HenryBood

SOme great feedback here and I agree with the comments! The thing is, no one really likes vomit. I have gagged myself. I have vomited myself at the sight, sound, smell of some of the things I am experiencing. But the thing is, I try not to make the patient feel uncomfortable because the whole process of not only being a patient is vulnerable, but so is the process of having someone clean up after us. Wear a face mask and put a little dab of essential oils in it. Mouth breathe. Think the sooner this is cleaned up the sooner it will be over. Pre-medicate the patient to avoid nausea/vomiting if possible. And I would like to say that you get used to it over time, but shoot, I have been a nurse for over 10 years and I don't think I am. I just think of how grateful to be on this side of it. Good luck, don't let it stop you, don't only delegate it out to CNA's because that will make them not want to help you in the future, know there are many avenues for a nurse who does not perform bedside care, and know that this is only a small part of a very fulfilling career.

Thank you everyone for your feedback! SO appreciated!

Best of luck with this- a nurse who thinks they know everything to the point of not asking for help can potentially be dangerous.

While it does take time to acclimate to this new and somewhat unnatural schedule, you will after time. I think it is important that even if you are tired, you make the time to work out- this will help you feel better and sleep better. I also know that the days off are also a struggle as you are getting used to this. Best of luck.

Thank you for that input- very appreciated. So it does seem like a true two weeks for the onboarding process. Is there anything I should be aware of/cautious for regarding this process? While I have nothing to hide, I cannot help but feel nervous. Did they do a credit check?

Oh, one more thing. You have been through a lot. There are many nurses, medical professionals, and just people in general who could really relate to you and your story. When you do become a nurse, your background and your clinical training could uniquely qualify you to advocate for others in similar circumstances, so being a detox/recovery nurse may be a field well suited for you. Again, best of luck, and you have a lot to look forward to.

Hi, First of all, congratulations for working towards both your dreams of nursing, and even more so for your recovery. I agree with most of these posts here- you really should not be practicing while you are tapering off. For more reasons than just a dirty UDS. You really need to have that spiritual fitness of recovery well in place. Also, I do also recommend you look into your BON. If you have done any out/in pt treatment, see what the stipulations are on reporting this. Lying on this can cause problems down the road. And also, there are so many options in the nursing field, and a lot that do not involve medication administration, such as dialysis nursing, administration, case management, insurance companies, utilization review, etc. I urge you to avoid hospice or critical care as these have a lot of autonomy with medications that could pose a threat to your own well-being. Being a nurse involves the ability for one to be able to have a good self-care program and coping mechanisms in place- a deficit in any of these can be deadly to people like us who are in recovery. I too am in recovery, almost lost my license, and am now on probation with the BON. I would love for you to avoid the path I have taken. Nursing is a privilege, and is a wonderful profession, and I get the feeling that you do honor that very much. Best of luck for you.

OK- thank you for your input.

Hi everyone! I was hoping for some feedback on the Davita "Onboarding" process. I accepted a position, as was informed that the onboarding takes about 2 weeks. I guess this involves a background check, education and employment verification... does anyone have any insight on this? The timeline seems a bit undependable to me- I need to give my 2 weeks to my current employer and just do not want to be without a paycheck for that long or too overbooked. Any insight, feedback, tips on any of this would be greatly appreciated. And, may I add, I am so excited for this new position! Thanks!

Great responses, great post. I think that your integrity and conscience are the backbone of what makes a nurse a Good nurse. Everyone makes mistakes, and you following through to report a near miss could stop the next nurse from making the same mistake- especially a mistake as easy and as common to occur. That is how policy and procedure and best practice is constructed- from the making and thus following through on incidents such as this.

Thank you for your input! Very helpful!

Hi Matt987, I just saw your comment since I have not logged in in quite awhile. So, still here, still restricted. Still no luck in either the job front nor school. Just hoping for a break somewhere. How are you?

Hello rnstl- Wow, I can really relate to your debacle. I myself am based in Oregon and have been a nurse for over 10 years, 5 of which was ED. About 15 months ago, I self-reported to the BON for medication diversion, among other discrepancies, and faced a 6 month investigation. Yes, our offenses were different, but similar and I can really relate. Also, I appreciate we are dealing with completely different boards here, but I will tell you some of my experiences and insight. First of all, I self-reported to the BON almost immediately, and took time to collect myself before reaching out to others. I needed that. I t was very public, embarrassing, and rocked my self-identity and self-perception to the core. I entered out pt treatment within the next week, and attended 12 step meetings and kept a log of those meetings. In my experience, the board likes to see some motivation and accountability. I am not in way inferring that you have any substance abuse issues, but since it was a substance that incurred this situation, I wonder if that will be required or recommended to you. I also called a bunch of helplines reaching out for any assistance. Throughout my 6 months investigation, I was very forthright and cooperative, and initiated a lot of the communication on my own to see where I was at. Fortunately, I had a great investigator who I did not feel was out to get me. However, I was frequently reminded that the BON investigators and the BON themselves are to protect the safety and welfare of the public and not necessarily the nurses themselves. I am now on probation with the BON for 36 months, and am having a difficult time moving forward in my nursing career to be quite honest. I do appreciate the seriousness that you view this situation. I think that says a lot about you and your character, and I sincerely wish you the best of luck. As Esme12 says, you are not the first and you are not the last. I would like to add, you are not alone in this. Good job reaching out. HenryBood

Oh, Esme12- I had originally posted this thread in the College section but I think it was moved to the criminally charged nurse section by the moderators(?) I would imagine.. again thanks for your response.

Hi Esme12- Thanks for your response. I, too, have come to the same conclusion. No nursing education prospects for me, unfortunately, which ties in well with the limited job prospects. Of course, admittedly, all my doing and no one else's. Just frustrated. Fortunately, however, I do not have any criminal charges against me.