What should I do?

[Thorn94]

I graduated in January 2018, I had to go through a review process due to criminal history and tested in November 2018 and passed and was granted an LPN license. I had a past history for felony charges. I entered a plea deal and received deferred sentencing so I wasn't convicted and I am eligible for state level expungement. This happened in 2013 and I've sent paperwork for the expungement but I'm told it will still show up. I have sent out over 100 applications and have received one interview. I am in Oklahoma and I am due to renew my license soon but I haven't worked anywhere. I am not sure if I can work in long term care due to their restrictions. Or anywhere for that matter? I am feeling so defeated, what am I supposed to do? Can anyone offer advice? I feel like I wasted my time and I need to just go back to waitressing.

[Persephone Paige, ADN]

I had a charge that was drug related. No grand theft from an institution, or anything like that. Just a drug charge that was dropped after I completed drug-court and now it's expunged. The board will grant you a license as long as you haven't shot someone, beat someone to a pulp, molested someone, abused someone, neglected someone, or sold/manufactured drugs. That's the easy part. But, the institutions get their sphincters in a death clench over a hang nail. It took me a whole year and 250 miles to find a clinical site that was willing to allow me access to their facility to do 96 hours of clinical. Then, I got my license back and it took me another year to find a job. Even the jails didn't want to hire me, you'd think I'd fit right in. Not with these Saints... They want the most upstanding of individuals to take care of their criminals. They don't want some reformed individuals taking care of anyone.