PDRN

I was recently convicted of a federal drug felony, and even though I still have a restricted RN license, I am finding it impossible to find work. I am wondering if anyone has ever "gone into business" for themselves- I am planning on giving up my license, but I still have all of my same knowledge and skills as a licensed nurse. I know there have to be people who would be willing to pay for my skills / help in keeping a loved one or themselves at home. I am a critical care RN with heavy experience in hospice, ER. How would I even begin to see if there's a market? How would I market myself? There is no drug use in my past or present, I stole a vial of narcotic to help kill myself during Covid 3 years ago. I am back to baseline, but cannot find a regular nursing job. Thoughts?

I use them, they are super simple, and so convenient. You perform the test in front of your camera, upload the test, and then drop it in a fedex box at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for the food for thought! Very helpful! ?

Thank you for your comment- unfortunately, mine is a federal conviction, so guaranteed OIG list ?

Insurance and MedSpa are great ideas- LTC won't work, as the area I live in only has the one major health system that let me go in the first place because of the impending OIG list inclusion. They also run the local LTC facilities. But...thank you so much for the ideas!

I am a critical care RN with years of experience, who pled guilty to a federal felony diversion charge. I have been in my state's probation program with great results, and was practicing again. When I pled guilty I lost my job, as I will at some point wind up on the OIG Exclusion list (has not happened yet). I guess I am at a loss as to what to do. I still have my license, but because of the exclusion list I will not be able to be employed by any hospital or clinic that accepts federal funds for 5 years after I am placed on it. I don't want to give it up, but am kind of wondering what is the point of trying to keep it. Who would hire a felon, albeit one trying to redeem and reform? I am too young to retire, but too old to attempt a whole new career. This process has drained my retirement, so not working is not an option. I guess I'm looking for suggestions, if anyone has experience in this? Corrections? the felony would likely come into play. Kids, take care of that precious license...

I will be on the OIG exclusion list for 5 years starting in the near future, but am not losing my license. Has anyone had any success finding a job while on the list? What type of job? I can't work for any entity that accepts federal funding, ie: Medicare, Medicaid. I am limited to single state license as of now. Any help would be most welcome, because I just have no idea what to do. TIA!

I have a question- how soon after you were fond/ pled guilty did you get placed on the OIG? Is it an immediate thing, or does it take a bit?

I wound up tolling, it just bothers me that for the rest of my career I will need to admit my CA is subject to discipline.

I have a expired CA RN license, and am a resident of another state, disciplined in the state I reside. CA discovered the discipline, and has now offered me a settlement, but it can be tolled. Yes, I have an attorney, I'm just wondering what other's experiences might be?

My caseworker told me that they regularly monitor our state's prescription databank, whatever that means. I also had asked what if I did need a narcotic, as *** happens, and she said as long as there's a valid prescription and reason- I think they're focusing more on prescription forgery, perhaps?

I am thinking about quitting all of this BS. Leaving nursing behind. im 55, can’t retire. What else could I do, besides work at WalMart?

I am in my state’s assistance program for mental health issues that culminated in diversion, and am listed on the National Practitioners Database, I hold MN and CA licenses, too, but plan on surrendering CA. Since one desperate act has unlocked so many levels of hell as far as consenquences, I’m going to guess that doing so will affect keeping my compact and MN licenses? Like I’ll have to fly to the moon and obtain the virgin blood of the 5th grey stone every time I renew? Or they won’t allow me to renew? Anyone ever surrendered one license but tried to keep others? stellar career up to the point of insanity, for what it’s worth.

Last Sept I diverted a vial of Fentanyl to use in my suicide plan, did it on camera, didn’t give a ***. Last hour of last day of work. Recruiter called husband, who stopped me from finishing the job. I’m in a compact state, and am in that state’s discipline program, so far successfully. I also held CA and MN licenses, let them lapse, but like a *** didn’t surrender them. Came home today to a summons from the CA Atty General regarding not notifying the CA BON about my discipline. I suspect MN will follow the same route. I never plan on nursing in CA again, so will surrender most likely, but MN could be a different matter. I have found a perfect job where when I am able to practice under a compact license again, unfortunately I would also need a MN license. I’m going to (hopefully) beat MN to a summons by notifying them of my home state discipline, but then I’m sure I’ll be subject to a separate discipline specific to MN, as I’m sure them deferring to my home state would never happen. Sooooo, can anyone give insight into MN’s disciplinary program?

Share options, because I am having a hard time thinking of what else I would do...I'm also older and don't feel like I have the time to do a 180 on my career, but also am not sure I want to spend what few years I may have left under the BON's thumb.

I was thinking one of those laughs you make Siri do when you rename yourself hahahahahahahhehehehahahaha ?

I'm glad to hear you laugh, even if it's a weak, virtual laugh. like Haaaaaaaaaaahehehehehehahahahahaahahahahaaaa ?

TikTok was the only thing that kept me sane for a long time. I love to laugh, and that is the only thing that made me do so. People are so creative! I also was on Ambien at that time, my MD was kind and generous, and knew I had trouble sleeping, otherwise I wouldn't have slept either. Of course you'd be missed. Since this forum is anonymous, all we can do is encourage you to please, PLEASE take steps to help yourself. I am afraid for you, but also afraid of an error due to exhaustion, mentation that could affect a patient. Just step away for a bit, open up to someone trusted, call the suicide hotline at 800-273-8255. When I was forced to open up about what I was going through, my plan for self harm, I was confronted with so much kindness and understanding that it was almost surreal. I think at this point in time, it's almost expected that we critical care RNs are going to lose our collective *** / minds. There is a lot of help out there- One of my therapists equated what we've been through as a war, and we were the soldiers coming back from dealing with all those horrors. Unfortunately for us, that war just continues, and continues.

Other than an annoyed patient, I'm sure you did no harm. You'd be surprised where we inject in the ER when necessary- pretty much wherever we can if the patient is combative. To cover yourself, document what the provider said to you...or just remember for next time ?

If you do decide to report her, go to the BON, bypass hospital personnel or administration. Yuck...she sounds like a delight.

My bff got her RN to BSN through the University of Phoenix, and our state's CRNA program did indeed look down at a "online tech school" degree instead of a brick and mortar degree. They actually stated that, and she was in such disbelief she told anyone that would listen...they denied her, then let her in the next year. *rollseyes*

As a RN that worked many years at a critical access facility in western Montana, my advice would be get a staff position in a larger facility for a year or so, preferably ER ? to get bones in your feet, so to speak. These little hospitals in these beautiful communities sound lovely, but when you're the only RN on with an advanced practice provider (not even a MD) when there's a massive trauma, stroke, hiking accident (hypothermia, etc) you'll wish you had experience to back you up. I was a seasoned trauma / critical care RN, and if I hadn't been able to pretty much handle anything that came through those doors, the beautiful location wouldn't have meant much.

How did you get accepted into a FNP program with no nursing experience? I've never heard of such a thing! (edit: no snarkiness intended- I feel for you, how overwhelmed you must be.)

I am curious about this as well, I was an experienced travel RN before I lost my mind. The thing I worry about is that my name will show up on the National Practitioners Database, and I'm not sure if there's a way to get that removed.

(((hug))) I hear you. I think all of us critical care RNs hear you...your story is very much like mine, except I also continued to work in our ER (trauma RN) at the same time. I would tell terrified people I thought they were going to be OK, (I really did) only to come back to work the next shift to find they'd died, so I felt like a huge f*ing liar, then on the ER side everyone wanted to debate the virus and the vaccine, even if we had just diagnosed their loved one with Covid. I wound up developing PTSD, gaining 40 lbs I really had no room to gain, hating humanity, and diverting a narcotic with the intention to kill myself, I felt so hopeless. Do something before you get to the point I was. I diverted on camera, was caught, and am now in my state's PAP...which before this happened was a fate worse than death in my eyes, but has been the best thing that has happened to me. I didn't work for 6 months, (I understand that many don't have the means to do that, I realize how lucky I was), have undergone intensive counseling, no longer hate my fellow humans, and have found the perfect job for my situation. It's scary to think of life without being a nurse, but it might not be a bad idea to step away from the critical care for a bit. You can always go back, it won't affect your CRNA track. Just enough to clear your mind. Keep us updated. Seriously, I felt so alone. I don't want that for anyone.