Need Help!! Positive pre-employment drug screen

gnurse2089 · Jul 26, 2017

First off, we can't give legal advice here but I would definitely lawyer up before you say anything to the board. Second, start collecting evidence that you really don't have a problem (i.e. work evals, reference letters, I would even go get assessed by an addiction certified MD who can order random drug screens to show you don't use) all this will set you off a pretty penny but so will the state monitoring program so it's worth it if you can avoid it.

Lastly, breathe. We all make dumb mistakes. Unfortunately we're in a field that tends to judge those mistakes way harsher than others, but at the end of the day, it's just a job. There have been several times in my life I felt the world was ending and I still managed to wake up above ground the next day. You will survive this

Stacyjames · Jul 27, 2017

Well it's unfortunate what happened to you. I'm not trying to bear bad news you will have no choice but to enroll in their program. ðŸ˜”It's a lengthy process, you're license will be suspended. That's not the worse part it's going to take forever to get a job being in the program. I hope you have more luck than I've had. But definitely get a lawyer asap. Hopefully it won't be on your license as a complaint because once it gets on your license that's the worse ever. I wish you luck.

chiandre · Jul 30, 2017

Get a LAWYER immediately -especially RN, JD. This is just a bump. It is not the end. Hang in there.

Lisacar130 · Aug 1, 2017

Worst case senecio is you end up on probation. My advise is to get a recovery friendly job now while you have a clean license. The most recovery friendly job out there is dialysis, they work with people on probation from what I hear, but you have a better chance getting in now that your license is clean. Other options are basically any job that does not deal with narcotics and not in a hospital. Many hospitals will fire you for being on probation.

If you're on probation and have narcotic restrictions you would have to quit a floor nurse job and it's very hard to get a job while on probation so get a job now where narcotic restrictions won't be a problem.

Even if it is true that it is the first and only time you did it, you still did it and once is all they need. Get a lawyer ASAP and ask about self reporting to your own state BON before they find out from the other state.

mississippiRN71 · Aug 1, 2017

Yes , definately get a recovery friendly job while you have a non-restricted license- like dialysis where you're not handling narcotics. I'm working in dialysis and like it. My case with the board hasn't come up so my license is not affected right now so I decided to make a change and transition to dialysis. I'm getting to use more of my nursing skills than I thought I would , plus the company I work for (Fresenius) pays really well and has great benefits.

Good luck! Keep us posted

ChryssyD · Aug 7, 2017

So sorry--I know the feeling I had during the early days: It was like that awful commercial for some RA medicine where a woman is trying to play piano and the keys are literally disintegrating beneath her fingers. The company stopped showing the commercial before very long, because, I think, it was so utterly horrifying to watch. It's terrible to feel like your whole life is getting yanked out from under you.

Anyway, try to keep your chin up. It's usually a long, drawn-out process that seems to take forever and a day, so use the time you've got to look for a lawyer and a job as others have advised. My other advice is, if you haven't already confessed to bringing a "waste" narcotic home with you to anyone, DON'T. It will only give the Board another issue to address.

Good luck. :)