Not even a year into my career. Long story, a possession ticket (it was not mine but the passenger). Marijuana. Doesn't matter if it's not mine because it's my car I guess. Immediately took a drug test at LabCorp less than 48 hours after receiving ticket. I am getting a hair follicle test this week.
I haven't been formally charged yet. My pretrial hearing is in a few weeks. I'm hoping to get case dropped, but pretending it will not even happen. Even if it DID get dropped, I suspect I have to report that I was ticketed.
I have obtained a lawyer for the criminal charges and am going to speak to a nurse attorney from TAANA this week as well. I'm not sure if it'll even help. I hear my state has a program that's similar to Florida.
I do have mental health issues that haven't messed with my job at all, but I'm afraid this will just be used against me. I put myself on psych meds that aren't addicting. Other than this, not even a speeding ticket my entire life.
I guess what I'm looking for is a little support and also... I'm wondering if anyone went into it just looking to reduce stipulations in contract I.e. getting to work 3-11, or nights, MINIMAL time off between being cleared to work. It would be nice to have minimal narcotic restrictions, but I'm trying to be realistic. I've actually been put on nights only before as an ADA accommodation, so I'm not sure if my lawyer can argue this case. I might go back to school for a different career depending on what happens and I'd like to be able to work a crappy nursing job in evenings or nights as well.
A part of me wants to take FMLA when this happens in the hopes they will take me back to my medsurg floor or allow me to interview with other units, another part wants to resign so I can return to this job eventually just in case so I don't get out on a "do not rehire" list. My case is weird in that all of my coworkers AND my managers know about it and ALSO support me.
Any advice here? Nothing legal, just like personally what did YOU do? Go back to school? Did you try to keep your job? Were any of you allowed to work medsurg or something like an obs/tele floor during your narcotic restriction?
Court hearing very soon. My nursing lawyer is communicating with my criminal lawyer. My criminal lawyer emphasized that I didn't have a DUI at all, and it was possession only, and I had a passenger in my car (and thus the same details I outlined.)
My lawyer stated in the email that we plan to report during the renewal period! Which is several months away. I don't want to give any identifying information, so I will refrain from naming the state I'm in currently. However, I did look on the board of nursing website and the nurse practice act previously and I couldn't find ANYTHING about requirements to report in a certain time frame, but obviously I DO have to report during renewal at the very least.
I'm not sure if this will continue if I get deferred judgement, as the email said reporting criminal charges and not convictions (I know it would be a stayed conviction but that might change the reporting requirement times). I will go by what my lawyer says, as she frequently addresses the BON in my state in addition to other professional boards.
I'm trying to be realistic but I'm happy because it gives me at least several months to work my butt off and save money! With the overtime I'm making, I will have tens of thousands saved by then after my bills are paid and I don't live in an overly expensive city. Whatever I decide to do with my license if things go south, I can afford to get another degree if needed. I already have a plan B, and it's basically related to skilled trades in which I would make a similar salary compared to nursing in my area, with unions and better health benefits, and would NOT hold a license or be required to ever test before a licensing body. It's also a field that isn't necessarily hard on your body, and you can advance to management positions that would pay the same or more than nursing manager salaries.
So that's my update for now. I have plans. If things go bad, I'm going to detail other career opportunities for people and ways to fund them for those who can't afford monitoring, can't take out student loans or get grants, and those who must give up their licenses for long periods of time. Other fields ARE forgiving, and it's important to remember that.
The criminalization of Cannabis is ridiculous. Best of luck to you.
It really is. I'm so glad when I sought out information about the alternative to discipline program in my state I didn't listen to her. It all sounded very odd. Like, why am I going to report to you before my board and I didn't do anything? This was MONTHS before my court date, where I might have a dismissed case anyway BECAUSE NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED YET STILL, MONTHS LATER. How shady...
Specializes in Operating room nurse/educator - Neurosurgery.
Sounds like there is prejudice. That is worst thing for our nursing profession. We are helpers, not judges. Sounds like you are on the right track! Be well,
Update: for months I had no pending charges and no arrest record and was very confused. Well, today, MY CASE WAS DISMISSED. They decided to never charge me. I think my lawyer really emphasized this could ruin my career and they did me a huge favor...
I'm not sure if I have to report this ticket if I never had an arrest record and never had pending charges, so I will be consulting with my other attorney who will be dealing with the BON in my state. I think the prosecutor really just saved my job and career here, and I'm so relieved.
Yrztree
16 Posts
Update:
Court hearing very soon. My nursing lawyer is communicating with my criminal lawyer. My criminal lawyer emphasized that I didn't have a DUI at all, and it was possession only, and I had a passenger in my car (and thus the same details I outlined.)
My lawyer stated in the email that we plan to report during the renewal period! Which is several months away. I don't want to give any identifying information, so I will refrain from naming the state I'm in currently. However, I did look on the board of nursing website and the nurse practice act previously and I couldn't find ANYTHING about requirements to report in a certain time frame, but obviously I DO have to report during renewal at the very least.
I'm not sure if this will continue if I get deferred judgement, as the email said reporting criminal charges and not convictions (I know it would be a stayed conviction but that might change the reporting requirement times). I will go by what my lawyer says, as she frequently addresses the BON in my state in addition to other professional boards.
I'm trying to be realistic but I'm happy because it gives me at least several months to work my butt off and save money! With the overtime I'm making, I will have tens of thousands saved by then after my bills are paid and I don't live in an overly expensive city. Whatever I decide to do with my license if things go south, I can afford to get another degree if needed. I already have a plan B, and it's basically related to skilled trades in which I would make a similar salary compared to nursing in my area, with unions and better health benefits, and would NOT hold a license or be required to ever test before a licensing body. It's also a field that isn't necessarily hard on your body, and you can advance to management positions that would pay the same or more than nursing manager salaries.
So that's my update for now. I have plans. If things go bad, I'm going to detail other career opportunities for people and ways to fund them for those who can't afford monitoring, can't take out student loans or get grants, and those who must give up their licenses for long periods of time. Other fields ARE forgiving, and it's important to remember that.