Trying to be honest

Pegasus65 · Aug 17, 2009

I finally got my disposition letter in the mail. I made a copy of it and plan on sending them the original by certified mail, return receipt requested. Sheesh I went through so much trying to get it I definitely want to make sure it doesn't get lost in the mail lol. Being as I used to work for the post office as a sub mail carrier I can assure you this does indeed happen!

As far as them allowing someone to take the test.. from what I gather from some of the posts I have read.. they can still turn you down for licensure even if they have allowed you to test. I probably won't truly relax until I see my name with a license number posted lol.

Have a great day!

Pegasus65 · Sep 2, 2009

Hi everyone,

Well....here is an update on my situation. Once again I guess I just feel the need to vent lol. I took my NCLEX on August 19th and did pass. One hurdle down at least. I also finally received a disposition letter from the court system where my DUI took place all those years ago. I am thinking okay maybe things are finally starting to move along.

I mail the BON my disposition letter via certified mail with return receipt after making myself a copy on August 21st. I definitely wanted to make sure they received it after all the hassle I had in obtaining it. When I get home from mailing the blasted letter there is a message on my answering machine stating that if there is no record of my offense I will need a certified letter stating that. (I had originally told them when I submitted application that there were no records available). I tried to call the representative back at the number left to inform them that the disposition letter was on the way, but she never returned my call.

I checked on Monday the 24th on the USPS website and the certified was delivered to them. During this time I also checked the BON website and they had now added a comment at the bottom of the page that I was being mailed a letter on August 21st and that I needed to read it to finish processing of my application.

So in the .....11-12 days that have ensued from the 21st of August I haven't received ANY letter from the BON. I called the number that had been left on my answering machine back again and left two more messages that were never returned. Finally in desperation I called one more time day before yesterday and I guess the representative must have been expecting her friend to call or something (lol) because she actually ANSWERED the phone. I explain my situation to her and the fact that I had initially been unable to get any record, but finally did obtain a letter and had mailed it to them. I can only surmise this representative HAD to be related to the woman I dealt with to GET the disposition letter because she had the same hateful attitude and I could tell basically she just wanted to get me off the phone. (It is amazing what five years of listening to voices doing medical transcription can tell you about the inflections in a persons voice! lol) She informed me that my file has been sent to "legal" and couldn't tell me WHEN I would hear anything. Her comment was, "It could be a week, it could be two weeks, or it might be a month". I asked if I would have to wait until the board met again to which she replied in the same nasty monotone voice, "It all depends on what legal says"... *Sigh*. So here I sit still waiting. At this point if something doesn't give I am going to have to see if I can find a job doing something else. I have already not worked for a year and a half duing school.... and I wish my name was Rockefellar, but it isn't lolol:)

Anyhow, thanks for at least listening and I hope you all have a great day!

:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

Lovenox1 · Sep 5, 2009

OK...this is very disturbing to me. But by the way congratulation's on passing the neclex:yeah:.

I do not know which state you are in? I am in Texas and as I said I have an attorney with TAANA or something..I really think you should get one. Or maybe WE SHOULD ALL BECOME NURSE ATTORNEY'S...Little joke but perhaps not. :redbeathe.......Please let me know what state you are in?.....:typing

Pegasus65 · Sep 5, 2009

Hi again,

I live in Georgia and I have heard that the BON here takes their own sweet time to do anything. There are two folks in my nursing class with absolutely nothing on their records who still haven't had their licenses post yet and they took the NCLEX at the same time I did. One of them called me a couple of days ago and asked about mine, as she knew my situation. She stated she had called them to see if she could obtain any information and how nasty they were to her also.

I called the board again myself yesterday morning around 9 a.m. and shocker of all shockers managed to get a lady who was extremely nice. In fact when I told her she was the nicest person I have spoken to so far she laughed and said, "they told me I will grow out of it", to which I replied, "PLEASE DON'T". She listened to my long spiel about how this has been going on for two months now. I asked her if there was a number to the "legal" department so I could call there and was told no. She did however, send an email to the board (she typed this while I was with her) containing the name of the person who had signed for my certified and the fact I had sent the disposition letter in. She also told me it might take up to 12-14 business days before the fact that I had sent the required documents in was entered into the computer. I also explained to her that I had never received the letter the website says I was mailed on the 21st of August. She said she would make sure it was resent... we shall see I guess. While it basically is still just sit here and wait, at least I do feel she was interested in helping me and perhaps what she did while on the phone with me will help in some shape or fashion.

But the real fact is I am soon going to have to make a move. Either go to work as an LPN or else find a job doing something else. I simply cannot continue to just sit at home. While I have a great hubby who works every day I can't continue to subsidize extras we need with dips into our savings and while I have excellent credit... with the CC companies jacking the interest rates up on even folks WITH good credit it is stupid to put yourself into debt with this economy! You are however, right... I am thinking I should have became a Nurse Attorney lolololol. I sure hope this situation ends soon. I am usually a very upbeat and happy person, but I find myself falling into what I can only call a depression. There is only so much housework and yard work a person can do ya know lolol!!

Have a great day!

nurse2009 · Sep 5, 2009

Thank you for sharing your story...I really hope things turn around for you and you get your liscence soon. you are an inspiration for a nurse. If my husband gets stationed in Georgia maybe I will be lucky to work with someone like you...

you are in my prayers and I hope soon you will get your letter with your number.

Take care and God bless.

:heartbeatTricia RN:heartbeat

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 9, 2009

Thanks for keeping us updated. Wishing for good news soon.

elkpark · Sep 9, 2009

Thanks for keeping us updated. Wishing for good news soon.

Ditto!

Pegasus65 · Sep 9, 2009

Ty so much for the well wishes you guys! One of my classmates licenses posted yesterday so maybe eventually they will get around to mine posting. If not I guess I will wait a few days and call yet again. I still haven't received any type of communication from them in letter form or email. The lady I spoke with the other day told me that my bellsouth.net email address tends to kick any emails they send to folks with this addy back to them as spam, which I have never heard of. If anything I would think it would end up in MY spam folder and NOT theirs. I am trying so hard to be patient, but at this point it is terribly hard!

Have a great day!

jelc43 · Sep 10, 2009

I am in the same situation!! I am waiting to hear from the Ga BON, too...have had all of the same experiences, desperately waiting to hear about my application. I have a 15 year old misdemeanor for possession of marijuana. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people...didn't turn to my parents for help and ended up with misdemeanor conviction and didn't realize it until all these years later when I applied for nursing school. I used a court appointed attorney who advised me to pay a fine and everything would be over...I did...and walked away with the lesson of a lifetime. I have never been in trouble for anything since! Years later I got a background check to see if the arrest showed, and to my horror, I had a misdemeanor record..disbelief that I could have been so dumb. I went to the Director of Nursing with my story and was admitted to nursing school anyway and told that it would not be a problem since it was so old. I worked my butt off in school and was student of the year for my college. I submitted my application to BON with 3 letters of recommendation, including one from the governor's office commending me for my accomplishments...and a letter from the GA Board of Pardons stating that my request for a pardon was denied because I had not lost any civil rights. They wrote that if the BON denied licensure because of my misdemeanor they would reconsider. Well, the Board immediately sent me my ATT and I passed the Nclex on Aug 14th. The Board received my results on the 21st and I have been miserable ever since!! All they will tell me is that my application has been sent to the legal department for review, and there is no set time frame for their decision. I called today to see if my application was scheduled to go before the Board next week for their quarterly meeting, and they said no...however, the legal department could take their sweet time and decide AFTER the Board meets that it needs the Board's decision, and I would have to wait until December!! So here is the latest...another friend from my school has a 20 yr old DUI and is going through the same thing and she called today to tell them she was going to show up at the Board's meeting next week and beg for help. They told her she could fax in a request to appear before the Board next week and have her application reviewed to avoid any more lengthy delay..why couldn't they just tell us that from the beginning?? I am calling in the morning to ask for my application number and will be faxing my request the same day. Yes, I could just sit around and wait, and wait, for the legal department to make a decision, but I have already signed a contract with a hospital that is waiting on my license! The hospital has been very supportive and has let me start their new graduate program, but I can't precept until the board issues my license.

I know this is so long, but I just wanted you to know you are not alone!!! Call the board and see if you can request to appear before them next week and get your license! Good luck!

Pegasus65 · Sep 10, 2009

Hi Jelc43,

You must be talking about RN board meeting next week, as the LPN board, which is who I am waiting on doesn't meet again until I think it is October 14th or something like that. However, I think that your idea of making the trip there would be your best bet at this point and I am thinking I may have to do the same thing if I haven't heard from them by the time they meet again. The fact that they refuse to give us any information other than "legal has it, with no time frame" and "you have to wait" could cause us both to be sitting here indefinitely! I can't continue like this.

As I was telling my mom this morning, I don't even know for sure that the disposition letter I sent to them is what I need to go ahead and get my application processed. I could be sitting here on my laurels waiting and they STILL don't have what they need, hence more delay. Since no one will even tell me IF my letter is with my file I feel like I am totally in the dark without a clue as to where to go from here and this waiting is really beginning to get on my last nerve. I am trying really hard not to be resentful of the fact that they had NO problem in cashing my application check and they definitely knew about the old DUI from the beginning, as I disclosed it WITH the application. They also had no problem letting me spend the $200 to take my NCLEX either! I am scared to just sit here and wait until the board meets again in October only to find out they don't have what is needed because then I will be waiting yet another two months until December before they meet again. As of today I have still not received the letter that their website says was mailed to me on August 21st.. sheesh I could have WALKED to Macon and back by now to pick the darned thing up! Frankly I don't believe I have ever been mailed anything:(

I had wanted to pursue my RN, but I am wondering if it will be the same thing when I apply for a RN license. I honestly don't know if I want to go through this again. I had no idea there would be this much trouble getting licensed as an LPN. My school led me to believe, as yours did, that because this issue was so old and I have been a model citizen since then, there would be no problem:(

Please feel free to private message me and let me know how your case comes along. I have actually been emailing back and forth with another lady in Georgia who went through exactly the same thing with the Georgia BON with a misdemeanor case that was 23 years old. She finally got her license. I am hoping this will be the case with me very soon.

Have a great day!

jelc43 · Sep 11, 2009

you aren't going to believe this...but I got my license today!!!!!! I called 3 x today, the last one in tears! My license came through this afternoon and I am so grateful to God for getting me through this! I also received a letter of concern warning me to never work impaired...I will never be impaired period!!! My license has no restrictions, thank God! My friend is going through the EXACT same thing as you and is still waiting. She had a DUI from 24 yrs ago with no disposition available either. I think that may be the hold up, but they told her today to be patient and she may have her license by the end of next week. So hang in there, keep calling, it will come!! I think it is important to be polite, even when they are not, and even though you are so stressed. I understand, believe me!

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 11, 2009

CONGRATULATIONS, jelc43!!