Gotta question

Rascal1 · Jul 17, 2009

I am now done with my monitoring program as previously posted and have recently begun the application process. I am basically casting a wide net and keeping my fingers crossed. My question is, do I still need to divulge my story now that I am not "in trouble" with the BON. I know I have to mention it when I renew my license, etc. And actually b/c I was so gungho a year ago when I was job hunting and in the monitoring program a lot of places have already heard the story. They just said they couldn't work with the restrictions, etc. and told me to contact them when I was clear. I don't have a problem sharing my story per se, I just want someone to give me a chance to show the strength I have gained through this experience. Any comments would be helpful. Thanks.

Congratulations on completing the program ! It seems you almost answered your own question. "some hav already heard your story" . I've had a similiar problem except that I entered an inpatient rehabilitation program and on my accord. I did'nt have an issue or they with me(board). I finished it last September, and struggled and still do with how to respond to questions upon going on interviews myself,given what I know about the attitudes of many other nurses. As, I'm sure jackstem can attest. Ignorance abounds. Keep us posted... :yeah:

jackstem · Jul 17, 2009

Congratulations on completing the program ! It seems you almost answered your own question. "some hav already heard your story" . I've had a similiar problem except that I entered an inpatient rehabilitation program and on my accord. I did'nt have an issue or they with me(board). I finished it last September, and struggled and still do with how to respond to questions upon going on interviews myself,given what I know about the attitudes of many other nurses. As, I'm sure jackstem can attest. Ignorance abounds. Keep us posted...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah! Ignorance, judgmentalism, and downright hatred. The only way that's going to change is if those of us in recovery begin to speak out. We have to stop running away and hiding. Yes, it has caused persoanl strif in my own life, but I'm to the point where I don't care anymore. If someone is ignorant enough to say something demeaning or worse within ear shot, I generally will set them straight. No yelling or name calling. All very calmly. But they have no doubt I mean what I say and I know what I'm talking about. I rarely get much of an argument because they aren't expecting someone to call them on their blatant bigotry. If they don't like getting the facts, that's there problem, not mine. I'll gladly discuss things with them. But they aren't going to get away with saying nasty, untrue things to someone who is working their tail off to get well (or individuals with active addiction).

Jack

rninmi · Jul 21, 2009

I'm just gonna throw this out there....Not intended to start an agrument or anything...but this is my thought. I completed my 4yr contract about 5 or 6 months ago. I have considered a job change at times and have "daydreamed" about the interview process and how nice it would be to interview as a "normal" rn and not divulge my past mistakes as I did when reapplying after losing my er gig for diverting..............

I don't see the validity in divulging my addiction/recovery with the HR department??? Why????

We treat this as a disease, and I believe most everyone on this site would agree it is a disease....if i have diabetes, or htn or whatever... should I divulge that?

Now, the answer could be..."yes but those diseases do not have the ability, or potential let's say, to impact patient care"........I would agree....however if my disease of addiction is currently in remission and I am currently receiving the recommended tx to keep that disease in remission, then am I a threat, or better yet, is my disease a threat? I say NO!

I just don't see the point of divulging this info at THIS STAGE (INTERVIEW STAGE)....Now, once hired and once relationships are established if I am comfortable with sharing my recovery, my strength, experience and hope with those I TRUST, then my all means I will, (and I have).....

Am I "ashamed" of my past???? Good quesiton! I stole, I lied, I manimpulated, I denied patients.....let's see.... some shame, YES!

Do I allow that shame to haunt me, to impact me? NO!!! I am in recovery, I am clean today and I have made ammends to those whom I could......

Good luck.

Rascal1 · Jul 21, 2009

I'm just gonna throw this out there....Not intended to start an agrument or anything...but this is my thought. I completed my 4yr contract about 5 or 6 months ago. I have considered a job change at times and have "daydreamed" about the interview process and how nice it would be to interview as a "normal" rn and not divulge my past mistakes as I did when reapplying after losing my er gig for diverting..............
I don't see the validity in divulging my addiction/recovery with the HR department??? Why????
We treat this as a disease, and I believe most everyone on this site would agree it is a disease....if i have diabetes, or htn or whatever... should I divulge that?
Now, the answer could be..."yes but those diseases do not have the ability, or potential let's say, to impact patient care"........I would agree....however if my disease of addiction is currently in remission and I am currently receiving the recommended tx to keep that disease in remission, then am I a threat, or better yet, is my disease a threat? I say NO!
I just don't see the point of divulging this info at THIS STAGE (INTERVIEW STAGE)....Now, once hired and once relationships are established if I am comfortable with sharing my recovery, my strength, experience and hope with those I TRUST, then my all means I will, (and I have).....
Am I "ashamed" of my past???? Good quesiton! I stole, I lied, I manimpulated, I denied patients.....let's see.... some shame, YES!
Do I allow that shame to haunt me, to impact me? NO!!! I am in recovery, I am clean today and I have made ammends to those whom I could......
Good luck.

Excellent ! I have an interview later today. And I have been struggling with how to respond to common interview questions. I decided to be quite frank today. Wish me luck !

ms. papa RN AGAIN · Jul 21, 2009

I'm just gonna throw this out there....Not intended to start an agrument or anything...but this is my thought. I completed my 4yr contract about 5 or 6 months ago. I have considered a job change at times and have "daydreamed" about the interview process and how nice it would be to interview as a "normal" rn and not divulge my past mistakes as I did when reapplying after losing my er gig for diverting..............
I don't see the validity in divulging my addiction/recovery with the HR department??? Why????
We treat this as a disease, and I believe most everyone on this site would agree it is a disease....if i have diabetes, or htn or whatever... should I divulge that?
Now, the answer could be..."yes but those diseases do not have the ability, or potential let's say, to impact patient care"........I would agree....however if my disease of addiction is currently in remission and I am currently receiving the recommended tx to keep that disease in remission, then am I a threat, or better yet, is my disease a threat? I say NO!
I just don't see the point of divulging this info at THIS STAGE (INTERVIEW STAGE)....Now, once hired and once relationships are established if I am comfortable with sharing my recovery, my strength, experience and hope with those I TRUST, then my all means I will, (and I have).....
Am I "ashamed" of my past???? Good quesiton! I stole, I lied, I manimpulated, I denied patients.....let's see.... some shame, YES!
Do I allow that shame to haunt me, to impact me? NO!!! I am in recovery, I am clean today and I have made ammends to those whom I could......
Good luck.

I actually agree with you regarding the idea that if we are in remission we aren't a threat. I also think that divulging to the HR people sucks. My first run of interviews i handled by basically going in, sitting down and vomiting my story all over them. My WHOLE story. I didn't ever divert narcs and I was actually off the illicit and illegal pills and on Doc prescribed methadone prior to graduating from nursing school, so I basically thought that my story was worth telling and that it would show something like, i don't know restraint, good judgment in a bad situation, strength- something, nothing, whatever. They never saw it that way i guess b/c i never got a call back or a job as of yet. I recently went to an interview at a clinic and after it was over I felt pretty good about it. Later as I was telling my sister about the nitty gritty i realized something... but only b/c she pointed it out. This is how the whole interview started...

I entered the clinic directors office with the nurse manager. I shook hands with her and introduced myself. We all sat down. The nurse manager said "So, lets get started with you telling us a little bit about yourself" - pretty standard right.... yea, so I said " Well, I guess I should tell you why I haven't been practicing nursing for the last 4 years...." and VOMIT!!!! I sat there and gave them all the details about the whole mess. It took like 10 minutes. In the end they said the token statements of "wow, you really came through a lot and should be very proud..." yada yada. That was a week and a half ago.

What my sister made me realize is this... I acted as if my addiction was ALL there was to me. I didn't have anything else I felt was noteworthy. I have let this define me. I have confused the need to be honest with the need to tell them everything and gain their ultimate acceptance. I started thinking about this and called the director of the monitoring program I completed. I discussed with him my responsibility during an interview and with my employment in general. He said that I need to answer all questions i am asked honestly but only answer what they ask. Its going to come up b/c they always ask about things like if you have ever had an action taken against your license or had your license suspended or limited in anyway. Or why did you not work for so many years. Then just answer honestly but simply. He told me that as a recovering alcoholic himself he doesn't EVER tell his whole story unless he is trying to help someone else in recovery. That we are not required to try to win over others with our battles and struggles. It will likely not work and we will be judged, But hell apparently I am my harshest judge yet, and yes i am ashamed at times... i should have known better, etc...but that me is not the me i am today. And I am REALLY ashamed that through all of this I have lost touch with the things about myself that are NOT RELATED TO MY ADDICTION that make me a good and worthwhile candidate for a job.

And please, before any of the negative nelly's that frequent this site and enjoy so fully to point out "red flags" and other unintended appearances of denial, stupidity or other "signs of impending relapse!!!!" post their rude two cents I am not for a moment saying that I want to go under the radar, deny ever having a problem or anything else. I am NOT attempting to get into a position with narcotics access and be able to go crazy and use, use, use. I am not hungry for drugs today and trying to justify working with them again. I will tell my supervisor. I will also be held to all the same security standards that all nurses are with regards to the narcotics used in patient care. All I am asking is to be given a chance to be a nurse. I am a good nurse with a lot to offer my patients of the future. I just have to learn to include that information in an interview!!

jackstem · Jul 21, 2009

Excellent ! I have an interview later today. And I have been struggling with how to respond to common interview questions. I decided to be quite frank today. Wish me luck !

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jack

Magsulfate, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2009

Wait a minute!

I don't see any denial going on here. I see someone who is in touch with her recovery, and is ready to get a job.

Speaking from experience, I would NOT, I repeat, NOT tell them about your addiction/recovery issues. If your license is free and clear (no discipline) then you should not tell them. I will not get into all the reasons why, because other people have already done it here. But I will tell you that if you DO tell them, you won't get the job. Discrimination? Yes, and it happens all the time, and they get away with it.

You have to stick up for number one, and that's you. You need a job, and they won't give you one if you tell them. If you must expain why you haven't worked in 4 years, then tell them that you were home because of an illness, or to take care of your children, or elderly parents. I know someone is going to reply and say how dishonest that is,, but let me tell you, ,, SO WHAT? You will have a much better chance at getting the job, and that's what you need right now.

You have completed the recovery program, so you're obviously in good recovery. They wouldn't have discharged you if you aren't. I can tell by reading your posts that you are happy and proud of where you are now, and you want the whole world to know how good you're doing. But save that for your best friends, (and us of course). Put your nursing professional face on when you go to work/interview.

There are plenty of places for support, and if you think you're going to get it at work, you might be wrong. They WON'T understand, I'm telling you.. they won't. There is too much ignorance about the disease of addiction, and not enough people in the world that TRULY understand what you have gone through to be where you're at now.

I have to agree that you're sister is probably right. Being in recovery is nothing to be ashamed of, and if you were applying to an inpatient psych/recovery facility then your experience with addiction/recovery would be helpful. But for any other facility it will be damaging.

Congratulations on completing the program, :) you know it's not over now, and it never will be. But focus now on your nursing skills and the profession. Don't leave recovery behind you, but stick it in your front pocket where you can always have your hand on it....

I actually agree with you regarding the idea that if we are in remission we aren't a threat. I also think that divulging to the HR people sucks. My first run of interviews i handled by basically going in, sitting down and vomiting my story all over them. My WHOLE story. I didn't ever divert narcs and I was actually off the illicit and illegal pills and on Doc prescribed methadone prior to graduating from nursing school, so I basically thought that my story was worth telling and that it would show something like, i don't know restraint, good judgment in a bad situation, strength- something, nothing, whatever. They never saw it that way i guess b/c i never got a call back or a job as of yet. I recently went to an interview at a clinic and after it was over I felt pretty good about it. Later as I was telling my sister about the nitty gritty i realized something... but only b/c she pointed it out. This is how the whole interview started...
I entered the clinic directors office with the nurse manager. I shook hands with her and introduced myself. We all sat down. The nurse manager said "So, lets get started with you telling us a little bit about yourself" - pretty standard right.... yea, so I said " Well, I guess I should tell you why I haven't been practicing nursing for the last 4 years...." and VOMIT!!!! I sat there and gave them all the details about the whole mess. It took like 10 minutes. In the end they said the token statements of "wow, you really came through a lot and should be very proud..." yada yada. That was a week and a half ago.
What my sister made me realize is this... I acted as if my addiction was ALL there was to me. I didn't have anything else I felt was noteworthy. I have let this define me. I have confused the need to be honest with the need to tell them everything and gain their ultimate acceptance. I started thinking about this and called the director of the monitoring program I completed. I discussed with him my responsibility during an interview and with my employment in general. He said that I need to answer all questions i am asked honestly but only answer what they ask. Its going to come up b/c they always ask about things like if you have ever had an action taken against your license or had your license suspended or limited in anyway. Or why did you not work for so many years. Then just answer honestly but simply. He told me that as a recovering alcoholic himself he doesn't EVER tell his whole story unless he is trying to help someone else in recovery. That we are not required to try to win over others with our battles and struggles. It will likely not work and we will be judged, But hell apparently I am my harshest judge yet, and yes i am ashamed at times... i should have known better, etc...but that me is not the me i am today. And I am REALLY ashamed that through all of this I have lost touch with the things about myself that are NOT RELATED TO MY ADDICTION that make me a good and worthwhile candidate for a job.
And please, before any of the negative nelly's that frequent this site and enjoy so fully to point out "red flags" and other unintended appearances of denial, stupidity or other "signs of impending relapse!!!!" post their rude two cents I am not for a moment saying that I want to go under the radar, deny ever having a problem or anything else. I am NOT attempting to get into a position with narcotics access and be able to go crazy and use, use, use. I am not hungry for drugs today and trying to justify working with them again. I will tell my supervisor. I will also be held to all the same security standards that all nurses are with regards to the narcotics used in patient care. All I am asking is to be given a chance to be a nurse. I am a good nurse with a lot to offer my patients of the future. I just have to learn to include that information in an interview!!

Rascal1 · Jul 22, 2009

good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jack

well, thank you very much !!!!!!!

blondnursey · Jul 22, 2009

Excellent ! I have an interview later today. And I have been struggling with how to respond to common interview questions. I decided to be quite frank today. Wish me luck !

AND HOW DID IT GO?

good i hope

Cherybaby · Jul 22, 2009

well ok then... whatever...an opinion I asked for and an opinion I got. U obviously read something into that statement I didn't intend and really can't see still. Oh well, I'm not trying to prove to you that I am at zero risk...I know me, and from what I have been told NOBODY is EVER at zero risk. I just don't want to seem to be hiding something that I feel no shame over, but I do want a chance to prove myself a good nurse...to my future employer and patients only. But thanks for the lovely vote of confidence.

I didn't necessarily see this as someone trying to rain on your parade. Someone was just giving you another point of view. People who are familiar with recovery know that relapse rates are VERY high for nurses, especially those who work around narcotics. I believe that the poster that saw some red flags was simply trying to tell you to be careful...and not be in situations that could tempt you. No one here is knocking your recovery progress. They were merely trying to help you to notice the obstacles that may come up.

Just remember to always be honest with yourself. Once an addict, always an addict...the only difference is whether you are an active addict or one who is resolute in their desire to stay clean.

Good luck to you in your continued journey in recovery. Be proud of what you have accomplished thus far.

jackstem · Jul 22, 2009

well, thank you very much !!!!!!!

you are welcome...very much!

jack