years with a background in Diversion. How did I get there? HONESTY about my background. Owning it!  Not playing stupid a$$ "nursy breakroom secrets" and looking around everyday and wondering "who knows or will she find out." Honesty, Openness, Owning it and not giving a dam% about "who knows." That is tru recovery. For the ones having issues with employment, I guarantee you the majority are still playing "secrets." Worried to death about "who knows or who will find out." From a recovery standpoint, if you are here, then guess what? You aren't recovered. Your risk for relapse is through the roof because your ego still has a problem. Every recovery textbook will tell you that.

2. I've NEVER met one human who graduated monitoring that didn't land in the area they desired. Not one. Now, are you going to Yale? No, you aren't. Are there people out there who have had employment issues after monitoring? Absolutely, but they are very rare compared to the majority. An analogy here, not a 'dismissal,"......I own a Jeep Gladiator and belong to an offload gladiator club in Idaho for females and we have 14 gals in our club all with jeeps. 2 of the 14 owners had engine replacements at less than 50K miles! 12 of us have had no issues. Guess who posted in Jeep Forums about their vehicles? Yep. The 2 that had engine failures. The other 12 who had no problems didn't post about how great their Jeep Gladiator is. 

3. Nobody ever "dismissed those who want to find meaningful employment." Never done. 

4. Voicing concerns. It's like reviews of products, goods, and services. A negative review is far more likely to be posted or discussed. 

5. Again, when you graduate a monitoring program and you live in for example, Dallas and you want to be an ICU nurse, you will be an ICU nurse somewhere in Dallas. Now, it may not be at the hospital you want 1 mile from your house (so maybe that is considered a barrier to some people) but you will be an ICU nurse somewhere in Dallas. If you want to go to NP school, you WILL get into NP school somewhere in Texas. It may not be Dallas, maybe Houston area, but you will be able to go.

6. If the argument is your life is completely untouched after monitoring, then of course not. It's obviously touched, but the barriers for the majority of nurses are not overwhelmingly significant barriers In My Opinion. They are there, but not at the level one may think.

7. During monitoring? Oh yea. Major barriers.

8. To say someone has "Dismissed" your story or others is Hyperbole, a form of Fallacy. I gave you Another Opinion, of which the OP ASKED for. You obviously Do Not Like that opinion and that is fair. Nothing wrong with another take or pushback, but there is something wrong when you go personal at the person with a different opinion which is conveniently crafted as "dismissing others opinions."

9. I'm going to repeat for all reading this now and for the future for nurses when you finish a monitoring program. If you Tell the Truth up front to your potential employer or school, you Will be accepted for that position Far More times than not. Will you still be turned down 20 years from now from SOME employers? Yes, you will, but you will find its Nowhere in the Same Ballpark as difficult compared to while you are actively in a monitoring program.

10. My best friend was arrested for diversion, license revoked. NPDB and OIG list followed. Completed a 5 year monitoring program. Went back to become a CRNA, then went to Law School. Was she turned down from CRNA programs? Yep, applied at 10, and 3 accepted her. Turned down from Law School? Yep, applied for 15 programs, got into 2. She is now a CRNA and attorney and on the NLN Board. 

11. The largest variable few nurses think about. The VOLUME of substance abuse and how common place it is to the point that it either effects most families or families know someone close who has a problem. This means, substance abuse isn't as UNfamiliar compared to 10 or 15 years ago. Human Resources Staff, Risk Management, College Admissions are MORE than familiar with it. They have likely been personally touched. The majority LOVE a good recovery story. They love it and in many cases (not all) it can actually work in your favor.

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