Bianca0206

@Marie2021 I’m sorry you’re going through that!! That makes no sense that you would be put through this type of punishment. Did you get put on probation or diversion?

@Kmnurse21 sorry for the late response! Absolutely you can! It has been a crazy experience so far! I would be more than happy to answer any questions! @Nursenurse45 I took an 18 panel hair test last October

@Nurse1980 I’m so sorry you’re going through this, but let me just say, you have landed on the right group of nurses. We have all bonded and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We will try and help you navigate through this process as best as possible!

@Kpp1234 I just sent you a private message!

@Kpp1234 Yes please email me!! Do you have my email?

@PNGrad2001 hey!! So, I never went to a hearing, but I got pretty close! If they determine you need probation from your conviction then it rolls over onto the next license is what my understanding is. I don’t really know the whole situation (what the offense was, how many total you have had, etc..) so it’s hard to make a determination of what could potentially happen. I’m also in California as well. Please keep us updated on how it goes!

Is the wasted narcotic error back in August what got you on probation? Or was that a violation while on probation?

@mississippiRN71 I believe I commented on it just now! Hopefully that was the right one!

Hi!! I saw your comment on my post and came here to comment on this one as you asked. I hope this is the right post!! Anyways, if you didn’t receive any type of violation notice from the BRN, which they send as an email, then I think you are likely okay. They can’t send your file back to the DAG unless they first send you a violation notice as I understood it. As long as you reported it to your monitor within the 72 hour allotted time frame, you technically didn’t violate. As hard as the BRN is, they understand things like losing a job does happen! There is always the possibility that the BRN will find this as distasteful, but that is more so between you and the employer. If it wouldn’t have been reported to the BRN if you weren’t on probation, it likely will not be now. I’m unsure regarding the elderly abuse but that seems like a stretch. I also wouldn’t put it past the board either. Hope that helps!

Hey guys!! I thought I would stop in for another brief update!! I have been on probation for 5 months so far, and everything was going great! The testing can get tedious due to having to go 3-5 times a month, but for the most part, it works well. Up until October 21st when I got the scariest phone call of my life from a MDO at first lab! They said I popped positive for codeine, and I do NOT take anything! Not even ibuprofen! We went through things I had eaten and came to find it was probably a bagel I had eaten (an everything bagel). I didn’t even believe that it could register a positive result because I had only eaten 4 over the course of a week, but it did! They broke my test down through a process called GCMS which breaks down the concentration levels. They could see my levels were low but told me unfortunately, there is no test that can say “hey this was a bagel!”...no ***. so I got a call from my monitor and the next day I was given a violation notice. 7 days to respond to their notice or my license would be gone. They asked for an account of what happened, and a plan of action on how I was going to prove my innocence. I went straight to offering to take a hair test as it goes back 90 days and would cover the time they were saying I tested positive which was my October 16th test. I didn’t hear anything for a few days and then the Monday I was supposed to work; I got chosen for a 214$ “Special test” at concentra. They don’t tell you the place or time. You have to call fssolutions and ask at 8am, but at that time I would have already been at work, and they can send you an hour away in any direction. I chose to miss work, and go do my test which took, get this, EIGHT hours! The whole week I was worried about losing my license. I knew this had to go perfect or they would send it back to the DAG, and it would sit under investigation for 8 months. I just got my license last June ? well, I passed, obviously, but they make you feel like you did something wrong even when you didn’t. I was treated like some fiend by my monitor who could not offer me any type of recommendations or help in this process. My probation monitor is a real peach if you know what I mean LOL. Anyways, aside from that little slip, which still counted as a violation even though it was a food product (it gets listed on your violation as a food), it has been going well. I’m almost 6 months in, and will update when I file to come down on my supervision and get quarterly work performance evaluations. if anyone has any questions do not hesitate to ask!

@Moriah absolutely! My email is listed in the comments above! We actually all formulated a big group chat with each other, and we talk almost every single day. We bounce ideas off of one another, keep each other updated, and eventually are going to try to establish some changes in the probationary process as well. Recently, I tested positive for codeine and about lost my (sh*t) because I have not touched anything in over 10 years. I was eating everything bagels and so for anyone wondering...they DO cause a positive test through first lab! The BRN sent me a violation notice, and almost ceased my license. I volunteered to get a hair test and prove them wrong and I did. However, I feel like I have a lot of knowledge going forward and would love to share some of that with anyone who asks! Feel free to email me!

@Elliebeanlovesmisterbubbles hi!! I’m sorry it took so long to respond! I didn’t even see your comment!! Can you email me? It would be so much faster!! Let me know where in the process you are!

@Laurarichardson2003 yes please do!!

@Rodger you as well! Testing has been a nightmare for me so far. Just because I seem to work on the days they want to test me, and my work schedule is 0700-1930 with a 30 min break, and testing during break is damn near impossible! I hope it’s going better for you!!

I found one too in Dana Point, 400$ for all 4 forms as well! I go Friday!! Thank you!

Hi everyone!! I wanted to give an update, since they are so few and far in between. I have been working as a registered nurse for one month, and have also been on probation for one month as of today!! All of the things you THINK would stress you out during probation, are not really the stressors once you begin probation. Well not for me anyways. I accepted stipulations 1-19, with a rule out of the suspension clause. None of those stipulations have proven to be hard except the drug testing. Once in my nurse support group, I was able to find all of the resources I needed to be able to complete the mental health exam, physical exam, rehabilitation rule out, and therapy rule out. This was actually quite easy, and I would suggest not wasting the money to do it before actually beginning probation since the BRN won’t take it into account, and you’ll have to spend the money to do it twice. Same with drug testing. The best thing I did was get my foot in the door as a unit secretary before applying for my license. I transitioned into my nursing job well, and I have heard that finding a job on probation can be quite the pain. The reason drug testing is the worst for me, isn’t due to staying clean. I have been clean for 8 years. It is getting chosen to test while at work. I am being drug tested about once every 3-5 days right now, and many of those days land on my 0700-1930 shift. I have a 30 minute lunch break and the closest place to my job is 10 min away. This leaves me only 10 minutes to test, and get back to my patients on time. If there is any glitch in the system (when I went last week their credit card machine broke and I had no cash on me), then it will leave you abandoning your patients until you get the test done. It took me an hour ? luckily, my job has been understanding up till this point, but I worry since this is just the beginning. I can’t go after work right now because most places (they use urgent cares) they are first lab approved close at 5pm due to Covid. This has been a real challenge, and my probation monitor (nor any other) are understanding to this. If you miss a test, then you violate and they send you a letter to cease practice, along with your employer, until further notice. Luckily, this hasn’t happened to me yet. Once you actually get on probation, your monitor goes over everything with you including each stipulation, and really makes you feel at ease about the other stipulations. After doing most of the stipulations; I now only have left the 4 NCSBN classes they make you do, drug testing, 1 nurse support group a week, and 1 AA meeting a week. I hope this helps someone else out there!

@oneandonly I am a new nurse on probation as well! I start June 19th! If you have any recommendations please let me know! I’m most worried about the physical exam, because I’m pretty sure my PCP doesn’t have experience with addiction.

It does make a big difference!! I know with drug charges for LVNs who want to pursue their RN, the main reason they go on probation is because of passing narcs. For violent crimes, I’m not really sure how it works. I have seen people with 3 DUIs get no consequences, and I have seen people with 1 conviction get years of probation. A huge factor is the enforcement officer reviewing your case. If you’re in California look up AB2138. That passed, and goes into effect in June. My lawyer said that multiple offenders don’t apply to this bill, but I still think it is worth checking out. I also think it is worth the money to consult a lawyer before going into the program, but definitely not worth the money to spend 7-8,000$ on a lawyer after you have applied.

Hi!! Sorry I was on vacation for Memorial Day! The biggest thing I can tell you is this. They will never tell you no. They tell you it is circumstantial and each situation is different. You never know unless you apply. My convictions were 10-12 years old and I got slammed, even with a lawyer (which I personally in hindsight would not go back and hire if I could redo it). If you don’t mind waiting over a year after you graduate, and you don’t mind possibly being on 5-10 years probation (I haven’t seen a violent crime get 3 years) then I say go for it! It depends on what you are willing to accept. After nursing school, when you do apply and are at that step, come back here and write me and I will help you through the process with the detailed letter, and application. Don’t give up! I said from the very beginning I wouldn’t let them tell me no, and I didn’t. Due to waiting a year; I didn’t want to go to court. The administrative hearings are rough and the judge can only make a recommendation, the BRN will always have the final say. Hope this helps!!

@Dg90339 also, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!! Going through this process is scary! I can go into further detail on why I accepted probation as well if you want me to.

@Dg90339 I did not ? unfortunately I got 3 years probation and hopefully will be starting soon. I signed my stipulated agreement on March 4th 2020.

@ESRN35 Yes of course!! My email is [email protected] feel free to email me; I would love to pick your brain on everything! Thank you!!

@ESRN35 I am in the exact same boat as you! I signed my stipulated agreement March 4th and took terms 1-19 for 3 years probation. When you got your order and decision, did they assign you a probation monitor with it? Also, does your license go into effect May 15th? Will you have to complete a mental health exam and physical exam? Just trying to find out exactly what happened for you so I can guess how mine will go. What day did you sign your stipulated agreement if you don’t mind me asking. Thank you so much!

@Chevelle2366 that is part of the probation requirements. I did do 6 months of drug testing on my own through a third party called Affinity Health, but the BRN didn’t count it towards my probation so it was a waste in that sense, but I feel it helped me get my overall amount of probation time reduced. I had like 40 letters from people of all over. Military, other doctors and nurses I work with, directors of nursing, family...they still wanted a short (3 years is short for them ?) probation. I got stipulations 1-19 but they ruled out the suspension clause so I can start work before getting the mental health evaluation and addiction evaluation done. So I got 18 stipulations. When they send me the info to my probation monitor he will determine the severity of the probation with all of the evidence that had been submitted. I’m just waiting for that point. I’m not gonna lie to you it is a very long grueling process and it is very humbling. At least it was for me because I am a unit secretary under my fellow classmates who are now nurses working on the same unit as me. ??? in July of this year they are passing a bill to ease some charges so you may get lucky there! Everything on mine was expunged.

@Chevelle2366 I appealed June 21st, I got my ATT July 9th, I tested August 10th (all 2019), I got my statement of issues dec 7th, and I signed 3 years probation on March 4th. I originally turned in all of my arrest records (I had 4 too) a letter of detailed description, court approved documents and hired a lawyer. Honestly, I could have probably done this without her. The results are pretty much the same when you have that many convictions. I hired her because through all of the stress and tears; I didn’t want to have to worry about sending in official documents of response on top of everything else. I worked at a hospital 4 years prior to all of this as a unit secretary so I have a job in the ICU/DOU waiting for me and they have already approved my probation. I am now just waiting for them to send me the letter that says “your license goes into effect...” they say from the time you sign your stipulated agreement to the time they post your license can be 30-90 days and from there the letter will be posted 30 days out from the day you get it to be able to sign up with probation and get ready to start. With the COVID stuff the BRN told me there is a backlog of stuff they’re trying to get to, so it could be longer, but I should be starting as a nurse, FINALLY, in June or July. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me! The process is lengthy and hard, but I’m almost at the finish line now!