"Rant"HOMELESS,sober,working RN. or "Can serenity feed you when your hungry?"

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Specializes in Heart Team, Ortho, Cosmetics, Recovery.

Keep coming back it works if you work it...... I hope so but I am having doubts. I have been sober 4 years after a dui in California landed me in hot water. Now I have lost my house and my dignity. Here in CA we have to pay for our own drug screens costing me $130 a piece and can be sent on as many as 30 per month! I have been sent on 11 in 30 days myself. This same board is staffed by NON NURSES with only 30 hours of training who deny EXPERIENCED SOBER NURSES jobs out of ignorance or malice. Today I had my 3rd job offer in 2.5 years shot down after 12 weeks of limbo. They sent me on 7 drug tests last month because of the job application. It was all I had, could borrow and beg:down:.

Sorry to whine but I'm working full time as an office assistant and part time at an abortion clinic, the only job the BRN would approve:( and I'm trying to get comfortable sleeping in my car by a U haul rental store that I'm "borrowing" wifi from.

I needed to vent, if you think you have it bad you don't It can and does get much worse. Keep your head held high and if you see a nurse pan handling outside a First Lab test site throw her a few bucks and a clean 5 blade razor...:lurking: A good razor is a luxury you loose early on in the becoming a member of the working poor. Any tips would be welcome both on how to get by as a newly homeless not eligible for services or on how to bring down this BRN gestapo we have here in CA!

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

I'm glad it wasn't just me feeling like that at times! The only reason I didn't lose my house is that I was living in a rental house my dad owned. The only job I could find was working at Subway restaurant M - F from 12 noon to 1 pm.

I had a really hard time finding a nursing job for quite a while.

When I ran out of grocery money, I asked my minister at church about how I could find help. He gave me 5 "sack lunches" they handed out, which had a pkg of crackers, 1 plg of applesauce, and a can of Vienna sausages.

I felt like such a POS through all that, and was DO happy when I finally found a nursing position that would work around my stipulations.

Anne, RNC.

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Hugs, and praying for both of you along with others in similar situations. I'm sorry you and others go through these conditions when all you're trying to do is get a leg up after making things right.

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HI Hon: Yea, CA sux. They came after me after I got a DUI in OR (now dismissed) and my CA license has expired. I am finished with 2 yrOR probation in a few weeks and CA probation for 3 more years is starting. I do not want to return to CA for 3 years of he**. Heard it's brutal trying to find a job there and I dont want to return for exactly the painful reason you are posting.I took probation out of fear afraid of voluntary surrender or god forbid revocation as you are turned into the federal exclusion lists. I was homeless for 8 months until I could get a job here in OR. A horrible time. Lost my car too, so rotated on people's couches. I did get Medicaid and food stamps and did my mandated outpatient treatment at the County Mental Health...sucked. In OR I finally got a job at a really bad nursing home, then got another, then the acute care job I have now. I hitched to work, slept on a couch with dogs and kids. It was the hardest time of my life. How can the BON'S think this will help in our "rehabilitation???"

Don't drink or use even if your as* falls off... (((((hugs))))) and keep us posted...

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

What part of Ca are you living in - If in the area of the West San Gabriel Valley - I can give you a lead on a place that hires nurses in diversion and the BON is on board with this facility as well - I don't want to put their name on this public site so if you are interested just say so here and I will find a way to get the info to you.

Hppy

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

We are doing nurses (and MDs) a disservice by making the monitoring/recovery process so expensive and time consuming. There has got to be a better way- a program that both protects the public AND is actually focused on HELPING drug depending health care workers get back on their feet.

I am sorry. Your situation is unfair and sad, no matter what your past drug issues were.

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Who oversees the BRN in CA?

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hppygr8ful,

i am am moving to CA from NJ and will be looking for work. I can't PM yet, too new but would love a lead. I'm just starting nj monitoring program. Thanks

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OFSMIT: How are you doing since your original post? We care about YOU! Paid

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California has increased the amount of times tested in a month, it used to be 1-2 a month. now 7 per month why so much??

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