What Exactly did you say during your interviews?

[StillRN]

I know this has been asked a million times.. but I have never seen anything specific in response. Firstly, I know recovery comes first and I must work on that. However, for me.. as a single parent, finding a job is imperative to any good outcome. I understand honesty is the best policy.. but I just cant imagine any potential employer hearing "i was fired for diverting medication" and thinking anything other than HECK NO! I have to find out what I am required to tell them... but as long as I am in the program.. there is nothing on my license and no criminal record... and its illegal for previous employers to say If i was fired or why i no longer work there. I will obviously have to tell them about the program... but I am just lost on what to say... how much to say.. if my story could give the basics... i have had a problem with addiction.. im in recovery.. i have been for x amount of time but felt it was my moral obligation to self report.. and I no longer work at X because it was no longer a good fit for me and my recovery.

My question is..what exactly did you tell interviewers? How did you phrase it and how much did you divulge in your successful interviews? I intend to apply to dialysis clinics since they seem to be recovery friendly... (Though, i did read in one job description for Fresenius that a duty would be counting controlled substances..??) But I want to get it right and say the right thing. I cant afford to get it wrong!!

I am not able to respond to PM's yet..so if anyone would prefer to keep it private, i will be happy to provide an email address.

Thanks...

[Recovering_RN]

I agonized over this too! I diverted and was caught based on large number of Pyxis wastes recorded. My "story" evolved over time as I realized that no one REALLY knew exactly what happened other than my previous manager. There would be a lot of rumors of course but no one absolutely KNEW. Even if my manager had told someone she shouldn't have been talking to, it was only the HR person and the manager who got the lab results that knew what exactly my drug test showed. So, "I tested positive on a drug test" could mean any number of things.

Keep in mind your previous employer (& you) will be asked if you are eligible for rehire. I don't think they can say you were fired necessarily and I'm pretty sure they can't say why, but they get around that by asking about eligibility for rehire so you do have to admit to being fired to explain why they will say no, you're not eligible for rehire.

1. "I failed a drug test and was fired. I made some bad decisions that I regret, and I have learned so much from that experience. I self enrolled in TPAPN, completed 8 weeks of counseling and I'm ready to get back to work." This implies addiction, with the discussion of counseling, but it can also be taken as a way to say you paid for and learned from your "bad decision" without saying exactly what happened. I didnt get get the job btw.

2. "I had some personal issues with using pain medication." Then go on to say all the "8 weeks of counseling" etc. That was a psych facility that deals with patients recovering from addiction so I was more open about my own experience. But again I didn't get that job.

3. "I failed a drug test. I tested positive for something I didn't have a prescription for." I went on to explain I had taken some meds my dad had left over when he died. This is true, I just didn't mention the diverting. Didn't get that job either.

4. "I failed a drug test." I followed up with the 8 weeks of counseling yada yada, I'm in TPAPN, I do random drug testing etc etc. That was the least amount of actual explaining I did, and I got that job.

I never admitted to diverting. I know so many people say be honest but I just didn't think there was any way someone would hire me after that.

All of these explanations were phrased as a direct reply to "why did you leave your last job". Be prepared to answer the question of why they drug tested you in the first place. Random? Charting discrepancies? You told someone you'd "taken a pain pill after a dental surgery" even though it was a work day and you shouldn't be taking pain meds on work days? When I admitted in one of my interviews that my drug test was a result of too many partial dose wastes in the Pyxis, (even though they were all valid wastes) then there's no way after hearing that that they'll believe there was no diversion.

I think I assumed everyone I interviewed for would somehow know exactly what happened, but they don't. Even if people who do know have talked, as far as anyone else knows, those are just rumors.