Help, I just entered the California Diversion program

[sickofnursing]

After the long list of what i can not eat,use as perfume,cleaning supplies,sauces.....Hmmm...Going out of my mind. I figured this would be a long road of recovery as I have not been able to get clean since i left the program 10 years ago..I thought this would make me accountable to someone. Now I feel I have entered the gates of hell or some Nazi organization. No chicken marsala,no soy sauce, change of mouthwash!!! Really??? I realize I need someone to be in control of my life as I have not been doing a good job at it. I realize this is my fault,my decision's, my life but ETG testing that is not even considered an adequate measurement of drinking, not supposed to be used for punitive punishment. I have lost what is left of my mind, as I will stay clean but that does not mean the ETG test will agree with me.

[hppygr8ful]

It's not as hard as you think! In the 5 years I was in the program I only tested positive 3 times and it always came back to something I ate. I have posted a sticky with the culprits that seem to make you test positive more often. It's true you"ll have to give up Alcohol in recipe's as just enough remains to cause a positive test. What Dec are you in Who is you representative - I don"t come here as often as I used to but I when they decide to let you work leave me a message here I know a very Diversion Friendly employer I worked there the four years and am on very good terms with the hopsital management. I was one of their first diversion hirse and did so well they took chances on several nurses I referred.

Post here if you need support this is a good group of nurses


Hppy

[sickofnursing]

Thanks Happy...I relocated or did a geographic 18 months ago from So Cal. I worked at the sister facility in Pasadena for a year in Psych while I was drinking...Well not sure what im gonna do but I live near Sacramento now

[Ernurse17]

I would like to know about the employer.. Pls..

[hppygr8ful]

How long have you been in Diversion? The DEC is not likely to let you go back to work until you are sober for a minimum of 9 months to a year. I know it was my third DEC when they gave me permission to look for a job. Knowing I would not have Narcotic access made it difficult for me to get a job in any hospital I applied at. But I was attending after care at the psych hospital when I did my treatment and was a peer support volunteer there for patient's on the detox unit. One day the DON asked me if I wanted a job. I explained my problem with regard to meds and she said she thought they could work around that as they had psych techs and LVNS to pass the meds. I called my Case manager in Sacremento and told her I had been offered a job. She took my request to the dec and 24 hours later I was working. It seemed the DON and my case worker were old friends. I worked there for 5 years. Once I finished Diversion I explored other areas of nursing and found the job I have today.
I hope to stay with this company until I retire but Health Care reform is really effecting our budget and it's all very uncertain right now.

Peace and Namaste

Hppy