new to site working on getting license back after surrender NEED ADVICE

[NIKALEA]

Hello,

im new to the site and in need of some advice and reassurance. My story goes a little something like this... I obtained my lvn license in 01 and went through a dental procedure and became addicted to pain killers. I was working for a docters office and was caught calling in prescriptions to pharmacies. I also was written up for coming to work groggy from taking too many prozac. Then i walked out on them one day when they were understaffed, after being refused any help. They reported me to the tx bon, i surrendered my license and the board told me that i could petition after one year, and 12 months verifiable sobriety. This was in 06, i had given up fell into a deep depression, and called it quits. My kids and husband helped me to regain my confidence and i just started taking monthly drug test in january of this year, i also completed an outpatient 21 day treatment program with a facility called brentwood. Now that my 12 months of testing is coming to an end i decided to start researching others experiences, and i must say im really discouraged now. I read that the board will probably say my test arent sufficient, enforce polygraphs and pyc evals and lawyers and all types of things. I would like to hear from someone with some knowledge of this type of situation. Can anyone help me and let me know what to expect, or what else i can do to better my chances of regaining my license?

Thanks

[NIKALEA]

Just wondering where did I go wrong with reaching out for help through this site. It's been a while and still nobody has responded. Can someone offer some suggestions on how to get any advice on my situation?

[whome3]

Nikalea,

I am sorry that you have not received any replies... but applaud you for not giving up and for repeating your request for some help on your situation.

I am not from TX, but have read quite a bit about the way they work and follow a few blogs from TX lawyers involved with the BON.

I concur with your conclusion and strongly suggest seeking legal help with this in order to get the best outcome. I personally know a nurse who had good success after hiring a lawyer, and can give you his name privately.

[tweetybird rn]

Hi, I am new to site and just got through reading your thread. I'm also in texas. How is your situation going ? I'm in Tpapn, so on a little different path. Let me know. Get a lawyer for sure, one that is educated on the BON, that makes a big difference.

[NIKALEA]

Hello!! Tweetybird and Whome 3

Im sooo glad I finally got someone to respond I had lost hope. Well I'm currently attending NA meetings 3 times weekly. I talked with my moniter in Oct and she said the random drug screens and the 21 day outpatient treatment wasn't enough and that I should go to the meetings. I wish I could afford a lawyer!! I've been praying that when I submit what I have and petition in March that something will happen. I hope they will allow me to participate in TPAPN. Im just so ready to go back to work. Welcome to the site and thanks for writing it really means a lot. Whome 3 I would like to know of that lawyer it doesnt hurt to at least contact them, you never know what the future may bring.

[tweetybird rn]

hi, really glad to hear from u. I tried to send a reply about some steps I have taken they may help with the BON and recovery (#1). I guesss it didn't send. (I was on a break @ work on my phone, screne is kinda small !) Let me know if interested, ok ?

[saracat66t]

Tread carefully with the ri bon. Do not go near them without an attorney
The director is not a very nice person. The director actually told a potential employer over the phone not to hire me. The woman wouldn't know me if she fell on me. My councelor of five years stopped treating me because she was concerned about her own license after a conversation she had with director of the board. She also told me that the director has it out for me.I made the mistake of making them look stupid, not intentionately. I got the distinct impression that most nurses are intimidated by them so there not used to having someone fight back. When i'm guilty I accept the consequenses of my actions, but if i'm innocent,look out. Anyway, watch your back

[cali510]

I thought I had heard somewhere that one can not move a restricted license from one state to another. Could someone else provide some personal info on this? You could always contact the Board and ask them directly. In the long run, that is your best bet for getting accurate information.

[ltml82]

Hi! I have just completed year 2 of a 3-year program of monitoring by the Board. Whome3 is right-on when she recommends getting an attorney. I was ready to surrender my license after failing TPAPN twice--first for relapsing, then for missing 2 random drug tests. I thank God that at the last minute I found out about Louis Lechter and contacted his office; 2 days later he accompanied me to my informal hearing before the Board. They accepted my proof of 12 months of sobriety, so my license wasn't suspended. Now, more than 4 years later, I'm happy and successful in a job I love. Many times I felt like giving up, feeling ashamed and powerless. The process is punitive and harsh, with seemingly no compassion or understanding that addiction is an illness, not a crime or a deliberate evil. But the situation is what it is, and if one wants to stay licensed, the best choice is to get a good lawyer, make the best deal possible, and then accept the outcome. It's not easy to meet all the requirements, but it's been worth it. I really think that if I had given up on nursing I would always have felt like a failure. It war REALLY hard to go on interviews and face repeated rejection; I was amazed at how quickly I'd be shown the door once I'd disclosed my restrictions. Persistence and faith paid off, though, as they always do, and I found a job I really enjoy and am great at. I've earned back my confidence, and hope to have opportunities to help others as I've been helped. I'm sure this is way more than anyone wants to know, but it just kind of snowballed :-)

So, anyway, hang in there, hold your head high, get a good attorney, and do what you have to to keep your license. Best of luck to you!

PS: thank-you, Louis. Your support and guidance will not be forgotten!

[cougarnurse]

Congrats, ltml; it's nice to hear that you've done well.

Hope you stop by and continue to support others who are in your shoes.