Hi everyone! I've read tons of great advice here so I finally decided to post my own question. For reference, I am in Tennessee.
I have used cannabis on and off for the past 5-6 years. I have dabbled/experimented with cocaine less than a handful of times in the past couple of years. Upon receiving my license in May of 2018, I began the process of completely quitting cannabis and cbd products. I had not used anything in approximately 40 days when I decided to apply for a hospital job. I was confident that there was nothing in my system, but to be safe I did drink extra water the couple of days before my pre-employment drug screen. After submitting the screen, I was celebrating my new career that evening with some friends and like an idiot did a couple of bumps of coke as one last "hoorah". The next day I was called by the employer and asked to come in that day to finish some paperwork. I obliged, but then had a confirmatory drug screen sprung onto me when I got to the facility, as my first specimen was dilute. I was given the option to retake the test right then, without leaving the premises or forfeit the job opportunity. I panicked and agreed to the second test, naturally failing for the coke I'd done the night before but also for thc! Again I had truly not used it for well over a month but anywho... Double whammy. My license was suspended 3 months after obtaining it, and I am now under a monitoring agreement with TNPaP.
My question is this: if I'd not yet even held a licensed nursing position (and therefore could not have been caring for any patients while using aforementioned substances), is this the way my case should've been handled? I don't understand why I was reported if I was not technically a practicing nurse at the time of the test or even any time before. I did have to pay $500 and undergo and evaluation by a professional addiction specialist and was found not to have any substance abuse disorders, but still received a one-year monitoring agreement and 3 years probation.
I am sorry that you are getting such hard guff from this site... my mantra is good people can make poor choices. This website should be more about not judging and supporting.
A lot of us are in your boat... no matter how we got here!!
I am sorry that you are getting such hard guff from this site... my mantra is good people can make poor choices. This website should be more about not judging and supporting.
A lot of us are in your boat... no matter how we got here!!
I agree with you. I tried not to be too hard on the original poster, but I do think there were some lessons to be had here.
I hope that ultimately she comes to realize that mistakes happen, and it's all about how you respond to it and what you learn from it.
Lord knows on a recovery nursing forum most of us have probably made some terrible decisions at some point (I've made heaps more than the OP!). The redemption comes from realizing that we've messed up and not passing the buck. Nurses in recovery could really be an empathetic and compassionate support in the world rather than being shunned for our mistakes, especially by each other.
Let's not allow the old adage to be true that "nurses eat their young."
When you started nursing school you knew that you could not use drugs as a nurse. You should not have been using them as a nursing student. You had plenty of time for your last hoorah prior to graduating and applying for jobs.
Yes this is judgmental. We have all had to make some hard decisions and be responsible. You made a poor choice and have to pay the consequences. However, you have the rest of your life to live. What is the saying? A mistake is a bruise, not a tattoo.
Yes! Be grateful that it is just 1 year! In NJ they would subject you to 5 -_-
I wish you the best--you'll get through this quickly and it will make you more cognizant of what you must do to avoid to being subjected to the program again. ❤️
Bravo-rn47
47 Posts
I am sorry that you are getting such hard guff from this site... my mantra is good people can make poor choices. This website should be more about not judging and supporting.
A lot of us are in your boat... no matter how we got here!!