Sorry for the shout but wanted to get your attention - I am trying to set up a regularly scheduled chat session when we can share or experience strength and hope - anyone interested. Post here so we can get together on-line
I have created an Nurses in Recovery Chat Room on this site and will try to hang out there once in a while. I think recovery is hard enough when you don't have to jump through BON Hoops like a trained pony - Don't get me wrong I most likely would not be alive today were it not for the Calif BON Diversion program but the early days were really hard and I think we all need someone to talk to sometimes.
APB is out on Rob, and Aaron IS aware. He (Aaron) is currently working over an hour's drive from home, and is a bit over-extended. He will get to things when he is able to, from what he told me. :)
Hi there all you fellow recovering nurses. I am one of these and got my license back and have 2 more years of probation. It was a very hard and long road of recovery and being strong enough to apply for nursing license. So clean, sober and a nurse. Now what? the stigma attached to us is something. Of coarse we have a disease but how does diverting and impaired sound on resume. I have tried every recovery center within 100 miles of where I live. It seems to be fruitless. I know what I did and am still paying for my transgressions. I am in MO.
I can't believe I found this site. Amazing. Glad to know you guys are out here with me. Sometimes I sit and cry as there are postings but having someone take the time to offer you a second chance is very rare.
kriknkraw wrote:Hi there all you fellow recovering nurses. I am one of these and got my license back and have 2 more years of probation. It was a very hard and long road of recovery and being strong enough to apply for nursing license. So clean, sober and a nurse. Now what? the stigma attached to us is something. Of coarse we have a disease but how does diverting and impaired sound on resume. I have tried every recovery center within 100 miles of where I live. It seems to be fruitless. I know what I did and am still paying for my transgressions. I am in MO.
I can't believe I found this site. Amazing. Glad to know you guys are out here with me. Sometimes I sit and cry as there are postings but having someone take the time to offer you a second chance is very rare.
Thanks for letting me vent.
You might want to try applying for work at a Psychiatric facility - They are generally a bit more forgiving of a nurses past. I did Psych work for 4 years while in the CA Diversion Program - I now work in an administrative position for a company that does home care for developmentally disabled adults and my past never came up in getting this job and is now truely the past (though I would not wish to forget or close the door on it)
Good luck to you - You may send me private messages on this site if you want to talk more.
Hi there hppygr8ful. I want to thank you for your words of wisdom. I have been so busy these past few weeks it's been amazing. Did a lot of praying for the signs of what I am to do with the rest of my life. So I got a call and next thing I knew I got a job working as RN in a substance abuse center 35 miles from my home. It's the one I wanted to work for but there have been no openings for a while. I started and am on orientation and am loving every minute of it. I am so blessed and grateful!!!! Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. It's nice to be able to tell people you are an addict and it's truly ok. This is a dream I didn't dare to even dream. I stand as hope in one of the person's bleakest times in their life.
I am so so so so blessed. Thanks for your words of encouragement
I have been out of work now for 3.5 years because of a pos. ua. What the hell am I suppose to do. No one will hire me. I have 23 years of critical care experience. Any ideas.?
roesseba wrote:I have been out of work now for 3.5 years because of a pos. ua. What the hell am I suppose to do. No one will hire me. I have 23 years of critical care experience. Any ideas.?
You say you had a positive UA. I would like to know what happened since. Did you in fact have a problem? Did you go into a recovery program? Have you participated in any kind of program with your state BON? Where have you looked for work? You need to be willing to step out of your comfort zone to get that first job. I ended up taking a job in acute psych. Where I worked for four years. I am now an administrative nurse for a company that owns group homes.
Hi,
I am new here-and kind of nervous...I will start my daily call ins for a urine test tomorrow-then 3 AA meetings per week....I went to a nice non-AA retreat-that helped me identify why I drink-the Board seems to be punitive-but I realize that we are caring for pt.'s....Does anyone have any opinions on what future employers would say once we disclose we are in monitoring?
Thanks!!!
Welcome - There are several of us here who have traveled and continue to travel your journey. It is not the end of the world. The Boards can be punitive and at times seem very unreasonable. They are all strong pushers of the AA model. So get used to the idea of going to meetings. 3 AA meetings a week is not so bad - I had to go to a meeting every day for almost a year - the board figured that as long as I wasn't working I might as well be in a meeting. When I was approved to go back to work they cut it back to three. I have been out of the diversion program for two years now. I'm working as a nurse and living a full and happy life that is mostly free of resentment and worry. I honestly believe that I would not be alive today were it not for the Board Monitoring program.
As for what the future holds - only you can determine that. Don't get ahead of yourself. Certain employer's are easier to work with than others. It also seems to vary from state to state. For now concentrate on your sobriety and recovery. If you are in a state that pays disability get your doctor to sign off and collect for as long as you can.
If you live in the Southern California area near Los Angeles I might be able to help you when it comes time to look for work.
Read through the sticky's on this site they will offer you helpful tips with regard to diet and household chemicals that can cause positive drug and alcohol tests. Keep you chin up but also find ways to be of service and stay humble. Personally I prayed more in the first year of sobriety than I did my whole life.
Thanks for the info!!! I wil get my 1st drug screen tomorrow....I am sooooooooo nervous-then go to AA meeting for the 1st time....I worry that the BON may not let me go on vac.? We have tickets for Key West....How do they work with you on that???
Thanks!!!
robot wrote:Thanks for the info!!! I wil get my 1st drug screen tomorrow....I am sooooooooo nervous-then go to AA meeting for the 1st time....I worry that the BON may not let me go on vac.? We have tickets for Key West....How do they work with you on that???
Thanks!!!
It largely depends on the board - and the availability of test sites and AA meetings - Yes you will most likely have to call in and go to meetings. For a list of meetings nationwide go to www.asoberplace.com I once went to a great fireside meeting on the beach in Hawaii. Check to see about availabily of test site where you are going. When you ask to go on vacation ask and tell them how you will handle testing and meetings. There's no shortage of drunks in Key West so there's sure to be meetings there.
After you have a year or so of sobriety under your belt you will most likely be able to go on Vacationn without going to meetings.
Robot,
I am in the BON alternative program now. Been in about 16 months. At first, I was very confused, scared generally F'd up. After rehab, I started the daily check ins, AA 3 days a week and counseling. At first I never left my home town, but now I do escape occasionally. I just have to write, email or fax my compliance coordianator and notify first lab. I have never had any problems or been turned down. Best if luck to you. This program is a bit hard but sure beats the alternative!!
I think the chat room is down right now but if you post on the nurses in recovery board there's pretty good activity. We're all in this together..... Keep posting........
Yeah, Chat is down for right now. I asked Da Boss, Aaron, to get it going again. However, he has alot on his plate, and some things are put on the back burner. One of them is the Chat Room. If it's only me ragging, he may not listen.....Maybe if you all PM or e-mail him, he'll take the hint?!
Sorry to say there hasn't been a working chat room on this site for well over a year. you might want to try a site called asoberplace.com as they have a chat with on-line AA and NA meetings and a listing of meetings in every state of the union and some foriegn countries as well. I found it very handy for vacation planning etc..... Fell free to contact me by PM if you need help or support.
PS for anonimity's sake you might consider not using your actual name screen as a web personality. My name come from that thing you hear in meetings "Hi I'm so and so and I', a happy grafeful alcoholic!!!!!!!" Used to drive me completely batty till I figured it out.
Sorry again to say that there hasn't been a working chat room on this site in over a year - but we are all here to support eachother.
Stay plugged in and as I have said before try not to use your real name as your web personality - anonimity - is an important aspect of our recovery.
I am a recovering nurse in a rural area that does not know other RNs to talk to about my concerns. I am hoping that this forum will help meet my needs to connect to others in a similar situation as mine. I am in the WA BON recovery program. I have been in recovery 1 1/2 years. I am considering moving to be closer to my family but this entails moving out of state. I am not sure when and what to do about talking to my potential employers about my recovery. Any thoughts?
Hey glad I found you hanging on the end of this thread. Welcome Check with your state BON and the BON in tnhe state where you want to move to before you make any decisions. Some states will transfer you into their programs - others will make you start all over. As for looking for work - I sought out jobs in very underserved areas mostly psych and always had a job. from the day I was permitted to go back to work. I found that being brutally honest about my situation worked for me. You can PM me here - but I don't come on everyday anymore since the site changed hands.
Hi,
Im ordered to do 2 yrs of probation for the BON. They want me to complete a chemical dependency eval has anyone had any experience with this? I haven't agreed to this order yet but it says I have to agree to any counseling or treatment they suggest. Im worried because i have to sign the agreement before the determination is made, and not sure exactly what Im agreeing to.
ginger03 wrote:Hi,
Im ordered to do 2 yrs of probation for the BON. They want me to complete a chemical dependency eval has anyone had any experience with this? I haven't agreed to this order yet but it says I have to agree to any counseling or treatment they suggest. Im worried because i have to sign the agreement before the determination is made, and not sure exactly what Im agreeing to.
Can you tell me more about your circumstances, what state you are in etc.... I would advise you to seek the advice of an attorney familiar with professional licensing issues before you sign or agree to anything......
Chemical dependency evals are no big deal - you sit with an addiction specialist and they go over your history with you - but once you sign on the dotted line for a BON contract there's no going back so make sure you understand what you are signing.
PM me here and I will try to help you - I am very familiar with California's system but every state is different.
Hi I am new to this and I am struggling staying positive while trying to find employment. I am wanting to give up. I am looking to find some positive support.
Hello. I'm a recovering alcoholic.i also happen to be N RN . I've been looking for a group of professionals to talk with. I go to AA but would be nice to start a nursing anonymous.:)
hppygr8ful wrote:Sorry for the shout but wanted to get your attention - I am trying to set up a regularly scheduled chat session when we can share or experience strength and hope - anyone interested. Post here so we can get together on-line
I have created an Nurses in Recovery Chat Room on this site and will try to hang out there once in a while. I think recovery is hard enough when you don't have to jump through BON Hoops like a trained pony - Don't get me wrong I most likely would not be alive today were it not for the Calif BON Diversion program but the early days were really hard and I think we all need someone to talk to sometimes.
