Hello to all. I am new to this site and I'm so glad to find it. I haven't found a topic though that plagues alot of nurses;which is substance abuse. I became addicted to pain medication while working on an orthopedic floor in 1998 and began diverting pain medication from the hospital. Eventually, (thank God) I was intervened upon and suspended from work pending a psych eval. I went to treatment for a total of 7 months. Now, I am in a state monitoring program that watches me very closely. I am just now getting back into the work force, and it is so hard to tell these potiential employers about my past, even a little embarrassing. I was just wanting some feedback from some others out there? Their experiences? Stories?