Please tell me your opinion

Nurses Recovery

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Specializes in trauma, ER, PACU, CCU/ICU, Management.

I interviewed for 2 positions last friday at the same hospital. THe nurse manager liked me and my resume, we really hit it off. Things we moving really along and she was talking about different shift I could work and etc. I told her that I was in the kare program and what my situation is now with recovery. She told me that since I worked there before (twice) with good service, she was going to bat for me. She told me that another nurse came and interviewed and that the person over HR would not let them hire her( she was also in the kare program). The HR statement was "why hire someone elses problem." Well today I get my letter saying there are no positions available for me there. I feel like I have the plague. Just needed to vent.:cry:

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Ah, crud. {{{power99}}}

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Specializes in ICU.

ohhhh mannn... I'm sorry. Even though it is blatant discrimination, it happens, and it happens a lot. I'm sorry that it happened to you. The only thing that I can say is to use this as a learning experience. Keep interviewing. There will be a place and a person that will hire you if you keep trying. Keep trying hard. Don't give up. Your job is out there, you just have to go through all the crap managers/interviews to get to it.:icon_hug:

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Specializes in Trauma/ER, Dialysis (yuck!).

"We turned our will and our life over to the God of our understanding"......

This wasn't his will! Keep your head up and know it is all part of a plan. Just don't use, do the next right thing and let your God figure out the rest! Good luck.

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Specializes in ER, LTC, MDS, Hospice.

The thing is that we try to move on, we try to put the past behind us, and we try to do the next right thing. The problem is that others don't see that. All they see is the PAST! It sucks! There are too many people out there who are biased and judgemental. But it is NOT a reason to use or to drink. Prayers are with you and I agree with the others that God has a plan. Best of Luck!

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Specializes in Impaired Nurse Advocate, CRNA, ER,.
The thing is that we try to move on, we try to put the past behind us, and we try to do the next right thing. The problem is that others don't see that. All they see is the PAST! It sucks! There are too many people out there who are biased and judgemental. But it is NOT a reason to use or to drink. Prayers are with you and I agree with the others that God has a plan. Best of Luck!

This post is for information only. I'm not advising you to do anything, just letting you know where to find information about dealing with possible discrimination as a result of your status as a recovering health care professional.

The stigma and discrimination by society is understandable since they don't receive education about the disease. The fact that the health care community's view of addiction and recovery is no different than the lay community is appalling, unprofessional, and unethical. Many potential employers know recovering nurses are dealing with shame and guilt because of the The Americans with Disabilities Act is designed to provide protection and a method of obtaining things they did while their disease was active. They have no problem using that shame and guilt to refuse to hire a nurse even though they are qualified for the position and are in documented recovery. Making statements such as, "I don't think we can work with your consent agreement" or, "The job opening isn't really a good fit for someone with your history (or in recovery)" are not only stupid...they are discriminatory. If you believe you have been discriminated against because you are in recovery you may have recourse. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is charged with investigating these occurrences. You can seek a consultation with the EEOC free of charge. If they determine there is merit to your complaint they will file a lawsuit and/or assist with mediation, or you can choose to file a suit.

I'm not an attorney. I'm posting this because most nurses aren't aware that they have these types of protections available. I'm not saying you have a case or should pursue any actions against this hospital, just that there is a course of action you can take if you feel there may have been discrimination because you're a recovering individual. Click on the link above for more information regarding the EEOC and to find the office in your area.

The bottom line is only YOU can decide how you want to proceed. There is a tendency by the recovering community to say pursuing legal action is somehow dangerous to your recovery or is a sign that your program of recovery isn't as solid as it should be. That's a bunch of hogwash. A sign of healthy recovery is your willingness to not accept the stigma and discrimination associated with this disease and/or recovery, and the willingness to stand up for your rights.

Good luck with your job hunt! You're not evil or less qualified than any other nurse because of this disease. Hold your head up and look people straight in the eye. People who hold these outdated, unscientific views regarding addiction are the idiots, not you!

Jack

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Specializes in ER, LTC, MDS, Hospice.

Thank you for your post, Jackstem. I am not aware of a lot of places who can be of assistance....as I have been finding out. I will check it out.

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