License Reinstatement After Revoke Is There Hope?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 16, 2010

moved to our nurses & recovery forum for support.

lzink · May 21, 2011

I see that your question was posted in January, and I see you have had a great response. Here are some things you need to know. The State Board is NOT you friend. Thier function is to protect the public. Second get a current copy of the nurse practice act. There is a high probability you will have to take a "refresher course". It can be expensive, so I suggeest contacting your states vocational rehabilatation office. If you have any problems with them look under your state for an organization DRC (disability Rights) if they take your case you will have legal assistance in getting the state to pay your expenses. Back to the state board, ask them if they have a reinstatement paperwork package if so have them send it to you. It should give you the requirements for reinstatment. You can take the refresher course online also. When you talk to the board be very professional. I know how devastating something like this is on your self esteem. I would also suggest doing everything you can by letter/email. You wil need a certified copy of the "Finding of Facts and Conclusions of Law" Writeand ask the board for a copy they will send it to you. Be VERY, VERY careful when you fill out any paper work, I was charged with fraud for missing a line on an application! I have had to go before 4 state boards I no it feels intimadating, so take a friend with you if this goies to hearing. Oh Yes...Keep meticulous note dates, time and the name of who you spoke with, send all written communication return receipt above all make copies of everything. If at some point you deside you want to practice in another state they will want a copy of those documents, you will have to go before that particular board for a hearing. There are nurse attornies and attornies that used to represent the board, but my personal experience has been costly, they were of no help, besides no one can tell your story better than you can. Beleive in yourself, thiis is a bunp in the road ok? Hear are a few other things You should see only one physician and that you and the physician have a ontrat in place which simply means you have told him/her that you have ben addicted to XYZ. Make sure the doc makes a not of it in your progress note, use only one pharmacy. If you have any other questions just let me know....Linda ps: if your not working a 12 step program you need to asap and get a sponsor if you need detox tell your doc, have as many urine drug screens done as possible. That will help document you were clean.

easle1 · Jul 7, 2011

i totally feel your plight cause im in the same boat too. my license was revoked 9 months ago,i have no idea of what to do or say i feel totally depressed and confused. as a new nurse when the incident happened i thought i was gonna get a lenient punishment cause i never actually committed the incident it was my gna who actually did it, i got caught up in the whole thing because i tried to find out what happened through the aid who later told authorities that i told him not to say anything and change his story. in short i was charged for trying to obstruct investigation hence my license was revoked. as of now i cant practice anything in the health care field anymore. my hope is hinged on the fact that when i got my revocation order i was told i could ask for reinstatement of my license after 1 year. is this a good thing to look foward to or is it just a false hope?. i dont know what to do or where to start as the 1yr anniversary is just around the corner

lzink · Jul 8, 2011

Dear easlel,

Yes there is hope. What I am about to tell you reflects my experiences with state boards. Since your year is going to be up very soon, you can begin the process of reinstatement. Contact your state board and request the necessary forms you will need to submit, sometimes you can print these off of the boards internet site. I would obtain a current copy of the nurse practice act and become familiar with "reinstatement section." The board only meets four times a year and more than likely you are going to have to go before them, which means you have to get on their docket, so get your forms filled out "carefully" and get them submitted. You can also inquire if the board has printed instructions on the process of reinstatement for you state. You can also begin collecting letters of recommendation from your Pastor for instance which you can submit with your application. Remember to keep a copy of everything. The other thing you might want to give some thought to is what have you done in the last year for example any volunteer work, and therapy etc. There are two things I can't stress enough. Check and recheck what you send into the board, I was charged with fraud because I missed a line on an application! If you have to contact the board take notes date time and who you spoke with. Be short and to the point...I need the forms for reinstatement, any directions for the process, and a copy of the NPA (which you most likely have to pay for, or some states you can download it from their website. I would encourage you not to get into a "conversation" just ask for what you need and nothing more. So you continue to have hope, and get busy. If you have any questions just let me know. One final thought....After you get reinstated, every time you need to renew or apply for endorsement into another state you will always have to answer "yes" to the question "have you ever had a license, suspended, revoked etc. Next no matter which state with the "yes" answer the next thing they will ask you for are "details." This can be a potential area to be concerned with. What I did after being notified that I had not provided "enough" information, I photocopy every document concerning your issue and send it all to them, return receipt of course.

That will help you to avoid another rabbit hole I fell into. Your not alone in this. It sounds to me that it is time to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start the process for reinstatement.

Linda

spiritedlpn · Aug 25, 2011

My license were revoked recently. I thought about waitinga year before requesting them back.I have a plan.... While I am waiting, I am going to continue NA meetings and have someone sign the paper. I have completed the treatment program but continue to do aftercare for another 6 months to complete my year of aftercare. I also wanted to speak to a few nursing school classes about my addiction,recovery,relapse and continued recovery. I will save all the paperwork and keep record of when I speak with the KSBON. I also wanted to go back to school for RN so while I'm waiting for my year,take classes forRN so I will be going in a positive direction. Taking advice,suggestions or whatever you can give me. Thank you.

rngaltx · Aug 25, 2011

Jamie, I have dealt with a suspended license. My advice to you is spend this year concentrating on your recovery. Document everything you do so you can take it to the BON when you request reinstatement. The BON can be unprediacable at best. I wanted to do RN-BSN while my license was suspended and the programs I applied to told me to come back after my license was reinstated.

I know the road you are traveling on seems bleak. There will be many hoops to jump through, fines to pay, etc. I'm still jumping through hoops and I will be for a while... BUT IT GETS BETTER!!! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. :) Continue working your steps and your recovery. Do you have a sponsor?

spiritedlpn · Aug 25, 2011

Yes,I have a sponsor. She has been amazing through this whole process.

lzink · Aug 26, 2011

Dear Jamie,

I agree that your focus of addiction and recovey should always come first. The second thing is how long was you license suspended, that will make a difference. Additionally I do not know of any RN-BSN who would except you. Even if you found a bridge LPN-RN you would have to have a vailed license. What you can do however is take all of the other courses with exception to those pertaining to nursing. Then when you get reinstated all you will need are the nursing core cirruculums

I don't know how long ago this event happened, but I get the distince feeling that you are glossing over the the facts and emotions. It is my opinion that if you do not have substantial sobriety the likly hood of a relaspse is very likely.

I'm sorry that I couldn't have better news for you, but first things first! Take it easy....and best of luck to you in your future endevors. I know if you work the program, have a sponsor and keep clean you may reach you goals! Have faith!

Sincerely,

Linda

spiritedlpn · Sep 1, 2011

I agree, my sobriety is first.. That was my plan to take all of the courses for RN except the clinical portion. I miss being a nurse so much. I'm working as a cna right now and before my license was revoked I practiced nursing for 13 years. My license was suspended for a year because I got busy and forgot to call into Affinity,of course the one day in 2 yeras i forget i was chosen to do a test and just as luck would have it it was reported to the board for noncompliance. I have to stay busy and keep my mind going or this year will not go by fast. I am lucky to have a supportive team,family,friends,sponsor and group. I have read a few posts for nurses in my situation. Like i said I am going to NA,finish aftercare, where can i get UA's done to have proof of them? (I can't be in KNAP because I don't have an active license.) Do I need a lawyer when I ask for reinstatement? I amjust nervous. I want to have all my I's dotted and T's crossed.

D Garcia · Feb 8, 2012

I had my license officially revoked in 2006 for diverting narcotics. I stopped practicing immedieately (in 2001) once I was notified by my employer that there would be an investigation. I think I tried working for a registry for about a week because I needed to keep making the house payment, but I realized I had no business trying to give patient care. I was put in diversion by the BRN and droped out shortly afterwards because I relapsed, and was extremely frustrated. Since 2001 I have over 8 years sobriety and have given serious thought to returning to nursing if at all possible, after all, I was a damned good nurse. I'm a little apprehensive because in 2004 I got a felony joy riding. That's right, joy riding of all things. I borrowed a friends car who was going through a bitter divorce, it was reported stolen... joy riding. I also recently discovered that I owe the BRN $36,000, the cost of the investigation, none of which I have even attempted to pay back due to my income, and of course a horrible economy. Any thoughts, suggestions, words of encourgement, hints.... HELP!! ANYONE!!!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Feb 11, 2012

I had my license officially revoked in 2006 for diverting narcotics. I stopped practicing immedieately (in 2001) once I was notified by my employer that there would be an investigation. I think I tried working for a registry for about a week because I needed to keep making the house payment, but I realized I had no business trying to give patient care. I was put in diversion by the BRN and droped out shortly afterwards because I relapsed, and was extremely frustrated. Since 2001 I have over 8 years sobriety and have given serious thought to returning to nursing if at all possible, after all, I was a damned good nurse. I'm a little apprehensive because in 2004 I got a felony joy riding. That's right, joy riding of all things. I borrowed a friends car who was going through a bitter divorce, it was reported stolen... joy riding. I also recently discovered that I owe the BRN $36,000, the cost of the investigation, none of which I have even attempted to pay back due to my income, and of course a horrible economy. Any thoughts, suggestions, words of encourgement, hints.... HELP!! ANYONE!!!

I think what you've said here is actually a cause for optimism: You've hit bottom. Therefore, there is nowhere to go but UP.

I don't mean that flippantly, either. You have literally had your world yanked out from underneath you, and yet you still are alive and functioning and trying to get back into nursing. That's half the battle won, right there! The trick now is to "eat the elephant one bite at a time", instead of trying to fix everything at once.

First of all, congratulate yourself on your sobriety! Without that intact, nothing else will be possible for you; with it, you can do ANYTHING.

Secondly, let's take apart the problem. Your license was revoked six years ago, and you had a felony conviction eight years ago that was not assault/battery, theft, abuse, rape, murder, or any of the other things that permanently disqualify a nurse from licensure. You'll have to check with your state's BRN to see which crimes are permanent DQs, but I seriously doubt your 'joyride' would be one of them.

People change in 6-8 years' time. They change a lot! They grow, they mature, they get better at discerning truth and accepting responsibility for their lives. I know I've changed a great deal since 2006........so have you, I'm sure. The board may recognize that as well.

Repayment of the money you owe them for the investigation may well be required before you're able to be reinstated as a licensed nurse, and that's a sticky wicket, but I'd advise you to ask them straight out if you could be placed on a payment plan. Maybe all you can afford is $25 a month, but isn't that a better show of good faith than nothing at all? Perhaps they will negotiate with you and start small, then work up to a higher payment once you're back in nursing and making decent wages. You can always ask; the worst they can do is say no.

A refresher course will also be necessary since you've been out of nursing for several years. Consider this an investment in your career that will pay benefits for many years to come.

I hope this at least helps you get started on the road to reclaiming your life. Wishing you the best!

spiritedlpn · Jun 2, 2012

I applied for reinstatement for my LPN license. They want to deny it because I answered NO to a drivers license question. I didn't even think about it. so they are saying that I did it knowingly. They have my hearing scheduled for august 28th. do I need a lawyer to help me get my license back. they have been suspended twice and now revoked. this was in aug 2011.