ohio board alternative program

Unfortunately I am not employed but have had MANY similar experiences during interviews. Witnessing someone go from excited to horrified in less than a nano second is truly a shocking experience! Before I became so discouraged and depressed about the whole job thing, I used to joke that at least I had one thing going for me - I held the world's record for "shortest job interview". Now it's not so funny. I have been clean and sober 3 years and am also wondering how many more times I can stand being treated like a leper before I just go back to school and start fresh in another career. You might try any former employers or networking thru AA/NA contacts. I attend a weekly AA meeting especially for nurses and none of them are employed either. I wonder what happens to the nurses that do achieve success re-entering our profession during the Alternative Program - I am certain there are many out there.

I also am experiencing the same as you and the others that have posted. Been in the program 18 months and still struggling to find employment. I assume that all have the same restriction of 6 months on the job without passing meds. Does not give me a warm feeling when I see that you, 3 years into the program, and not having any luck. What can we do!!! What have others done to find emplyment? Need some helpful hints. Please post and and all success stories, we all need to see a bright spot.

I feel you on the new career possibility. Even without the narc restrc, it seems like anyone in HR is looking at it from the perspective of "Do I want everyone to know I hired a drug addict to work for us???". Of course, it's always vocalized in a very professional, tactful, "keep up the good work, but, not here!" kind of way which is, although slighly encouraging, still unbearably depressing at points.

It seems to me it should work the opposite way that it really does. Like, look: I get random drug testing up to 20x a year, at least you KNOW I won't be using, unlike every other nurse that walks in here, passes a pre employment urine, then does as they please. But then again, I never manage to present that in an interview. The pressure is on and I just start blurting out all these 'restrictions and requirements' of my situation and it never sounds like a positive thing. It usually goes something like:

"Oh, those gaps in my employment history? Well....(pulls out list of guidelines)... see, I kinda got screwed up on drugs a few years ago and well, I can't pass narcs, etc. etc." That's a slight exxageration but the basic points are the same.

So, yeah, it's a daily battle with me just going to work if what I'm doing is even worth it.

oh, I also wanted to ask, where is this AA meeting for nurses? I know of nothing like that around where I live, But I don't mind a drive every once in a while.

I would imagine the liability of hiring an addicted nurse is tremendous -what if something happened to a patient and there was any sort of investigation. Wouldn't the lawyers love to get wind of the fact that an addict had some hand in the care of that patient?? Heads would roll!! So, yea I can see why we aren't getting hired. And Im sure these HR people have had some bad experiences with the addicted- either personally, with a family member or via our over dramatized media. Either way, I feel like we are seen as drug crazed fiends. And I can't blame them for running....even if it makes me mad. OK, enough whine with the grapes already?? What can we do to get a job...here are the suggestions I have been given- call you local AA/NA office and find a group for nurses or healthcare professionals. There are 2 groups in my area, neither of which was published in the standard booklet containing meeting times/locations. Network there. Seek out relationships with others in the healthcare field and get the word out that you are looking for a job. Get numbers of other nurses, pharmacists etc. and start talking. To everyone! If you haven't burnt the bridge with a former employer due to your use- contact them. Offer to work part time or for less pay. Just come out and beg ( just kidding!). My nursing monitor at the OBN said positions such as case manager, admission nurse, discharge nurse and wound nurse were also good. Another option is working in a non nursing position - such as a nursing assist. And letting them see the kind of work you do and hoping they will hire you once they see you ARENT a fiend. The other option is to go back to school or just find a rich boyfriend/husband( ha! Ha!). Wonder if you have to have an active nursing license to get a degree in healthcare management or nurse informatics? Does anyone know?

Like the idea of the support group madeup of healthcare professionals. Does anyone know of such a group(s) in the Dayton area?

Hey, just bumpin this post for someone but figured I'd update incase anyone is curious or needing inspiration for their job search.

I've been working as a STNA at a LTC facility for a little over a year and they just offered me a part time LPN position. It's only 1-2 twelves a week but it's a start.

Jott, your mention of 'starting fresh in another career' was taken seriously by me! I'm getting ready to send in my OSU application, I'm considering majoring in either aerospace engineering or physics.

To be honest, I think this whole mess with my nursing license was the kick in the back I needed! I went to LPN school for, what I now recognize to be, the wrong reasons(money and short education, mostly), not because I really wanted to be a nurse.

It's quite interesting when I look at my past, actually. I was looking up my high school transcripts and ran into those 'career planner' sheets we had to fill out in high school. I had such high hopes for myself before I got into drugs: Career Goals for freshman year "Air force, PhD in astrophysics, work for NASA" to a "NONE" after I started getting high. I didn't even fill them out the last couple years after that. And my GPA, ack! Dropped 1.5 points after I started smoking. If I had only known then... ah well, live, learn, and move on!

Saltwater

Im so glad to hear your having success! Your post was my first smile of the day! Keep the good news coming!

I have been the supervisor/board report update person for a handful of nurses in the program. What questions are you seeking information about?

renerian

I've been in the program for over 2 yrs. I feel that the program is set up to push the participate out of nursing. I recently had a job offer ; yet due to my previous employer not getting there information in prior to the review my job request was unable to be reviewed. Is it required for the Board to have a statement from the previous employer to review the new job offer. The next review of pending job offers was to be in 2 weeks. Understandably the employer had to fill the position. I've had to start over again with my job seach. I'm in a financial crisis and feel I swimming against a strong current. I've always have felt when I come to the end of my rope to tie a knot in it and hang on. I now feel that knot is well greased and I'll be plumiting soon.

I am also in the Alternative Program.

I have been compliant with the program; yet I've had 2 jods in the 15 months ( 1 lasted a year + the second one lasted 3 months ) . I feel there's a subconscience discrimination from supervisors/ managers and a few co-workers that lead to a negative preception of my job preformance regardless of how reliable nor how well I do my job. I'm very frustrated

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Are you in the program. Any advice on how to survive + complete it sucessfully?

I'm actually on the dicsiplinary side with the BON ... before being accepted to the alternative program, I had a positive (false positive!) urine in treatment. I had a bad cold - and asked my drug counselor if i could take psudafed ... she said yes. Tested + for amphetamines ... Honestly, I NEVER used amphetamines - I used things to make me sleep. I've come to a point in my recovery - where it's ok. Maybe I need that long term reminder. No one would have been looking for amphetamines had I not used drugs in the first place ... just accepting and rolling with it all ... not picking up. I have 7 1/2 montsh clean and sober - and life is good. There's a LOT of hoops to jusm through with the BON ... but they are doing their job --- and it's not to be my firend or make this easy on us ... it's to protect the public! We need to remember that we've placed our selves under the microscope - it's one of the consequences we need to accept - and welcome.

If you're looking for a job - the red cross is wonderful about hiring us naughty nurses!! I'm just doing blood drives - keeping some of my phlebo skills current - after all I got a little TOO good with a needle. But they also have nursing positions that meet the boards requirements for holding a nursing position while being restricted from passing narcs.