lookatheflowers

Ha! Thanks, I knew someone would get the reference;)

Congrats on your clean time and I'm so happy to hear there are people that can be forgiving. I know it won't be easy for me and I knew this going in. As long as I know it's possible! I am determined and have been through one obstacle after another, but just take them as they come.

I just posted a thread on this same topic. I am in your exact same shoes now. I start nursing this fall and am currently on suboxone. I thought I had a couple of more months to come off but my physical is due in a few weeks. I've been trying to come off but there's no way I can come off in that short of a time period. I didn't want this in my school record, but I cannot put school off another year, since it's only one program a year. I'm thinking of just coming off with what I have left and be sick for the summer, Idk. Then it's dealing with the BON when I'm finished school. Are you going to tell your BON about your past history or no? I've been clean for over 10 years, was on methadone maintenance for 8 and then suboxone for 2. I would be too scared to lie in case in caught up to me, but don't want to have any restrictions either. I think I'm going to call my BON and ask about past history of abuse. Good Luck to you. I believe everyone deserves a second chance.

Thanks, but what is a stimulative program? Will I more than likely have restrictions on my license or just be monitored with drug tests, etc? I can take drug tests with no problem, go through whatever hoops I have to. I would just rather not start off as a new nurse with a restriction on my license. I haven't used in over 10 years, I can back that up with drug tests and counselor recommedations.

I've read this forum for a couple of years now about past abuse and criminal records and there are so many nurses that divert while practicing and I've seen where many get to keep their license or they may be suspended a bit with stipulations or restrictions. Isn't that a second chance?

I do have an arrest record. A conviction from 1996. No drug related charges, but I do have two DUI's. One in 2002 and the other in 2003. I've been clean since 2004. And then from a period of 2002-2004 or 05 I have a few minor things that were dismissed (completely false by a vindictive person that led to my rough period between 2002-2004). I've just been trying to do everything right for the past 10 years. I've straightened up my life, been clean, gotten my license back and decided to go back to school. I've made straight A's since going back, something I've never done in my life. And I'm so excited about starting nursing in the fall. I don't want to lie about anything, but I'm just scared I'll have restrictions on my license or have a stigma attached even though I haven't used in years or cannot even start this fall because of the suboxone I'm currently on.

Does anyone have experience with the NC BON and past substance history? I've been clean for the past 10 years, was on the Methadone program for 8 and have been on suboxone for the past 2 years. I start nursing this fall and have got to turn in my physical forms and do a 12 panel drug test in the next 3 weeks. I have been tapering off suboxone hoping to be off before this was due, thinking it would be a least a couple of more months. But there's no way I can be off in 3 weeks. So I guess my questions are, can me being on suboxone prevent me from going to nursing school and if I do come off before I graduate what will happen at the NC BON regarding past abuse? Will I have restrictions on my license (which I def don't want) or since it was so long ago will I be cleared with no restrictions?

I think NC would be a good choice. I live in NC and there are several nursing programs around me. Just in the Raleigh-Durham area there are many community colleges and universities close by. There are also many teaching hospitals around and medical schools, Chapel Hill, Duke, NC State, etc. Since I don't know what prerequisites you have had, they may differ from school to school so you still may need another class or two to better your chances. If you want to go into the medical field period this is a great area, there are colleges, hospitals, and doctor's offices on every other corner just about. And I know several people from different schools that applied and got accepted their first try into nursing.

Wow..can I ask what was the arrest? I am currently taking classes to prepare for the nursing program and getting a little worried about my background.