Nursing after alcohol?

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I have recently decided to leave my career in IT and pursue my degree in nursing. After looking at the application process I realized that I had to get a declatory order from the state board in order to be accepted to my chosen program. The reason is because I have been treated for alcoholism is the past. Anyone have any experience with this? How long must one be sober in order for them to pass you? Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Unless your treatment was a consequence of/related to events that are going to show up on a background check (e.g., DUI, Public Intoxication, etc), I would advise against disclosure. If you opted for treatment voluntarily, in order to deal with your addiction, it is just as confidential as any other any other type of health care record. It will not be accessible in a background check.

However, if any substance abuse events are going to appear on your background check, you will want to disclose the treatment to provide evidence that you have taken substantive steps to overcome the problem.

Wishing you all the best on your career change.

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It was voluntary and I can't think of any events related to it. I've never had any legal issues. So the treatment facility is not allowed to disclose that I was there? That's good to know.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Moving to the Nurses/Recovery forum--a lot more of the posters there have been in similar watercraft as you.

HIPAA should protect your time in the treatment facility, so unless you sign a release of information, they can't share anything.

However, a lot of BONs ask the question, "Have you ever been treated..." The BON wants the truth, naturally.

I won't tell you to say "Yes" or "No" because that is a question that YOU have to decide how to answer. I know nurses who have undergone treatment for substance abuse and who answered "Yes." And I know nurses who have undergone treatment for substance abuse and who answered "No." And they understood the potential implications of answering either way.

So however you decide to answer the question, be prepared to address any potential repercussions from your choice.

As far as length of sobriety goes, I'm not aware of a specific timeline, but IMO the longer you're sober, the better...because nothing says more about a person's recovery than their actual clean time.

Best of luck.

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

The big consequence of lying - and this has happened, I've read it in BON reports - is that if you were to come to the BON's attention for something like a relapse and they also find out that you lied the first time around, they'll probably yank your license.

But if you disclose, even if you get into your nursing program and graduate, you run the risk of being slapped with a probationary license and a 5 year monitoring contract which you don't want.

Both of those are worst case scenarios.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I agree with everyone. Be honest, however, if there is nothing that shows like on a background check the BON does NOT need to know. You're just protecting yourself. Do yourself a favor pay for a background check on yourself. Your treatment is yours and yours alone. My reply is short and lacking a lot of other "stuff", you're going to have to do more research on what you disclose on how it benefits you now and how your answers may affect you in the future. Good luck!!!

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