Recovering Nurses

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]:yelclap: Just wanting to know if there are any recovering nurses out there?? Share some of your stories c another recovering RN.

I am an RN with 7 years of sobriety. I'm sorry this is so long but I want to share my experience, strength and hope. I had used marijuana as a teenager but stayed away from the "hard" drugs mostly due to the fact that they scared the hell out me. I was an older student when I entered nursing school. I was serious about doing well in school and getting my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. As anyone who has gone to nursing school knows, it's very stressful. When my fellow students went out for drinks and to decompress, I usually didn't join them as I didn't like alcohol very much. I did though, start using marijuana again occassionally for relaxation purposes. This caused a LOT of discord between my significant other (who eventually became my husband) and me. After graduation I got a fantastic position in a specialty unit and I worked very hard to learn as much as I could, I was a sponge!!! I had been working for about a year when I noticed my unit didn't keep close track of narcotics. Patients used to bring narcs from home and these were not counted:eek:? I began helping myself to pills which I took at work because I discovered that narcs had a paradoxical effect on me. I became SUPER NURSE :uhoh3: Eventually they stopped working very well and I graduated to helping myself to the leftover IV push meds that I was supposed to waste with another nurse. As I stated earlier, this unit was very lax and I took advantage of that. Most of the other nurses just said, "I trust you." At first I used the meds IM but I soon learned to inject them IV. Of course my addiction quickly got out of control and I was caught. I was allowed to resign and I was not reported to the BON. :confused: I went to another facility, immediately started what I was doing before and was caught after only 3 months. This tme I was terminated and reported to the BON. It was also time for me to renew and in my paperwork from the state, there was info regarding a new program for impaired nurses. I met with the director and signed a 5 year monitoring agreement. Because I couldn't have patient contact for 2 years, I worked outside of nursing. Unfortunately, I was still in significant denial, so I didn't work a program of recovery. I just went through the motions. I went back to nursing after 2 years and only made it 2 years before I relapsed! What a suprise :smackingf I self reported, so I only received an additional year on my original contract but of course I was terminated. I continued to work at various nursing jobs, continued to be in denial so again I relapsed after 2 years:banghead: This time there were serious consequenses. My license was suspended and I was charged with a felony :crying2: I was blessed this time because I finally surrendered and I was able to enter a rehab facility for impaired professionals. I began to work a REAL program of recovery :yeah:I was eventually able to get my felony reduced to a misdemeanor after community service and probation. I signed a new recovery monitoring agreement, got my license back on a probationary status. I was able to get a nursing job but I still had a lot of anger issues so I was terminated basically for being ****** to my supervisor, how's that for gratitude? Again I was VERY fortunate to find another job in nursing but again I lost my job because of ego, how's that for humility? After being unemployed for 15 months, I was hired by a VERY understanding DON. Because I obviously learn very slow, I was asked to resign due to being a "loose cannon." So here I am now out of work and unemployable. I was able to get my license back to an active staus despite all the terminations so I decided to relocate after visiting my family in a southern state which has a severe nursing shortage. I was able to obtain my nursing license which was not as hard as I thought but suprise, suprise, I am having the same problem, being unemployable. I guess the purpose of this too long narrative of my history is to ask for suggestions as to what to do? I'm really struggling, depressed, not going to meetings, not even leaving the house unless I have to. If anyone has ideas, I'm open to trying almost anything. Thanks

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hi all.. i live in CT and i am a lPN.. i did not divert. thank god i would never do that..but i was reported to the state because the place i worked at accused me of being under the influence??? the problem is i am a ex drug addice and the dtate had found out..i do not have my license taken away but i wonder what to say to people that i get interviewed by. i know the truth prevails but i dont think someone will want to hire someone that has a drug history. i would love to get some feedback

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how did you find a job with that history..what did u say? please tell me how to start finding a new job

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Contact your state nursing organization to find an attorney who has experience in dealing with the BON. You do not want an attorney who might be great at criminal cases who has never dealt with the board or administrative law procedures.

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u really think i should get a lawyer?? what will they help with tho..the state is already putting a key restriction and 4 yrs probation on my license..so i sont know how much that would help

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Specializes in LTC, drug and alcohol rehab.
I am a recovering nurse who voluntarily surrendered my license in March 2007 for diverting pain meds. I am in the Alternative program in nevada, and will be getting my license, with conditions, back in November 2007. I will be monitored for 5 years. I have learned alot about the disease of addiction, and am in a good program. I am nervous about obtaining employment with my conditional license. I don't know who will hire a nurse with addiction issues. I am leaving it in God's hand. I have been an ICU/CCU nurse for 12 years, and I can't go back to that right now due to my issues with the BON. I will have to learn another area of the field, which is good. Any suggestions for employment out there?

You can go into Drug and Alcohol Rehab

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Specializes in LTC, drug and alcohol rehab.

Do you have a sponser, go to meetings, and reach out to those around you.

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i am in recovery and worked for 13 yrs prior to my license being suspended, i am in the process of relicensure and very anxious, but excited i cant wait to be in nursing again

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its hard to get started in recovery i have had my denial also but now they say i am in sustained remission, sounds good but will i get hired?I pray I can go back into nursing and help others recover from this illness of addiction, so many do no understand and instantly attack because of their own weakness, it scares them,I am hoping I can be patient and continue my career,,pray for me...thanks

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all u can do is take good care of yourself emotionally and physically, make sure u deal with any barrier issues and have a lot of support people.I have been in recover for 2 plus years now and going strong .I have had many obstacles and the only way to deal with it all is to step back and think before u act and definetely go over any schetchy areas in your recovery with your sponsor and recovery group, get ideas and finally, this is only temporary, it can be put into remission.

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Specializes in Impaired Nurse Advocate, CRNA, ER,.

Keep your recovery first and everything else will fall into place. Anything placed before recovery (job, marriage, children, house, etc.) will go away. It's like being on a jet plane without a pressurized cabin. Take off your oxygen mask and everything disappears pretty quickly (hypoxia has a way of doing that! :D). It's tough to be there for anyone else when you're falling apart because you're not remaining clean and serene.

Keep coming back!

Jack

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Yes.. I am in recovery and have been for three years

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