jacquie44

I know that feeling of not having my fit. I know there is no excuse for my behavior, but I believe that unhappiness definitely aided the problem. If you are not happy, my advice is to go back to whatever that thing was that made you really happy, and do that. If that doesn't work, move onto something else. We need you and there are too many things we can do to be unhappy in a job. Sometimes all it takes is some soul searching. Good luck, and thanks for the words of encouragement. I never knew that someone like me could ever earn the love of my peers like this! You guys are the greatest!:redbeathe

I will do that. THANKS!!

thanks for the added encouragement. I successfully re-obtained my license back in the summer and I am having a blast! I am in a program, and I am doing fine. I am relocating in a month to work my lifelong dream of Labor and Delivery. I am so thankful and appreciative of this site, and particularly this thread. I would have never began the process had I not seen this. I hope Robigayle is doing great because her honesty gave me back my career. I had to take tests, a refresher course, and ultimately spent about $2000 to get my license back. However, those were small hurdles to jump compared to how happy I am now being back where I should be. I will definitely keep check on this thread. If my words and experience can help anyone, then I want to do that.

I'm sorry to hear about your dilemma. My experience has been this: that you cannot run from whatever the problem is. You may get away with working in TX for a while, but when they catch up with you, it's going to be worse. Please, if the problem is fixable, handle that. Your honesty alone will help you. I hope you find success and get everything straightened out. I tried to do what you are suggesting, and found that I just got in trouble wherever I went because I did not deal with my underlying issue. I hope this helps and I will be looking out for your comments. I am fully reinstated and working now, all because of the advice and encouragement found in this thread! Good Luck.

Hey everyone! Just wanted to give you guys an update. I followed some suggestions and now I have two job offers. I went to a rehabilitation hospital for ortho/neuro patients. Thanks for all of the words of encouragement and advice.

That's an idea that I had not heard of. Thanks...I will look into it. Good luck to you too.

You are right...the refresher course did me no good with getting a job. I have applied to a couple of places for new grads. There's not many of those though. I will look into the doctor's office today. Keep the suggestions coming. This is exactly what I need! There are jobs out there, I just have to find one! Thanks again for all of your help.

I'm not saying that there are no jobs...just no one will give me a chance. I know that I sat out for nine years, but I have to get a job before I can do anything. I have applied at all of the places you have mentioned, and I agree I probably need to start out slow...I would be more comfortable with that anyway. The question I am asking is where do I look? I am not from Nashville, and therefore I don't know the places that some of you do. That's what I need help with. And about the nursing homes, all of the RN positions were management. That's what got me into this mess is management! At this point, I need clinical experience. Thanks for all of your help.

I'm in Nashville, but I can commute if necessary. I remember quite a lot, but I just need a good orientation. You know, just hang out with someone for a few weeks until it all comes back. I have applied for all types of positions, however no luck yet. What else do I need to do?

Hi everybody. I am an RN with over 8 years experience in ER/ICU/MED SURG. I left nursing for about nine years, and I now want to return to clinical nursing. I am finding that this is no easy task! I have taken a refresher course, as is required by my Board, and I have recertified in both BLS and ACLS. No one is giving me a chance, and all of the nursing agencies require clinical nursing within the last year. I thought of nursing homes (not really what I want to do), but RN's in the nursing home is usually management, and I want clinical experience. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, that would be great.

For anyone who has lived through addiction, it is not as easy as it would seem. Not to be making excuses (because in reality, there are none), my problem startes with insomnia. I would medicate to try to sleep. I was working nights in ICU, and was simply unable to turn my brain off to get some sleep. I have now been sober for five years, and I wish that I had never got myself into this situation. This is a widespread problems with widespread reasons. Nothing validates this behavior, but please try to have a little compassion!

First of all, let me say thank you to all of you, but especially RobiGayle. I too live in Tennessee and lost my license a few years ago due to my addiction to prescription meds. It has been a long hard road for me too, but I have been clean for about five years as well. I was so ashamed that I had let myself get to such a place, I slipped into my depression AFTER I lost my license. Well, it took two years to recover from that; then I had to go through trying to rebuild my life. How does a nurse do that?? Nursing is what we were born to do! I have reinvented myself twice, and I have done pretty well. I have been thinking about how to go about fixing this, but my fear of the process was just too great. I miss feeling like I am making a difference when I come home every day. All I can say is that I really feel incomplete because nursing was my life. Thank you RobiGayle so much for putting your experience into words for me. I read your experience and cried my eyes out. I know now that there is hope for me to get my life back after I messed it up so badly. I have been wanting to call the BON for about six months now, but I have not had the strength...not until today. I know that this process may not be easy, but it's necessary to be healed, right? I have read all of the comments here, and I know that this is why we do what we do. You guys are great, and I hope that one day I can earn the right to be considered one of you again. Any words of help at this point would be greatly appreciated.