Returning to work after incident

dagobah, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · May 22, 2019

Find another position. Clean slate.

Monkies, BSN · May 22, 2019

Yeah, a clean slate would be nice,. Trying to decide if I have the strength to "face the music" and return. It is, or was, a position I very much enjoyed, with amazing co-workers. I have been told they are holding my position pending the results of thr BON investigation, and am on the fence about returning.

For reference, I wasn't caught diverting, but had a bit of a mental health crisis at work. Unfortunately, the BON was notified, recommended the program, and an evaluation. I met with the evaluator, who stated "I see no reason for an addiction or substance use diagnosis, but I would still like to do 1 year of monitoring." I don't use, 3 urine tests and a hair test all negative, yet he recommends 1 year monitoring. SMH.

Columnist · May 22, 2019

Keep and mind you do not owe any of your co-workers and explanation, including details of your evaluation and monitoring. If you do go back to same job, hold head high and just keep doing the next right thing. It is hard to do but it is none of your business what your coworkers think of you.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · May 22, 2019

Mine too was a mental health crisis however it was more than a bit and I was not fortunate to have amazing coworkers nor was I in a position I enjoyed. The work itself, yes. The place, no...it was pure hell. So, me personally, I’ve been to hell and back a few times in my rodeo and it was for the best that I move on down the road and start anew.

As J.Adderton says, it is nobody’s business and you owe no one an explanation. It is a difficult thing. I am FINALLY in a place, mentally and physically where I don’t feel like I have to explain. The few people that I have had to tell (my core manager, so she knows when I might be a few minutes late?) I’m more upset about it than they were. I never had anxiety issues until I had to deal with this program. Hah,

Over the years that I’ve dealt with this mess, I’ve gone from feeling like I have a scarlet letter to “hey, excuse me, I’m human ya know” to “ to realizing that truth be told...real adults? Don’t care about the ugly details. My guess is your “amazing co-workers” will simply want to know that you are okay and ready to rejoin them.

My advice FWIW, give it a go. If it doesn’t feel right, it’s okay. You tried. If you immediately jump ship, you’ll never know.

As for them insisting on monitoring anyway...I’ve seen where monitoring is required to prove that there isn’t a problem....like proving a negative is possible....don’t try to grasp the logic, there isn’t any.

Persephone Paige, ADN · May 22, 2019

I'm with Cats. Every tough situation I find myself in I ask, "what are they going to do, kill me?" If they aren't going to kill me, then they can't really do much more to me that I haven't already been through and came out on the other side.

FeliciaRNCPN · May 23, 2019

I rarely share on this specific forum. But I almost lost a job I loved. Was forced to take some time off to take care of myself and returned almost three months later. I learned no one deserves to know the reason I was gone and over a year later still on the same unit. Management has been very supportive and I finally have the resources to take care of my issues properly.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · May 24, 2019

On 5/21/2019 at 9:39 PM, Monkies said:
Yeah, a clean slate would be nice,. Trying to decide if I have the strength to "face the music" and return. It is, or was, a position I very much enjoyed, with amazing co-workers. I have been told they are holding my position pending the results of thr BON investigation, and am on the fence about returning.
For reference, I wasn't caught diverting, but had a bit of a mental health crisis at work. Unfortunately, the BON was notified, recommended the program, and an evaluation. I met with the evaluator, who stated "I see no reason for an addiction or substance use diagnosis, but I would still like to do 1 year of monitoring." I don't use, 3 urine tests and a hair test all negative, yet he recommends 1 year monitoring. SMH.

When your only tool is a hammer, every problem is a nail. Counselor sounds like a jerk, but seems not to know any alternatives. Keep clean and endure.

Do NOT discuss ANYTHING with ANYONE at work about your personal life. Keep it to the weather and I mean that totally sincerely.

Don't know what to advise about going back to the same job. Are you very senior there? Can you deal with finding and learning a new job at this point? Who will know about your being monitored?

Best of luck to you.

allnurses Guide · May 25, 2019

Unfortunately this option was not open to me. I was fired and black balled from the entire hospital system which include 4 major hospital's in my area. I was not even permitted to do clinicals there for my BSN last year and this all happened 15 years ago.

Hppy