Hello everyone, and thank you for taking the time to read my post. I've viewed threads on here for years but never bothered to make an account. I am a 30 year old male located on Kentucky. As far back as I can remember; even as a child, I always wanted to be a nurse. My mother passed away shortly after I graduated from high school, so I was immediately thrown into the workforce, not by choice.
After graduating high school I found a local nursing home who offered free CNA training on exchange got working at their facility for 1 year. So I did it I ended up working as a CNA for about 3 years and absolutely loved it. I was constantly having to work overtime to make ends meet because the low wages I was being paid... I had no assistance financially with rent, bills, etc from family or anyone else. I always wanted to go into nursing school but at the time with my life and financial situation I was never able to attend school because I couldn't commit to a schedule.
After about 3 years in the field I got offered a position with AT&T paying about 3 times more than my CNA salary, so I of course took it. In doing so, I put my nursing dream on the back burner. I've since left AT&T and work for another great company who allow me to work from home and my schedule is very flexible.
During the process of all these life events I developed an opiate addiction. I had a lot of dental work done and was prescribed narcotics for the pain and ended up liking them a little too much. I eventually ended up getting stuff off the street. In the midst of all this my significant other basically gave me the option of getting treatment or parting ways.
I've been in a suboxin treatment center for over a year now. I have tapered down on my dose, and plan on continuing to do so. (Sorry for the rant)
I recently decided to apply for a LPN program at a local Career/Vocational center here. I took the pre entrance exam and passed. I got a an acceptance letter in the mail today (pending my background check, drug test and physical). I can either do an August or January program.
I have no criminal background, I'm pretty positive I'll do fine on the physical, but my concern is the drug screen. I am legitimately prescribed Suboxin by a medical doctor, I attend group and individual counseling sessions twice a week, every week.
I've not mentioned any of this to the school yet as it has not came up. Will being a Suboxin patient/in recovery prevent me from going to nursing school in Ohio?
I know suboxin is a crutch, I realize that. It's helped me so much though. I'm just not sure what to do at this point and would appreciate any feedback that I can get with how to approach this situation. I'm willing to do anything to be a nurse. Anything.
Thank you for your response. I'm on half (4mg) of a strip per day. I don't drug test until October if I do the January class. So, it's very possible that I could be off of the prescription by then.
I failed to mention in my previous post, I work 3 12 hour shifts per week with an 83 year old lady who is prescribed my drug of choice. (I've worked for her for years). Never once I have even considered taking her medication; even when I was sick and puking my guts up, it never crossed my mind. I would never take anything that isn't mine or that I haven't "purchased"
Sorry for the typos! However, I would like to take a moment and thank everyone for your replies. I could start the August class, however, I think I'm going to wait until January. I've spoken with my counselor whom I see twice a week, and our current goal is to have me off the subs by no later than late September. With the January class, I will not have to drug test until October, so this would work out perfect. Again, thanks to everyone who took the time to respond!
I think the BON would see you as addicted and depending in the state have a way to address it. The school might accept you but then the BON might have stipulations
Best to have a clean drug screen- at least that is what I think. Be interested in others thoughts. Best wishes for your recovery.
I agree. I live in a state where the schools must take you because you fall under ADA guidelines. However, the BON here calls it "impaired practice" and as long as someone is in a drug replacement program, they cannot work as a nurse. I live in an area that has one of the highest drug addiction rates in the country. The schools do not drug test you to get into the program, but you have to take one per the facility. The rule is, if you don't meet the requirements to work as a nurse in clinical, you cannot do clinicals as a student.
It is important that you speak with your instructors and find out what the requirements are before you invest into the program unless you plan to ask your physician to start weaning you off slowly.
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.
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.
You answer ONLY what the Board of Nursing requires on the application. If you come off of it and then never take it again, I have never heard of anyone having to report a history of being in a drug treatment program unless it was associated with your license in another state.
If you want to know what is on the application in the state, go ahead and pull it up.
Specializes in Special Education (children/adults).
I know someone that went through nursing school on methadone. Her test came up positive for it. She had to show the prescription. Nothing was mentioned about it again. This friend is currently a practicing LPN:)
I know someone that went through nursing school on methadone. Her test came up positive for it. She had to show the prescription. Nothing was mentioned about it again. This friend is currently a practicing LPN:)
But that all depends on what the facility requires.
The facilities in this area requires the results of a drug test. If they don't allow a nurse to work on methadone, they are not going to allow a student.
We don't know where the OP lives or what the facility requirements are. I completely believe the OP when they said they work with a lady that is on their drug of choice but have never considered taking it. To me, that tells me that the OP is on the other side of the problem.
If I were the OP I would apply later after weaning and I would wean slowly. Do not set back your progress to meet a deadline. It's a tough road, but you are on your way and I would stay on it.
MaleLPNStudent2
11 Posts
Thank you for your response. I'm on half (4mg) of a strip per day. I don't drug test until October if I do the January class. So, it's very possible that I could be off of the prescription by then.