Nurses help me

[milo65]

good day everyone.

i need your help.

the hospital where Im working let me go due to violation of policy. My husband has a sleeping disorder, he have 3 sleeping meds. 2 of which are prescribed and 1 is OTC. I meant to grab the OTC out his medication box and unfortunately took the wrong one. Both has the same color. It was certainly an error but not intentionally. when i went to work i was slower than usual and my colleagues noticed that i was off. I didn't think I was and my head was clear in fact, i didnt have mistakes. my supervisor asked me if i am ok and i was truthful and told her what happen. she reported me and drug test came back positive for a prescribed medication. the hospital is zero tolerance so they let me go though I worked the entire shift with no mistakes and I was not sent home even after my supervisor knew what happened.

so now i am ask to self report to the BON. HR told me that i need to do it before their complaints because it would not be good for me. I asked her if theres a time frame because I would like to utilize my membership and assistance of the state nursing association before i report to BON or to the IPN however, they just told me as soon as possible. they terminate me yesterday friday and now its weekend. The state nurses association is closed by monday and I am freaking out because I am scared that their complaints would get to the BON first.

I need your help everyone.

I have read online that before doing anything consult a legal counsel.

I am thinking of just running away and move to other countries as I am so sick that this happen in my life. its very painful.

thank you

[milo65]

I did check my license status online and it's clear. I don't know if I should be happy or not. I kept wondering whether it is safe for me to go ahead and try to apply or just sit here and wait for that letter. My employer told me to self-report myself to the board before the board received their complaint.

[Lisacar130]

It is common for this process to take a long time. I have heard of 6 months to a year to get a letter. Sometimes it is faster. You never know.

Nothing will happen to your license until after you have an actual hearing with the BON.

If it were me, I would get a job that would be recovery friendly while my license is clean. Particularly one that does not involve passsing controlled substances. Think about dialysis. Worst case scenario is you'll end up with a mark on your license and stipulations that you can't work with controlled substances. At least this way you'll have your foot in the door somewhere and experience in a recovery friendly field. Dialysis centers are known to not fire you just for being on probation for drugs, for example.

I would go ahead and apply. A hospital job is often not the best because they are more likely to let you go if they find out about license problems and stipulations.

If the worst case scenario happens, you don't want to be unemployed and then start looking. Get your foot in the door somewhere now and then they'll know you by the time you have a hearing with the BON.

Good luck! I would consult with a lawyer if you haven't already. I don't know if you self reported or not. All the states handle this stuff differently. Some you avoid the BON entirely if you self report. In my state, self reporting immediately is the only way to avoid getting a permanent mark. But all the states are different. Some states make you quit nursing for 6 months or whatever in the beginning. Even if that happens at least you made some money while waiting for the letter. And even just a little experience in a recovery friendly field is better than nothing.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

It is almost a month now that I don't have a job. My lawyer told me not to self report myself to the board but until now I don't received an investigation letter. He said I could apply for a nursing job but I am scared because what if I already got the job and then the investigation letter would come in. I don't know what to do.

Nursing Boards are notoriously slow and can take up to two years - my advice get a job and save as much money as you can. You will need those dollars when and if you are assigned to a monitoring program.

Hppy

[Randomnurse3]

Nursing Boards are notoriously slow and can take up to two years - my advice get a job and save as much money as you can. You will need those dollars when and if you are assigned to a monitoring program.

Hppy

2 years? Do you mean 2 years for the whole process to be complete or 2 years before finding out you are under investigation?

[OhioRN1234]

My bon took three years. Yes, THREE. I had inactivated my license as I knew I was guilty and my lawyer told me it looked better. I think all that did was put me on the bottom of the list...

[Daisy4RN]

As others have stated I would go ahead and look for another job. You don't really know when (or if) you will ever hear about this. It will be easier to hold onto a job vs trying to obtain a job with something on your BON record. I would also have a consult with a lawyer who specializes in these matters prior to doing anything, if you have malpractice Ins. this will be covered. Hope all works out well for you!

[Big Blondie, ASN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

It took 15 months for the board to contact me. Get a job.

[milo65]

I try to apply for a nursing job or a pct/cna. It is very very very hard. They will ask why I was terminated... and so far no luck.

[Randomnurse3]

My bon took three years. Yes, THREE. I had inactivated my license as I knew I was guilty and my lawyer told me it looked better. I think all that did was put me on the bottom of the list...

3 years before telling you that you were under investigation? That blows my mind! What state was that?

[OhioRN1234]

Ohio.. I wish I would have walked away. I hate all of this so much. Took a year to find a job. While I'm grateful I have one I still regret even trying.

Just found out my monitor quit.. don't know what that means....