I was in drug court also. In Alabama. It was in 1997. I was told the same things. But it showed up anyway.
So, after 13 years, I submit, submit, submit my resume, and as long as my license is tagged with disciplinary, NO MATTER WHAT IT WAS THAT I DID, no one wants me. I do have a job. In nursing. Psych. I'm about to go nuts too, though.
Today is one of those days I am not grateful for anything. I am sick to death of nursing, the board of nursing, and the promises you get when you are going through the justice system. I have found that a lot of drug courts, not all, but some, are a money making deal..you pay this large sum of money to get in, then you pay for each drug screen, then if you have a dirty screen, the burden of proof is on you to prove them wrong. AND---if you can't, then guess what? More money.
I had a dirty screen, and I was astounded. I wasn't using. I was scared to death. I had 3 LITTLE kids at home waiting for me to get back from court and the thought never crossed my mind when I closed the door that morning that I might not be coming back. Most of the time, they just snap you up in handcuffs right there if you have a dirty screen and take you to jail. My saving grace was that I had never been arrested before, never in the system, nothing, and they let me go home. But I had to come back weekly for a couple of months (more money). After that dirty screen, I went home and researched on the internet and found a medication that I was taking showed up as benzo's in urine. Whew!!! My DOC was never benzo's. So I showed the documentation to the judge and he was very nice about it, but I still had to go back those weeks and pay that money.
Drugs screen kits are cheap, and they charged $35 each urine back then. Not sure what it is now, but for pennies, they can screen urine on site and you are paying out the nose for drug screens because YOU HAVE TO in order to have a CHANCE to get your license back to have a CHANCE to get a nursing job.
I am just cranky today. Being told "No" from human resources or nurse recruiters really irks me when those same people go home and have their drinks and/or drugs at night.
Winter has gone on too long.
Castlor:nurse-soapbox: