volunteer your license= re-take boards

callacodebrown · Feb 20, 2004

The State Boards of Nursing are in place to PROTECT THE PUBLIC. The measures that your state has issued may seem draconian, but if you want to maintain your license, you'll obey their issuances and focus on your behaviours.

I completely agree. I don't thinks the laws are harch towards nurses--I think the laws are not adequate towards physicians.

Soonstudent · Feb 20, 2004

Number one...no drugs are involved here. Number two, this is a first and only DUI. My main gripe is that one should be able to voluntarily be able to give up a license, go through AA or whatever is the appropriate program for that particular person, and get the license back upon completion. The state has checks in place with these programs, ie: urine screens and breathalizers along with classroom time a few times a week. I have volunteered for this . I have never been on the job intoxicated nor felt myself a threat to my patients. However the other choice is to have my license ripped from me involuntarily which I also refuse to let happen.

I totally agree with you Devin. It's not like drinking and driving is going to make you a bad nurse. As long as someone realizes their mistake and gets the appropriate treatment. One shouldn't have anything to do with the other. Just my thoughts.

Trauma Columnist · Feb 20, 2004

Drinking and driving can make you a dead nurse! Sorry, Devin - but a DUI is DUI - it doesn't matter whether you are a nurse, doctor, plumber, mechanic. Should we have different rules for each profession? Good luck...please don't drink and drive.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Feb 21, 2004

DUI- if you play you gotta pay.

No tears for you here, be glad you CAN regain your license.

It only takes one second to kill someone, if you drive while drinking.

-jt · Feb 21, 2004

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One can. Through Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) - a resource for RNs coping with chemical dependency (alcoholism and/or drug addiction) problems.

See:

http://www.nysna.org/programs/span/span_home.htm

-jt · Feb 21, 2004

Why do nurses not volunteer to go into drug and alcohol rehab programs?? Because upon completion, their only choice is to re-take their board exams..how unfair....

Retake the boards? I never heard of such a thing. In my state, nurses DO volunteer to go into drug rehab and they still keep their licenses. I agree with you - nurses could be more supportive each other, and to that end, we developed SPAN in my state - to help the addicted nurse voluntarily

get into treatment and get her life back. They dont lose their licenses and they dont have to "retake the boards" either. The license is suspended during treatment. The BON, treatment facility & the SPAN program all work together for and with the RN to help her through and resume her license.

It's nurses being compassionate & supportive of a nurse with a problem - and giving her a fighting chance to fix it.

Too often nurses are just so ready to hang each other from the highest tree.