catmom1 BSN, RN

Hi LPN85, I am an RN in recovery and have walked in similar shoes to yours. You are NOT alone! I have been coming to this forum since 2006 but unfortunately, there isn't a lot of posting here as there was when I was starting out. Here's m...

I have been a poster here in the "nurses in recovery" forum for many years and unfortunately it appears to be dying off for lack of participation. The good news is there should be an absolute TREASURE TROVE of excellent information and personali...

Hi fellow nurses in recovery! I used to come to this forum quite a bit when I was going through my six years of license probation that has left me with a permanent black mark. My state never lets us evil addicts off the hook so my career was destro...

Would you care to update on your situation? I understand if you don't want to but please know that there is support here from folks who have been through all you are experiencing (and MORE) and lived to tell the tale. Good luck!

This is the understatement of my day! I know this is a terrible situation for the OP, but I had to laugh at the idea of going before the BON and saying: "Sure I lied on my license renewal, but who hasn't?" OMG the expressions on the board members'...

Hi hbpa2021, Similar to my state of Nebraska, Ohio has one of the most punitive programs for nurses with disciplinary action on their licenses. The only way for you to get a real answer to your question is to consult an administrative law attorney w...

Hi OhioFNP, I live in Nebraska where any transgressions related to addiction leave the nurse with a permanent black mark. My career was destroyed by this consequence. I wish you the best in your journey.

Thanks to all who responded to my first post here. I used to prowl the recovery forum here at least once a day, but I hadn't checked back here since the beginning of August. I am glad to know that even though I am not active here any more, I have ki...

OP needs a lawyer with expertise in administrative law, which is different from criminal law if you want to try to keep your license. That being said, because my state makes sure I have a "black mark" on my license for the rest of my life, no matter ...

My career was completely destroyed when I "diverted" drugs at my first nursing job 20 years ago. Just within the last month, I had a company turn their nose up at me because of my "black mark." Do those fools have any idea what I went through to ge...

Thanks for your comment. Just recently, I had to reapply to a contract job I have had for five years because the company was bought out by a bigger one. They did a background check, e-verify, and a urine drug screen. During that last one, I had to ...

I will go to my grave bitter as hell at my destroyed career. I have been through with the daily call-ins that lasted SIX YEARS since 2012. I was never able to get a decent job because I have a permanent black mark from one mistake that I made durin...

I heartily agree with this sentiment. And you can be sure that I am one of those "destroyed nurses." I diverted oxycodone in 2000, have been clean since 2004 with a so-called "unencumbered" license but the black mark is forever in my state. I manag...

"They" don't have to justify anything. My nursing career was destroyed even AFTER I completed six years of monitoring because I have a permanent black mark on my license. Employers with decent jobs want no part of "my kind." If I had to do it ove...

I just noticed this old post & wanted to correct my mistake. My license has been unencumbered since 2012 NOT 2016!

I asked my case manager this question back when I was being monitored. She told me that it was a myth that getting dental work done with a local anesthetic would cause a false positive for cocaine. I got the work done with no problems.

When I got in trouble back in 2000 with the BON, I foolishly admitted everything, thinking I would get "help." Instead, my career was ruined in spite of me following every single requirement of my five year probation, which took me six years to comp...

I am thinking they'd test for it to verify compliance, i.e. to be sure that the monitored person was taking the Vivitrol as ordered.

I must be getting better with the shame thing that caused me to stay away from nursing for over five years after my license suspension was up. I applied for a nurse case manager (MDS) position in a fancy schmancy nursing home in my area. This has be...

I am not sure which post you are replying to, RNOTODAY, but I was the OP on this thread. I never did get a full time job with benefits but am making a living doing contract jobs that pay enough to allow survival. I wish I could have found a hiring m...

Just reading this thread has me itching literally everywhere! Argh...

My first thought was that the OP had some kind of personal insecurity about being a nurse (I assume he/she is a nurse but there is no educational info on the profile). The reference to nonexistent "name calling" seems to support my hypothesis. If I ...

This isn't exactly a saying but an idea that keeps me off the window ledge if I am threatening to go to a bad emotional place because I got "the shaft" in several areas of my life, including nursing. Well, I guess it IS a saying, lol: "Everyone has a...

I am in the process of reading the article linked in your first post. Thank you for this thought- provoking material. :) Catmom :paw:

Wow SNB1014 said a mouthful! The only comment I have to add to her outstanding post is that anger is always a cover for hurt or fear and I am sure your husband is feeling both things since you have relapsed. Take care, OP, and know that you are NOT ...