Trouble finding job in GA due to probation

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Hello all, I am a nurse who is currently on a consent order from the BON. My particular consent has no narcotic restriction on it, yet I have not been able to find a job for almost 6 years. Companies/Hospitals used to interview me and then never call back after they find out that I'm on probation; now when they call about interviews I tell them about the probation and they just say, sorry we can't have someone like you working for us. At least it saves me a wasted interview. I am a firm believer that it is because I have a public consent order and the perspective employers can read about my past transgressions. The thing is, these things are in the PAST! I've been clean and sober for 6 years and have the screens to prove it, yet no one will give me a chance. Has anyone else had this trouble? If so how did you overcome/deal and did you ever find a job?

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I don't have any advice but I remember during our maternity clinicals the woman in charge of L & D told us that she is always willing to give people a second chance. Good luck and I hope you run into someone like her!

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I fortunately did not have the public consent order- I think they are terrible and a violation of privacy. I know a nurse who had all of her details posted for the world to see, she found a job quickly in Dialysis.

You might be paying the price for being out of work for so long in a competitive environment. I also would not disclose until offered a job unless my contract stipulates that I must.

Also can you contact an ADA attorney, they cannot by law discriminate on past use. If you ask an attorney it might be possible to get through the HR blockade based on non-discrimination law.

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I've heard many a times on good old all nurse about nurses going to interviews and getting the job even if the place "typically" doesn't hire consent nurses. You're selling yourself short by not selling your unique skill set. It must be very disheartening to not have found something yet after 6 years, but if you want this you've got to put in the footwork, even if doors continue to be slammed in your face. Have you been to AA/NA? Even if you don't subscribe to 12 step programs you'll find other nurses there and grow your connection base, maybe they know a place. There are also cadecus(sp? We don't have them here and I can't think of the spelling) meetings and maybe there are some of those in your area. There is a lot to be said bout networking and who you know.

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Yes find a caduceus meeting and start going to it. You will find other nurses and doctors in the meetings. Let them get to know you and after several meetings then reach out to them. It may just lead to a job somewhere I know I had to work 12 months for my narc stips to come off then jobs became much easier to obtain. Don't lose hope your job is out there find it.

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

Network with other nurses and ask around. At my facility in TN, we have a Nurse Executive who is very sympathetic toward recovering nurses and has hired many of them over the years. Network, network! Talk to people, meet people, ask around. You will find something!

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Thank you all for the support. My probation is complete in May 2015, I hope I don't have to wait that long to actually get back to work. I have also heard from some that this just may be how things roll here in GA...yay...I plan to check with some attorneys about the whole public consent deal as I feel that this may be part of the problem. Good news is, in this time I have managed to just about finish my masters degree in health administration. Some day I hope to use my powers for good and help people like me when no one else will.

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Hi dgoo.....I've been reading this post. Very interesting. I just wanted to comment to you. I live in Georgia. I don't know what it is about the peach state but they have some tough rules I'm beginning to hear about when it comes to nursing.

First off I have no idea what a public consent order is, the cascadeus (sp??) meeting, and narc stips mean. I'm guessing narc stips is not being able to pass narcotics for such a period of time, due to maybe having been in trouble of some sort.

Im facing a dilemma myself, as we speak. I'm devastated that I was just recently suspended then fired. I went back to work after nearly 4 years of being home. I was so happy and planned to work til I could quit....10-15 years in my mind. I was an LPN then bridged over to RN. Have tons of experience. Anyway....

ive learned one thing if I've learned anything in the last 15-20 years ....more higher ups out there don't care. They don't look at the whole person....they were so nice to me at my job I was just fired from. At times felt like a sisterhood, everybody helped each other, loved each other, had what I thought were special bonds. When they pulled me in to suspend me, they were complete strangers, almost haters, and made me feel like I was a career criminal of some sort. It blew my mind. Not ONE person I worked with has called me out of care and concern.

id love to meet someone here who may have been through something similar I'm going through, facing possible disciplinary actions from the BON, being under an investigation, etc.

ive NEVER been in trouble with the law, never been written up except many years ago for having too many accumulated points not clocking in the mandatory 7 minute grace period at work. You had to clock in between 0638-0645. If u punched in at 0637 or 0646 you got .25 points. After 3 points u got a verbal warning, 5-6 points a written, etc. that is IT.

i have so many questions, but nobody I know here has been through what I'm going through. I must act fast. I'm applying for jobs at this very hour since I was told it may be 12-18 months before my case is even reviewed. I'm at a loss for words.....I feel hopeless to say the least. I'd love a friend request from someone has been through disciplinary actions from the board, for support, encouragement potential friendship. Please let me know what the caduceus(sp?) meetings are for.

one more thing, if the the Ga BON makes a nurse attend ÀÀ/NA meetings, can the nurse refuse to go to them because they are not a Christian based program, and instead commit to a Christian based program instead, such as Reformers Unanimous?

Good luck, and all the best to you my fellow nurse. Congrats on the masters degree. Something else to be proud of. I'm not proud of myself right now. Nurses are human. I didn't think we were supposed to be! ;-)

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Fellow nurse in GA cares!

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Hey! You sound like you may just be in the right place here. I am guessing you are not puting more specific information out there because your case has not been reviewed yet? If that's the case, that is perfectly fine and smart! I am going to assume you are in our boat and write from there (if you are not giving information because it is being reviewed do not confirm or deny). Most boards it seems do require AA/NA- this is strictly because someone with substance abuse issues will find a ridiculous amount of support there. The board usually goes with time tested programs- if your Christian based group is not specifically for recovering addicts/alcoholics I doubt they'd approve- with that said, I've met an overwhelming amount of people in AA who are Christian, these folk also tend to go to church as well as engage in recovery programs at their churches (the more recovery in early sobriety the better).

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Specializes in Post-Op, Cardiology.

Something similar happened to me. Can I PM you?

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Sure.

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