RN in Recovery-Work in Addiction Field

Big Blondie, ASN, BSN, MSN, APRN · Jun 12, 2015

I would not disclose, and certainly wouldnt mention not being in TPAPN. As nurses we dont tell patients about our gallbladder surgery and can nurse them with empathy and provide excellent care. Same with the disease of addiction. Congrats on your recovery!

TXRNC · Jun 12, 2015

I would never disclose if I didn't have too , you can say you have personal or family experience with recovery or addiction without bearing you soul. Good Luck

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jun 12, 2015

txRN, knspocked out of the park,

you are in great position to have a successful career in recovery

i even went so far as to complete CDAC counseling program, at a community college

rewarding, very rewarding

just be careful, and dont shoot yourself in the foot.

FHL18 · Jun 20, 2015

Hi everyone and thanks for your comments. I appreciate your advice. One of the main reasons I wanted to get into the field of addiction nursing is so I could use my own personal experience in helping the patients I care for, so if I don't disclose that I am in recovery myself, I can't ever open up and be honest with anyone I care for about my own recovery status. So in y'alls opinion you feel it's best for me to just not disclose my own personal recovery and just say I have personal experience? This whole experience is just so new for me and like y'all said, I don't wanna shoot myself in the foot. I have met a few nurses in recovery, however every single one of them have been forced into our state's peer assistance program because they got caught diverting, so I haven't met anyone in my position, in recovery from addiction but not in the peer assistance program. I don't want to do peer assistance as I feel strong in my recovery and I am not going to return to a job with access to narcotics, at least not in the foreseeable future until I have a good amount of recovery time under my belt.

Omaapecm, ASN, RN · Jun 21, 2015

If you feel that strongly about it maybe you should disclose. I was kind of in a similar way when I first went into nursing. Hindsight ........i would have never disclosed my past. When I went for my nursing license I disclosed my past with drugs and alcohol even though it was more than 8 years prior. I was proud of my accomplishment but the board didn't see it that way. I wish I had known about this support group prior to applying for my license and I would have done things differently. Do what's best for you and your sobriety, unfortunately dealing with the board isn't always conducive with sobriety!!!!

kesweatt · Jun 22, 2015

I've seen anywhere from 2 to 5 years sober/clean

elkpark · Jun 22, 2015

If you want to help others by telling your own story, do that in AA/NA meetings. It is unprofessional to disclose any of your personal history in your role and employment as an RN. You are there to provide professional nursing services to your clients and to interact therapeutically with them about their needs and issues. As soon as you start talking about your own experiences, the interaction quickly becomes about you.

I've worked in psych and substance abuse all of my career. I've known plenty of colleagues who had personal history and experiences, but they kept that to themselves at work. Many nurses with personal history of psych or substance abuse issues specifically choose not to work in those areas, because it "cuts too close to the bone" for them and they recognize the risks of getting personally involved and crossing personal and professional boundaries.

I agree strongly with the recommendation that, if someone wants to do this, s/he should have at least a few years of successful recovery under her/his belt. Working in that environment, you are going to be bombarded with triggers on a daily basis.

Best wishes!

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2015

If you want to help others by telling your own story, do that in AA/NA meetings. It is unprofessional to disclose any of your personal history in your role and employment as an RN. You are there to provide professional nursing services to your clients and to interact therapeutically with them about their needs and issues. As soon as you start talking about your own experiences, the interaction quickly becomes about you.

I admit that this something that I strongly intellectually agree with.

But as a patient, probably my strongest and best memory of my rehab-psych unit-rehab revolving door episode last year was one night on the psych unit when one of the detox nurses was escorting me from the locked unit over to the AA meeting on the unlocked detox side. I was just a depressed, sobbing, suicidal mess whose career was over, y'know? And I was a horrible person who was never going to get better. She let me sob/talk until I was done and then said "you know, I had to go through four rehabs before anything stuck -- and I have been sober for 17 years now." That was all she said but it was exactly what I needed to hear at that time.

I also have strong memories of the student nurse who told me during my first psych hospitalization at 13 that she had had suicidal thoughts before but things got better. It was really that simple of a statement but I clung to it like lifeboat for several dark years.

Jonecour3096 · Aug 29, 2015

I think you would enjoy working in a suboxone doctors office or detox facility rehab Ã§enters have nurses on staff. I am currently attending community college to get my lcdc....licensed drug counselor.

FHL18 · Sep 1, 2015

Thanks for the reply. I personally do not agree with long term use of suboxone as maintenance therapy...definitely agree with it's use in the short term for detox, but wouldn't really want to work in a doctor's office that supports putting people on sub long term. But I actually got a job about 2 weeks ago with a local treatment facility/psych facility and am super excited for the opportunity! = )