Fellow nurses, I am glad I can post anonymous here, I need some feedback. I am a Nurse of many years, mostly hospital. I received 2 separate reprimands on my license. One for making a med error and giving a post-op patient pain med the pt had listed as a allergy (yep, I applied her allergy band myself and I take full responsibility). I was fired. Several years later, I was working in long term care and a patient was out of her non-narcotic pain med on a Saturday night at 8pm. I used somebody else's no-longer used med card to make sure she wouldn't go without. Administrator fired and reported me to the BON and I received another reprimand as it is considered financial and elder abuse.
Now I am looking for a job and was thinking about doing some travelling. I painfully have come to the realization that travel nursing travel agencies will not hire me. I am afraid to even apply to local facilities as all it will take is a quick nurse check with the BON and see the reprimand. I am a caring, experienced compassioned nurse who has made mistakes. I am sitting at home, not knowing what to do and scared to death about more rejections while I getting swallowed by a looming financial disaster by not working. Do I approach a hiring manager first before even applying and explain things? How do I get out from under this?
Since you mention financial and elder abuse, are you sure if your name is, or isn't, on the OIG list? Office of Inspector General....something like that is sometimes reported and goes on the list mandatory. It excludes one from being eligible to work anywhere that accepts medicare/medicaid. Even in any capacity....couldn't even be a janitor at the facility, or the facility pays hefty fines for employees on the "blacklist". You probably would have gotten a letter from them if it was even being considered. You can Google the website and check your name to see if it comes up. If you are, you can apply to be removed from the list. It takes awhile though, of course.
Best wishes! I know it is hard. You still have a valid license though, that's the bright side!! So keep on keeping on with it and up to date! Be honest about what happened and offer references to future employers..as an idea.
Hey Jane! I can relate to you and feel your pain I was on numerous Mental Health meds and I positive drig screen my entire life. Tried to fight it and explain my situation with a Doctors follow up note and they NCBON did not care. This happened in 2021 been on numerous assignments since then. You know you have to pass drug screens every time. Just went to my hearing last month and I am reprimanded. Company I worked with dropped me like a bad habit with some nasty choice words for me to!! We need people that fight for us and our rights as well! It is hard to find work! I love being a Nurse and I did nothing wrong!
Hey Jane! I can relate to you and feel your pain I was on numerous Mental Health meds and I positive drig screen my entire life. Tried to fight it and explain my situation with a Doctors follow up note and they NCBON did not care. This happened in 2021 been on numerous assignments since then. You know you have to pass drug screens every time. Just went to my hearing last month and I am reprimanded. Company I worked with dropped me like a bad habit with some nasty choice words for me to!! We need people that fight for us and our rights as well! It is hard to find work! I love being a Nurse and I did nothing wrong!
Did you have an attorney representing you?
outofmyhands said:
Did you have an attorney representing you?
When you received the reprimand?
Jenn W said:
Hey Jane! I can relate to you and feel your pain I was on numerous Mental Health meds and I positive drig screen my entire life. Tried to fight it and explain my situation with a Doctors follow up note and they NCBON did not care. This happened in 2021 been on numerous assignments since then. You know you have to pass drug screens every time. Just went to my hearing last month and I am reprimanded. Company I worked with dropped me like a bad habit with some nasty choice words for me to!! We need people that fight for us and our rights as well! It is hard to find work! I love being a Nurse and I did nothing wrong!
Did you have an attorney representing you when you received your reprimand?
I did! He took my 2500 bucks stood beside me at the hearing and did nothing. Just got my reprimand this September! I'm so upset and depressed about this!
I also have had a similar situation, I gave nitro during a rapid on a PT c/o CP. Following ACLS protocol but the chest pain order set had not yet been ordered. Sooo yea one year probation and a fine and now I am struggling so hard to find a job, I got lucky once and was hired but then that hospital was bought out by another hospital and the new one wouldn't keep me. I think so far the best advice is just apply to everything. Absolute everything just make sure you won't put yourself at risk again by working somewhere that will put your license at risk. And if anyone has any other advice I would appreciate it. Unfortunately the state I'm in doesn't expunge anything ever. It's there for life
Kynurse77
2 Posts
I will definitely try. Thank you so very much.