iceangelred86

I'm in recovery (although not in TNPAP) and recently started a job at an inpatient drug detox facility. I know they hire nurses there that have restrictions. Perhaps you could try something like that.

Nurseash- I was so happy to see this thread! I'm in a somewhat similar situation to your own. I graduated nursing school in August of 2012 and ended up in a long term drug and alcohol rehab shortly thereafter due to my poor choices. Now I'm out and was offered a job at a local inpatient detox. I admit to being super nervous about the position but being an addict myself (with 13 months clean) I feel like I will be able to relate to and hopefully make a positive impact on the patient there. Best of luck!

Thank to those of you who have responded. Just by way of an update, the day after I posted this I actually landed an interview at a detox/rehab center in my area. I met with the nurse manager and told him my story. He was incredibly sympathetic and told me that they have a few nurses who work there that are in recovery. He offered my a job on a PRN basis. It was very encouraging.

Here's my story...I've been in recovery for a little over a year now. I graduated from LPN school in August of 2012. I was in my first week of orientation at a long term care facility when I was arrested for a controlled substance DUI and subsequently drug tested and fired from my job. I actually managed to land a job at another long term care facility shortly after that, but I was still a mess and ended up quitting it after only 3 days of orientation. Long story short I ended up in long term rehab (14 months). I graduated from the rehab this past December and am now looking for a nursing job (I still have my license free and clear). The only "nursing experience" I have is having worked as CNA for two years prior to obtaining my LPN license. I am looking for any advice as to how go about explaining the long period of time without employment, and I guess just how to go about looking for/obtaining a job. I'm at a little bit of a loss right now. Thanks in advance.

I am an LPN currently in recovery. I was arrested for a Tier 3 DUI (Driving under the influence of a controlled substance almost a year ago. I was subsequently drug tested and terminated from my job at a long term care facility. I was placed in a first time offenders program and am currently about halfway through that. I managed to get a job in another long term care facility about a month after my termination from the previous facility without a problem. I was just honest with them and outlined the steps I was taking toward recovery (I have maintained sobriety since then). I wish you the best in your job search!

I too was fired from a nursing job, and that was after having only worked as an LPN for a couple of weeks. I too knew exactly why I was fired. To say I was heartbroken is an understatement. After a couple of weeks of moping and questioning whether I should even be a nurse, I decided to pick myself back up and keep on going. I applied at every healthcare facility in the area, and within a day had a callback for an interview. One week and two interviews later I was hired! The approach I decided to take was one of complete honesty. During my first interview the question came up as to whether I had ever been terminated from a job. I was completely honest and explained to them exactly why I was fired, and the steps I was willing to take to learn from my mistake, given the opportunity to do so. It worked! I am sharing this story if only to give you courage that it is possible to find another job!

I for feel that I will. However, I have several classmates who have told me that they don't like their clinicals and don't think that they will like nursing either, but are sticking with it because they know there will be plenty of job opportunities when they graduate, and they should make "ok" money. I can't figure out why you would waste the time and money to go into a career that you feel you will hate. Does anyone here fell the same way? And if so, why are you being so masochistic?

OK seriously, dipping during clinical?? Did they get away with that?

Yes, fortunately I can take the course again next fall. My instructors actually all really want me to come back, as I was doing well overall, I just had a really bad day. They even told me they think I have the capabilities of being a very good clinical leader next fall for those who have not yet been there (It was our first semester of Med Surg). It still bites, but life goes on, and I'm trying very hard to see positives.

Well, I met with the director of nursing here, and she was very kind about everything, and told me that they want me back next fall (and all I can think of is $$). I did share things from my perspective, and she was very respectful and listened to what I had to say. As far as the 0700 insulin goes, she clarified for me that normally night shift does give insulin, but that for this particular patient was to receive it immediately after breakfast. This made sense to me, but either this was no reported to me, or I just completely overlooked it, because I don't remember this at all. All in all, I do realize I made some mistakes, thankfully they weren't fatal, and I've definitely learned from them. It makes me feel good that my instructors have told me that I'm very capable, and they all want me to come back in the fall. So, I may just take the next semester off and work, and then be back next fall, and hopefully do a lot better. Thanks everyone for your responses.

I will need to repeat the whole course next fall (Yea, the school I go to doesn't offer it in the spring). I'm just devastated because nothing like this has happened to me before, and my clinical was actually going quite well up to this point. Live and learn I guess. I think as far as the insulin goes, the thing I find funny is that my roommate is also in nursing school with me, and he has his clinical the same day that I do. He told me he has never, ever given the 0700 insulin, nor has he even checked on it and they were told the same thing that we were, that night shift has given it. But, yes, I do understand that I should have checked this anyway.

On a positive note. Thank you so much for being so supportive when I failed my Med-Surg course due to a med error. It means the world to me that even people who I did not get along with stood up for me. Thank you.

So here's my situation. I failed my clinical on Monday. First of all, we get on the floor at my clinical site at 6:30 AM. I had a patient with 0700 Insulin to give. Last week a nurse on the floor told me that all 0700 meds are given by night shift, and not to worry about them. Three weeks ago, my instructor told me the same thing. Monday, one of the patients I was to care for had an 0700 insulin, but I assumed night shift gave it, based on what I was told in previous weeks, and did not worry about it. Well, it wasn't given, I found out around 900, and then gave it over 2 hours late. I was told this was my fault. Maybe it was. I don't think so. The shift proceeded, and I was passing 1400 meds. As I was scanning them to give to a patient, I scanned Reglan (Which was IV Push), and it said that the order changed, so my instructor told me to set it aside and give the rest of the meds. I had to hang a piggyback, which I did, and the IV pump started acting up. My instructor was trying to figure out what was wrong, and told me to go ahead an pass the rest of the meds. I did this, and accidentaly grabbed the Reglan as well. I verbalized that I was passing it. My instructor didn't say anything, So I went ahead and gave it (Yes, I should have remembered but she didn't say anything). I was going to flush the line one last time, and she realized what I had done, and freaked out. I asked her if she heard me verbalize that I was passing it, and she said no. So, I went and threw up. I knew it was over. The order change was only that it was to be given PO rather than IV Push. I immediately told the nurse, and she was like oh, it's not big deal don't worry about it. I talked to another older nurse on the unit, and she said yea, you messed up, but that shouldn't fail you. Well, she was wrong. So now, I'm just wondering what you all think. Yes, I made a med error. Yes, I should have made sure my instructor heard me before I passed it, but lately they've been encouraging us to be really proactive, and just go ahead and do things on our own. I assumed because she didn't say anything that it was ok to give. I really don't feel like the 0700 insulin was my fault, based on what I had been told previously, but the other mistake may have been. I just am having a hard time believing that failed me. I'm going to meet with the director of nursing tomorrow to talk about it. I don't know what to do!!

It doesn't matter who your parents are, or how bad you want to be a nurse, if you fail, YOU FAIL!! Your parents calling your instructor the chew them out because YOU couldn't meet the grade requirements should not and will not help!!