u/DizzyTravel244

Hi everyone. I’m looking for honest input from nurses who have gone through Board discipline, reinstatement, probation, monitoring, or hiring after a serious license issue.

I was an RN and my license was indefinitely suspended under a consent agreement from 2015. The underlying situation happened in 2013. It was substance-related and involved unaccounted-for narcotics/documentation issues and impairment concerns while I was working. I denied diverting medication from work, but I understand that many people may still view this as a diversion-related case because controlled substances were involved.

I’m not here to minimize it. I know it was serious. I know it affected trust, patient safety, and my ability to practice. I take responsibility for where I was at that time.

But this was about 10 years ago, and I am not that same person anymore.

Since then, I have a productive life. I’m married, have three amazing kids who are honor roll students, and I’ve worked hard to become a healthier, more responsible person.

Right now, I’m trying to decide whether pursuing reinstatement is realistic. I have already been doing daily drug testing/monitoring, attending NA/support meetings, and having my doctor submit paperwork whenever she prescribes me medication. I have not applied for reinstatement yet because I’m not financially ready to complete the remaining steps, including CEUs, fingerprints/background check, the chemical dependency evaluation, and possibly a refresher course.

For anyone who has been through something similar:

·       Were you able to get your license reinstated?

·       Were you able to find a nursing job afterward?

·       Did employers treat the discipline as an automatic disqualifier?

·       Were there certain settings that were more willing to hire someone on probation/monitoring?

·       Did coworkers or managers treat you differently?

·       Were the restrictions manageable in real life?

·       Looking back, was reinstatement worth it?

·       Or did you eventually choose a different career?

I’m asking because I need honest, real-world perspective. Part of me wants to keep going because this happened so long ago and my life is completely different now. Another part of me is scared that I could spend all this time and money only to find out no one will ever hire me.

Please be honest, but kind. I know the situation was serious. I’m just trying to figure out whether moving forward is realistic.

Hi everyone. I’m looking for honest input from nurses who have gone through Board discipline, reinstatement, probation, monitoring, or hiring after a serious license issue.

I was an RN and my license was indefinitely suspended under a consent agreement from 2015. The underlying situation happened in 2013. It was substance-related and involved unaccounted-for narcotics/documentation issues and impairment concerns while I was working. I denied diverting medication from work, but I understand that many people may still view this as a diversion-related case because controlled substances were involved.

I’m not here to minimize it. I know it was serious. I know it affected trust, patient safety, and my ability to practice. I take responsibility for where I was at that time.

But this was about 10 years ago, and I am not that same person anymore.

Since then, I have a productive life. I’m married, have three amazing kids who are honor roll students, and I’ve worked hard to become a healthier, more responsible person.

Right now, I’m trying to decide whether pursuing reinstatement is realistic. I have already been doing daily drug testing/monitoring, attending NA/support meetings, and having my doctor submit paperwork whenever she prescribes me medication. I have not applied for reinstatement yet because I’m not financially ready to complete the remaining steps, including CEUs, fingerprints/background check, the chemical dependency evaluation, and possibly a refresher course.

For anyone who has been through something similar:

• Were you able to get your license reinstated?
• Were you able to find a nursing job afterward?
• Did employers treat the discipline as an automatic disqualifier?
• Were there certain settings that were more willing to hire someone on probation/monitoring?
• Did coworkers or managers treat you differently?
• Were the restrictions manageable in real life?
• Looking back, was reinstatement worth it?
• Or did you eventually choose a different career?

I’m asking because I need honest, real-world perspective. Part of me wants to keep going because this happened so long ago and my life is completely different now. Another part of me is scared that I could spend all this time and money only to find out no one will ever hire me.

Please be honest, but kind. I know the situation was serious. I’m just trying to figure out whether moving forward is realistic.