Multiple offenses due to addiction...

[ndnreservation]

Forum, I have begun to try to restore my interest in health care. I used to be involved two decades ago as an EMT-A. However, life and addiction played a greater role in between then and now.

Presently, I have applied and been accepted into a CNA course at the community college. I still have the desire to serve those who need the extra help and would like to eventually get into higher levels of care but CNA will work for now.

My concern here is this--> I have an extensive and searchable criminal history that dates back to my addiction days. Once the addiction behavior was arrested (no pun intended) the criminal activity ended simultaneously and it would not take any amount of genius to understand the correlation between the two. Aside from the minor infractions (panhandling, sleeping in the laundromat) generally associated with the lifestyle, I do have one assault (mutual combatants, no arrests) and a felony (expunged, allegedly stole a keg of beer).

Today, I am 12 hours from receiving a B.A. from a major university, have been a public transportation provider for nearly eight years, hold a Hazardous Materials license which requires an Okay from the Department of Homeland Security and have been clean and sober for nearly nine years (which means no arrests in those same nine years).

Am I dreaming, disillusioned by my own accomplishments. Does the experience of this forum offer any hope for me and my ambition to serve?

Feedback appreciated.

[apocatastasis]

First and foremost, your sobriety is something to be proud of, so congratulations to you for that.

The long and short of it is that I don't think anyone can really answer this question except your state board of nursing. You mention that you are no longer involved in criminal activity, but you don't precisely state how long ago these offenses occurred, which I speculate would be one of the major factors in your board's decision.

You write that you have some security clearance -- that may or may not be significant re: a nursing license. Nursing boards generally tend to be strict on crime and violations... occasionally unreasonably so, in my opinion. They hold nurses to a high standard and, in your case particularly, would be aware that is very easy to divert drugs as an RN, a significant problem for a significant minority of healthcare workers.

You also need to consider your past history in getting into nursing school and in employment; you will likely have to deal with these hurdles multiple times. Assuming you get into nursing school and graduate, you may very well end up with stipulations on your license that mandate attendance in a peer support/impaired nurses program for a specified term, which may last several years.

Your board should evaluate you individually and look not only at criminal history, but also employment history, recent personal history, etc. You may want to contact someone at the board to inquire about your situation and see what kind of response you get. You seem to be in a difficult situation, but I wish you the best, whatever may come.

[FMF Corpsman, MSN, RN]

congratulations on your sobriety ndnreservation. you didn’t say in your post whether or not you utilize any of the support groups to help maintain your sobriety. to me that is a personal choice, but to a bon that could mean the difference between granting you a license or not. i’d suggest you ask some sober and influential friends to write letters of recommendation for you stating what an amazing guy you are now and what a miraculous turnaround you’ve made since you’ve gotten sober. this is certainly no guarantee they will allow you to sit your boards, but it certainly can’t hurt. it would definitely behoove you to ascertain from the bon if they are going to allow you to take boards before investing all of your time and money the preparation for licensure if you will not be allowed to even take the test. if you find out you can sit your state boards, while you are in school, you might find it helpful to talk with potential employers and explain the situation to them. if you are an excellent student, which i have the feeling you might well be, some of the places you do your practical at will likely hear of you, take advantage of the grapevine and speak with them, let them know the score and tell them straight out the facts. you have nothing to lose. i don’t know your history and it’s none of my business. i don’t want to know, share that with the people that hold your future in their hands. be honest with them, if you lie, you stand to lose everything, whereas if you tell them the truth and you are an excellent nursing student, you have everything to gain, your whole future. good luck.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Unfortunately schools may choose not to accept you based on your history. If you do get into a nursing school or CNA program, unfortunately your BON can decide independently of your school if you can be licensed/certified. If you do get licensed/certified, unfortunately employers can decide independently of your BON if they want to hire you based on your criminal history.

Translation: you have a lot of chances that you have to be willing to take.

There are a lot of nurses with criminal records that have been able to clear those hurdles, but to be honest: it's not an easy process and will likely involve compromise on your part, as you may be limited by stipulations, who hires you and/or what areas you can work in.

So it's not impossible. But you have a battle ahead of you, and only you can decide if you are up for it. If this is what you want to do, then get geared up and be prepared to fight for it.

And you have already cleared what is for many the hardest hurdle: you've started on your recovery. That's a lifelong process, but the fact that you've been sober for nearly a decade is nothing to be sneezed it. That's probably been your toughest battle of all.

Best of luck on your career and your continued recovery!