NC RNs PLEASE HELP

nola1202 · Jul 18, 2011

OR, Well baby, clinics....Not an expert, but I met people there who were in the NRP there. Also once you get 2yrs of recovery, drug/alcohol inpt rehab, or psych nsg. Insurance companies, case management?

TXRN2 · Jul 19, 2011

not in your state- but i work in dialysis where the narc restriction did not matter- because they don't handle any-ever. :)

nowim clean · Jul 19, 2011

This is very discouraging. There have been 90 views and only 1 post, and that was not by someone who had been in the AP. Does this mean I am the only RN in nC who is in the AP, or does it mean noone has found employment? I do hope there is somewhere out there that will give me a chance. Yes I was abusing alcohol, but I refused puting my patients in harms way so i refused assignment asked for help and self reported. Please if you are or have been in the program and have found employment talk me where, if you work at a place that hires restricted nurses please post.

faithnow · Jul 19, 2011

please don't be discouraged. things will happen. i went through virginias monitoring program. my problem was narcs, not alcohol. i work in virginia beach ltc, but live in nc. what i found in seeking employment was it depends more on the person doing the interviewing than on the specific job or company. really, a woman administrator in a nursing home in virginia called me. i had interviewed for every possible job in ltc, had experience but was repeatedly rejected at first interview, or more painful made a second or third interview and then was rejected. i cried and felt worthless. i continued to work the program, and finally after two years, while working cleaning at a hotel for $7.10 an hour, this woman offered me a job doing mds. i went on an antabuse kind of drug every day, cant remember the name right now. the administrator had to witness me take the pill and sign the paper every day. i don't know what in the world made her believe in me to the point that she offered me a job. to shorten the story, she moved to a nursing home in va beach and i moved with her. i live in nc, and commute to va. i have talked to several nursing homes here in nc, so much closer to home, and they look at me like i have needles hanging from my arms. even with four years now of spotless references, they are afraid to offer me anything. there were days that i felt hopeless, i just kept working the program and applying. i know one story doesn't necessarily give you hope. i've beenthere. but i have almost eight years clean, finished the va program and have an unrestricted license. still, like i said can't get any nc job offers, and no interviews in virginia for that matter. but, higher power, mine and yours has a plan for us. i really think that if you continue to have the desire, the need to work as a nurse, and keep clean, that something will open up for you. i'm not sure if nc has a harder program or it's harder to find employment. i saw a quote today that said "faith makes all things possible, not easy". please don't lose hope.

JustUs2 · Jul 20, 2011

Dear nowin, I feel your frustration in finding a job here in NC and sometimes I want to pull my hair out in frustration, but I know that giving in to that area of hopelessness we give into fear and that shows a lack of faith in recovering from our addiction wither it's alcohol or drugs. I to have found a non nursing job for now and continue to look for someone to give me a chance but until then, I keep in the now and stay away what ifs. We have no control in others and sometimes in ourselves. I do control in what I can do right now and I choose to not let someone or something take me away from my recovery. When god has a opening for you he will give it to you, have faith.

nowim clean · Jul 20, 2011

I understand what you are saying justus2, but I was really hoping maybe this post would turn into a network for all of us. If there are nurses out there in NC who were/are in the program and have found a job I was hoping they would post where they found work. I live in Hickory NC and will move anywhere in NC if I have to. There has to be jobs out there maybe even places that are very kind to us but if we do not know about them it would be hard to hard them. So again if you have found work please post where and what city.

diva rn, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2011

Nowim,

I hope you don't mind if I respond, as I am not in NC. I am in FL where I am in the IPN. I am curious about what kind of restrictions you have if your DOC was etoh? In Florida, all of my fellow IPNers who have their contracts because of alcohol do not have narcotic/key restrictions. In fact, their contracts have all been 2 years where the narcotic users are 5years with key restrictions...much more stringent.

I'm just curious because, typically the nurses here have had more luck when they are alcoholics than when they are addicts...go figure.

The nurses in my peer group have gotten jobs in case management (3), dialysis (1), long term care(1), outpatient surgery centers (2), doctor's offices (2) and psych-detox intake(2) two more have not found jobs yet, and one had a job but she just relapsed on alcohol and had to go to inpatient treatment. That was very sad.

I would like to hear about the NC program, it must be very different from Fl's IPN. Fl's is very strict, but it is doable, you must make sure you do what you're supposed to do and don't make waves....ever! Good luck

nowim clean · Jul 24, 2011

diva rn mine was for alcohol abuse and in NC it does not matter cause there is only 1 program with the same rstrictions.... no narcs for at least 1 year and the if you are lucky the program is for 3 years of drug testing. I started with 20 group sessions, then 1 year of aftercare after 3 months I was able to reapply for my liscense with resrictions. I have had several job offers but at the last minute when they look at the restrictions the offer is rescinded. I know one day the door will open in Gods time

diva rn, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2011

Oh my gosh that is harsh. I am really at a loss for words. Why in the world would they put a narcotic restriction on nurses with etoh contracts? Do they also test you for drugs in the urine tests? Here they test us for a whole array in the uds, but they don't routinely test the alcoholics for drugs--just etg....sporadically they will test the drug people for etg, and vice versa...I haven't had a drink in almost 12 years, they did stop testing me for etg about 1 year ago, but they still could..I would laugh each time she would make that 6am call to add it to your random day...(they would just call on one of your color days)so my facilitator did report that I have been in recovery for 11+ years and they stopped-I didn't mind...but it was getting more expensive.

But I am so puzzled about your states program...

Why would they put a restriction on you??

nowim clean · Jul 25, 2011

I am not sure why it is the way it is unless they assume that just because you havent abused or diverted narcs doesnt mean you wouldnt, but then the random urines would catch you. Also here all urines must be observed so you have someone looking at your junk while you are giving a sample. The tests are 76.00 a pop and i usually get 2 a month, so with not working, it is tough, but I'm sober and one day sooner or later a job will come my way.

jmo1231 · Jul 25, 2011

Oh wow to NOW IM CLEAN! I dont live in NC Im in Philly and am just applying for my RN and NP license . I have an ETOH addiction and a DUI . I have been sober 3 months and out of treatment. I was considering a head hunter . Did you ever consider the same ?