Facilities in TN that hire RN's with pending DUI? Also, when to report to BON?!!

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**I'm adding this to General Discussion in case anyone is in the HR dept, or has friends having experienced this, if not themselves.

I'd like to know if anyone in TN has been hired as an RN with a DUI? How were your (or anyone you may know) experiences at specific hospitals/facilities as far as being hired or turned down because of a DUI charge? I don't waste efforts applying places that have policies against it! I really don't want my dreams and years of hard work to disappear for something that would never effect my work. Please no lectures, I'm down enough, and as I found out recently, these things can happen to any one of you at any time :(

I was turned down for a job where they loved me because my DUI is still pending, and I am devastated! I wasn't even drunk at the time (630am), just on my way home to go back to bed from having drinks the night (4-5 hours) before. Can't believe THAT is ruining my life! Annny advice?

ALSO...Is this something I must tell the BON in TN? Is that when I actually get the court ruling? What normally happens as punishment, if anything? THANKS GUYS!!!!!!!

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Can't help you, and no lectures for you. I wouldn't exactly agree that it "could happen to any one of us at any time", but I actually wanted to point out to anyone else out there how VERY EASY it is for this to happen. I think a lot of people underestimate their BAL when they're out partying. It doesn't take as many drinks as you think it does, folks. And it takes MORE TIME than you think for it to wear off.

I have a loved one (a good and nice and flawed person, like anyone else) who was over the limit - and I am not defending that at all - and he had a high tolerance so he didn't think he was impaired. He felt he could function just fine. After the accident, he actually passed the roadside testing, walking the line and whatever. But his BAL was way up there. The fact that the pedestrian was apparently ALSO under the influence and foolishly playing "Frogger" in traffic to entertain his friends was completely irrelevant, legally.

If you're driving impaired, and something happens, even if it's not your fault... it's your fault.

OP, you should get a lawyer to find the answer to that BON thing. That's not something you wanna screw up.

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I don't have any experience in this area, but from what I have read here and other places....GET a LAWYER before you do anything. If it were me....I would beg, borrow or anything else I had to do not to have the BON in my business. They are not your friend!

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" i wasn't even drunk at the time (630am), just on my way home to go back to bed from having drinks the night (4-5 hours) before. can't believe that is ruining my life!"

ummm, okay. little bitty lecture:

yes. you. were. drunk.

you wouldn't have this problem if you were under the limit. and consider yourself lucky that all that's at risk is your years of hard work and your dreams. you could have killed someone.

you don't sound like you've learned anything from the event.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
:

yes. you. were. drunk.

you wouldn't have this problem if you were under the limit. and consider yourself lucky that all that's at risk is your years of hard work and your dreams. you could have killed someone.

you don't sound like you've learned anything from the event.

actually, in some states you don't have to be over the limit to be slapped with a dui - you just have to be considered enough under the influence of something (pills, alcohol, sleeplesness, etc) to not be in god control of your vehicle. in texas, a minor with any alcohol in their system gets a dui.

i have no idea what blood-alcohol level op had, but the fact is, you do not necessarily even have to blow an xxxx level to find yourself paying the price of a dui/dwi...so i hold that it's best not to drive after drinking, period. you're at the mercy of anyone who pulls you over.

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

Just sharing info:http://health.state.tn.us/boards/Nursing/PDFs/NUR_DISCIPLINARY_POLICIES.pdf

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" it's best not to drive after drinking, period"

that's true. and it isn't limited to "don't drive away from the bar". you can still be impaired "five hours later", or more.

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Specializes in Trauma, Emergency.

No lecture, but really quick- these things don't just happen to anyone at any time. It happens to people who drink and then drive; I am not and never will be one of those people.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

First things first: Take responsibility for your actions. As of this posting, I dont think you have. And yes, your "dreams and years of hard work" WILL be affected. Statistics prove that they will.And no, this could NOT happen to some of us. Asserting otherwise will only serve against you.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
" it's best not to drive after drinking, period"

That's true. And it isn't limited to "don't drive away from the bar". You can still be impaired "five hours later", or more.

That, too, and honestly something I don't think about. I'm not a big drinker, but if I were to have a few mimosas by the pool with friends, I probably wouldn't think anything of going out somewhere else after a few hours....and that could be trouble!

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I got a DWI 3 months before I graduated nursing school...so I had to tell my school, they allowed me to stay enrolled...then I had to write a letter to the BON describing what happened and wait 45 days for them to review my case and make a decision on if they would still trust me to take NCLEX...in my letter i detailed what happened, took FULL responsibility over my actions and explained how sorry I was yet still grateful that I didn't do anymore serious harm like injure or kill someone...they approved me to take NCLEX and I didn't have a problem getting a job...I disclosed it to my job that I had a pending criminal charge, a misdemeanor and that was that... best bet is to be honest with the BON NOW...I was not licensed at the time but I had to disclose everything b/c they will find out and then if you didn't disclose somethin, you may be seen as dishonest

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