2bnitenurse4ever

Try psych nursing... not exactly everyone's dream job... Do your 1 to 2 years of experience and then cross train into med surg.

I am sorry, but all I can say is that out of my graduating class of December 2011, only three people are working at a hospital. This is out of 50 students. My best friend in our class, who graduated with a 3.8 and speaks/reads three languages is working as a 'Home Health' Nurse... She has up to 3 appointments a day, drives 40+ miles to get to her job sites (no gas reimbursement), if the patient is home, she will make $40 or so for the assessment, if the person is not home, she gets a whopping $20. And the most she can hope to do as far as procedures goes, is to do a blood pressure. And what makes it even more interesting is that SHE IS LUCKY TO HAVE A JOB IN NURSING, being that >70% of our class is unemployed. I hate to sound preachy, but, be thankful for what you have. It is easier to get through the day if you think about what you have instead of what you don't have.

Thank you for posting! I have 10+ years of sobriety and just recieved my denial of licensure...in the appeal process now...

Hello tiredmommy... right now as it stands, I will be appealing the decision of the BRN to deny my license knowing that I will be lucky to have a restricted license at the end of the journey...which will make it even harder (and currently it is already PLENTY hard to get hired as a new grad nurse) to get a job...Honestly, had I known what was in store for me from the beginning, I may not have pursued my AA in nursing. I would have chosen something else in the medical field that does not have anything to do with passing out meds,as this seems to be their biggest beef with me. I will tell you though, that nursing school was a HUGE sacrifice, not just for me, but my family as well...and judging by your name, you have a family as well. I spent 5 years getting my AA 3 of which I went to school part time due to having a family...and the 2 years in the program was nothing short of hellish..and at the end of it all, after 10+years of being clean and sober, graduating Magna Cum Laude, etc, the best thing I can hope for is a restricted license with a couple years of probabtion...:eek:and worst case scenario is...well... NO license at all. I hope that in 5 years I can say, "Yeah it was worth it", but as it stands currently, I do not know. In hindsight, maybe I should have gone with Physical Therapy, or Respiratory Therapy, or something like that... (Also though, may I add that I am in California, and here, I have been told by many attorneys, the Board of Registered Nurses is very strict.) At any rate, what I would do if I were you is to talk to an attorney before you make a decision. There is a website that lists nurse attorneys..I would definitely use that resource. It is called the American Association of Nurse Attorneys. It is easy to search for a referral from there. Good luck!

Just got my letter of denial of licensure from CA BRN over my drug arrests and a disturbing the peace that were over 10 years old. Yes, I did everything I needed to do as well.... I have 240 volunteer hours, on the honor roll, sober for over 11 years. They say they take everything on a case by case basis, which to me, is unfair. The next step for me is to appeal, but the reality of it looks grim. I would not have pursued all these years of education if I would have known that this would happen to me. I am devastated.

I just got my letter of denial for licesnsure as an RN. I had a drug conviction, driving on a suspended license, and a disturbing the peace on my record, all of which is over 10 years old. I have over 11 years of sobriety, 240 hours of patient centered volunteer work (which I had earned awards of recognition), graduated RN program with honors, and have been working as CNA for about one year. I did all that was required of me when applying for licensure, such as get letters of character, certified court papers, letter of explanation, proof of rehabilitiation, etc...I graduated Dec. 2011 and just now got my letter of rejection. I am devasted.I know I have made some serious errors in my life, but I also know that I am a different person today. Moving forward, I am planning on hiring a nurse attorney...

If I am not mistaken, it is a very serious mistake you have made by saying you have no criminal convictions.

I was advised by an attorney to apply for my licesnse and start my career in another state... I was told that it is much harder here in CA than any other state to get licensed with a criminal background, but I am married with children and cannot just up and leave. Given the sporifice job opportunities for new grad nurses here in CA, if I could, I WOULD move to another state...but for me, it is not so easy. Good luck to us all!

I am in the same boat... please keep us updated!

I have some criminal convictions from 2001 that were more serious than your charges...(BTW I live in CA)... you can get CNA certificate...just be honest from the beginning... I was able to challenge the CNA test after first semester of RN school, and on the application for the NA license, it asked if I had any prior convictions, in which I said yes.... I had no problem getting my CNA... I am currently awaiting my Aproval to Take Test from the BRN so I can sit for the NCLEX-RN... This is going to be way harder to get... I am sitting on pins and needles... Well good luck to you!

In the same boat... Please keep us updated!

I am also in the same boat... I have over 10 years of sobriety and the last time I was in trouble with the law was in 2001... I am also a CA resident... I submitted my package of necessary materials with my application back in the beginning of February... I am awaiting my ATT letter (approval to take test)...and hopefully I will get it. I just wish that there would be a better guideline from the beginning other that 'case by case basis'....currently I work full time as a CNA (love my job!), and I had no problem getting that... JUST SO NERVOUS...please keep us updated.