JMWalker

Hello fellow recovering nurses and those who support us! I have been clean and sober 8 1/2 years (yesterday, in fact!) and my license was reinstated in 2005 with permanant narcotic and work restrictions. I have had 2 jobs since re-entry, one in hemodialysis and the other in LTC. I was terminated from the LTC job in August 2010 for an unfortunate lapse in judgement that had nothing to do with nursing. I posted a comment on a social networking site that apparently violated company policy and was fired. I take responsibility for this error and have learned a valuable lesson. I have been actively seeking employment ever since and have been on at least 15 interviews. Several potential employers would have been willing to accommodate my narc restriction but it is a felony drug conviction from 1998 that repeatedly bites me in the rear. I consulted the attorney who represented me in that case but unfortunately it cannot be expunged as I have misdemeanor drug charges incurred after that which precludes me. The LTC facility I used to work at never permormed a background check on me to the best of my knowledge, so that is probably why I got that job. It is my understanding that the Ohio Revised Code prohibits convicted felons from working in many nursing/medical positions. So you can understand my growing frustration and sadness. I can certainly understand violent felons or those who engaged in elder abuse being prohibited from working in nursing but a non-violent, low degree drug charge?? I am banging my forehead against the wall and feel judged for who I USED to be, not who I am now. It took an enormous amount of effort not only to get sober but also get my RN License reinstated. I am starting to wonder if all the work I did to return to nursing was a huge waste of time. I have considered changing careers and pursuing drug/etoh counseling but again, I don't know if my felony conviction would prevent that as well. In the meantime, my husband and I now receive food stamps and our daughter is on Medicaid. I need a job to help support my family but feel like I am spinning my wheels and am very discouraged. His income alone is not enough to support the 3 of us. Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading :)

I feel I should respond to the posts I've read thus far on this topic. I am a recovering opiate addict and, yes folks, a nurse. But I no longer label myself with anything...I am just me. I have over 3 years clean and sober, but not before losing literally everything to my addiction, including my RN license. Should nurses know better? Probably. But as has been stated, addiction does not discriminate and that demon could care less what you do for a living or how 'smart' you are. I graduated at the top of my class and became a lick-the-floor sick junkie. Now, however, after an IMMENSE amount of work, therapy, faith and quite simply, a will to live, I will be having my license reinstated in July and I am thrilled. My plans are to work in chemical dependency as I know all too well the horrors of this disease. My hope is that my peers will not judge me on who I was, but rather on who I am and what I can become.

Good Grief! You are right on the money! The titles after his name, in my opinion, are evidence of insecurity if he feels the need to add them on a message board!

:balloons: Thank you all for your well wishes, support and honest personal experiences!! My eyes teared up reading your responses. I am obviously not alone. :) What are your thoughts about resume submission, specifically, should I include my restrictions on my resume or cover letter? Or 'drop the bomb' as it were once I am called in for an interview? I haven't hit the bricks looking for a nursing position since 1997 so consequently feel a bit rusty. My plans are to relocate to Columbus, OH in an effort to broaden my playing field. Additionally, should I include my non-nursing work since leaving practice on my resume? I have been a waitress for the past two years. Here's a personal bittersweet recovery story you all might appreciate....When I was 16 months sober, my mother died of Alzheimer's Disease. It was a long, wretched passing. I am the youngest of six and really put my mom through hell in my active addiction. My brother and I were blessed to be present when she died. When the funeral home came to collect her body, the funeral director encouraged all six of us to place something personal in the casket with her, if we wished. Then it hit me....I will give her my one-year sobriety coin!! The morning of the funeral, I did just that, kissing her forehead and whispering, "I promise you, mom." I wanted her to know I was getting my life back and planned on staying clean. Now I feel like she's cheering me on as I work towards getting my RN license reinstated!! Jeannie

Thanks to all who have responded thus far. I am appreciative for your insights. I am seriously considering pursuing chemical dependency as a career choice. After all, I have been there and know all too well the horrors of drug addiction. And obviously, nurses are not 'above' becoming addicts! It is a disease. Never in a million years did I think it would happen to me, but it did. Now I feel empowered, not impaired.

Hello all, thanks for reading. I am a 35 y/o inactive RN from Ohio. I graduated from an ADN program in 1991 and practiced until 1998. I diverted narcs from my employer in 1996, was offered treatment in lieu of conviction, but in actuality my disease was just getting started. So, long story short, I have a felony conviction, lost my license and continued along this self-destructive path until 2002. I am happy to report that I have been clean and sober since 5-1-02. After about a year clean, I scratched my head and wondered if I could return to nursing and what steps I needed to take to attain that goal. Now, 2 years later, I have done an immense amount of work and submitted stacks of paperwork to the OBN to demonstrate my desire to return to active practice. I have been offered an consent agreement w/ the Board and, if all goes as planned, will have a probationary license reinstated in July! I will have permanent narcotic and practice restrictions, as well I should. My reason for this post is simple....I am wanting to hear from other nurses who've been through this process or are currently, to get advice about how to proceed w/ interviews, etc, what jobs would be 'recovery friendly' and how peers treated them. My hands sweat when I think about telling a potential employer about my past but I am confident that, eventually, I will be hired. I feel like a different woman than the one who used IV narcs thanks to the 12 step program, God and my family. If I can get clean, anyone can! God bless! Jeannie

I am an inactive RN recovering from chemical dependency with over 3 years clean and sober. I have petitioned the OBN for license reinstatement and if all goes well, I will be granted a probationary license in July. I am finding it challenging to 'network' with other recovering nurses and could use some guidance regarding practice re-entry, thoughts about career choices, etc. My plan is to relocate to Columbus upon reinstatement. Anyone know of any 'recovery friendly' opportunities? Thanks for reading!