BelleRN50

I've spoke to about 10 and they all require unencumbered licenses. I have doctors willing to let me do clinicals with them. I can't get past admissions. I'm currently working as an RN with few stipulations and I'd be off probation before graduation. Still, no go.

Does anyone know of an online college that will accept an RN with an encumbered license? I am currently working as an RN. I have completed 3 years of probation and have 2 years left. I would like to be working on my MSN during this time.

One month. It was either surrender my license or appear before the board. My state doesn't have an alternative program. while you are waiting, you might consider getting into treatment or attending AA/NA (and getting a signatures). It will not only look good, it can also help you begin the road to a better life. Good luck.

Congrats! Thank you for sharing hope with us. I'm 6 months into 5 years of probation with 3 1/2 years clean and sober. It's wonderful to hear positive things showing hard work does pay off. Trudging along!

Emergent, I applaud you making a tough choice and doing the right thing. Being turned in for diversion was my greatest fear for several years. I honestly don't know why it never happened. I was caught when I overdosed one night at work. Looking back, I wish someone had alerted pharmacy, management, or anyone else who could have stopped me. I don't know for sure if it would have changed the course of my life in a positive way, but I do know for sure it would have given me a chance, an opportunity. As it happened, I just kept getting sicker and sicker, thinking I could never stop, but also wanting desperately for the pain to end. I'm sure the wonderful nurses I worked with had suspicions, I'm sure they struggled with the same decision you made. I also feel that they were torn between liking me and not wanting to harm my future and doing the correct thing. What they didn't know, was that not turning me in harmed me worse............I still have a very tough time even thinking about how horribly our patients could have been harmed. I am not minimizing that aspect at all. We ARE there for the patients, bottom line. Just turning someone in for spite, a vague suspicion, or a personal vendetta is horribly wrong. Turning someone in for unsafe practice and/or strong signs of diversion is the ethical, moral, legal, and right thing to do. There will be a thorough investigation. If wrongdoing is found, there will be punishment. But, most importantly, it will not only prevent harm to innocent patients, but give this nurse a chance to get their life together. I'm sorry you and others are put in this difficult position. Just know that with the situation you described, you absolutely did the right thing. From everything you have posted in this thread, you are obviously a kind, caring, and compassionate person. Take care of yourself, you deserve it. Go talk to someone, get help to deal with your feelings. You did the nurse and the public a favor.

I have only posted once. But, something about your post touched me. I have been where you are now. No, not exactly the same, but the fear and feelings are the same for all of us despite our exact circumstances. I unfortunately didn't self-report, but was caught diverting. I immediately surrendered my license and vowed never to be a nurse again. I simply wasn't done. After spending 3 years trying/waiting to die, I finally gave up the fight. I checked in to Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and began attending NA and AA meetings. Attending meetings was a mixture of emotions for me. I both felt like an outsider and that I was exactly where I belonged. I had never been to jail, hadn't lost everything, nor done some of the things others had done. But, I HAD lost myself to my addiction. I heard people share the crazy thoughts and behavior I had lived for many years. I was was told two key things that helped me in the beginning. 1. Keep coming back. and 2. Take what you need and leave the rest. I had lived (actually just existed) with drugs and alcohol for so many years that I honestly didn't believe I could function without them. But, the truth was, I wasn't functioning with them. I had to learn a new way of life. The people in those rooms taught me this. I found that despite our different backgrounds and experiences, we did have one thing in common......addiction. So, I listened and learned. It took me a while, but I finally started opening up to people and discovered such understanding and love freely given it was amazing. In the beginning, I learned to not only take it one day at a time, but sometimes it was one minute at a time. I learned that however I was feeling at any given moment could and would change as long as I didn't use. Things began to to get better, I learned how to function and enjoy life without drugs and alcohol. I learned coping skills that I'd never had and how to apply them. You've made a big step admitting you have a problem and also posting here for support. Just keep doing the next right thing. If you don't know what that is, ask. There are people who care and will be willing to help. one last thing. Another thing that really helped me early on and to this day is gratitude. I was engrossed in negativity. When I made myself look at what I did have vs. what I didn't have, it helped immensely. Good luck and God bless. You can do this.

I don't have a review yet. I started it today. I will be doing my clinicals in a local nursing home. (Central AR) I would suggest trying nursing homes, networking with previous employers and/or coworkers, just going and asking. Good luck!