What will you say to future prospective employers when you're done?

Nurses Recovery

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When I first started with my monitoring program (TPAPN), I fully expected to take advantage of the privacy benefits that keeps all my records and participation in TPAPN private when I got ready to look for a new job. I planned to come up with some lie about why I got fired, since I know all my previous employer will say when called for verification is the start/end dates of my employment and whether or not I was eligible for rehire (that would be a no, since I was caught diverting). I figured I would say something like "I had a difference of opinion with my manager", or something like that.

As the time has gone on, I've become less and less concerned about hiding my participation in TPAPN. It's part of who I am, and what I've gone through, and I've worked hard. However, I don't want to sabotage my chance at a new job. I know how hard it was to get a job in the first place, after getting fired and starting monitoring, so I'm not sure I want to admit to any of that when I talk to a recruiter. I hate lying though, it stresses me and brings back all the shame I felt at the beginning. Maybe I could be "vague" rather than lie?

My plan when I'm done with TPAPN is to look for a travel nursing job. My specialty is ER, and I work in a small freestanding ER right now. With so many travel nurse recruiting agencies out there, I think it's unlikely I'll come across a recruiter who has heard about my background so I really don't think I would have to admit to ever having been in monitoring.

What do you all plan to say about your time in your monitoring program, when this is all over and you're looking for a new job?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

First!

I jumped right away to answer this when I saw this. The day I finished my 4 years 3 months I immediately applied to my dream job. Since my particular program is when you are finished all records are destroyed.

So, I have no obligation to tell anyone. I had this mental memory instilled in me because I practiced it...if anyone from my past brings it up I will, with a flat affect, just state that was a long time ago. I don't owe anyone an explanation, especially since I am still in recovery. I am heading towards 8 years, no etoh, no mind-altering substances, no nothing.

I'm sorry if I am making this sound easy, it was a lot of meditation and relaxing. I did not want to have deer in the headlights look when I see someone from my past. Good luck to you!!!

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Specializes in OR.

My thing, unfortunately is plastered all over my license forever. That it was inappropriate and occurred through pure laziness/carelessness in several aspects is not relevant at this moment. At the beginning, I split my wig over it being on my license and out in the public domain (right to privacy in exchange for following all their rules? Hah!) As time has gone on, i have realized that nobody cares. If your license is valid and has no marks on it and you are past the torture of these programs, then put it behind you. If asked about the gap in employment, i use the personal health reason. If like me, it's there for the rest of time....and I am in the position of having to interview, I say nothing unless directly asked and i respond that it was a particularly bad time in my life that I have put behind me and can assure that it does not reflect my ability to perform well at the job. If an employer wants to make a no hire decision based on something that far in the past, it is likely not someone I care to work for.

Also i suspect that recovery/mental health etc. in people's background is far more common than we might think, even if not all are pushed through these programs.

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Unfortunately being in TPAPN (currently) You have to disclose everything to your employer. Your case manager has to approve of the job before you can even begin, and you have to have quarterly meetings with the case manager and employer. It sucks but it is all part of who we are. Let's not let this define who we are now, but how we are going to get through this ! Good luck to you.

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When it's all said and done, you don't ever have to tell anyone that you were in monitoring before. :)

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