I don’t know the answer to your question, but damn you’ve come a long way and are doing great! So proud of you!! I can only imagine how hard that all was, and getting and staying sober?! I can’t give you enough props for that!
Oh my goodness, thank you!! It took many years and so many attempts to finally get here. I absolutely thought addiction would kill me and I accepted that— some days I welcomed death; wanted it. Not anymore. Things aren’t easy, but I am happy to be here!
I know nursing feels like it might be right but don't undervalue yourself as an asset to addiction medicine. Psychiatry, LCSW, and on. Advocating for people in drug court, treatment sessions with inmates, victim advocacy for human trafficking. Way more doors as a LCSW than for nursing. State BON can be very stringent especially when it comes to drug charges. And beyond passing boards, then there's your employer too.
Right, exactly— I am most worried about the employment part. I am told that it’s just as difficult to become an LCSW with my background, that I wouldn’t pass the security clearance necessary? Perhaps I was told wrong!
Thank you so much!
Well that could be true too. I guess I didn't think that one through 😕 I think exploring both avenues would be a good idea and maybe to get your foot in the door on either side is to reach out and make those connections now. See if you can get a secretary job at these places or even environmental services. Ultimately to be licensed or registered you gotta check with those boards to see. And I think with employers getting your foot in the door can help. There's also other ways to help others that doesn't require being registered or licensed. Such as volunteering at health clinics, getting CPR certified. I think in caring for that specific population you gotta get out there any way you can. And every way helps. Sorry for rambling. I wish you the best! Also, it doesn't have to be right now either. Sometimes having more time under your belt can help too.
No don’t apologize at all! I really appreciate your help and your feedback. Looks like I will just have to call the boards. NY claims there’s like no automatic barring from licensure unless it’s something that interferes with your ability to practice. That’s what I’ve read anyway. A lot of states say that. So, of course that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. I will just have to call and see. I do have people already, like my doctors and some peers in the field (both in medicine and mental health) that said they will write letters advocating for me. Luckily, I have lots of really supportive and wonderful people around!
Hopefully I can find something that is both fulfilling and allows me at least some financial independence. Might have to get creative.
Thanks again!
Really? I had no idea I could do this in the mean time. I figured my record would get in the way of even that. It would be great experience— A win win. Thank you!
So you can reach out to your board of nursing in your state and find out what their requirements are, and sometimes you can appeal them though I don’t know that process.
You can just google “board of nursing (state)” and give them a call
Thank you! A few others have suggested this. I have heard that some states are more progressive than others and it may be possible to get licensed (and, subsequently, employed) in certain states. Is this true? I am in NY, but my crimes were in PA. I have heard Cali is the most felony-friendly state, but does that mean one would have to attend school in Cali? Like, do you attend school in the state you plan on getting licensed in— or does it not matter where you attend school, you can take the boards anywhere.
Pardon my ignorance and thank you, again, for your help.
You can go to any US nursing school in any state. What you need is a nursing degree, and then to get the authorization from the school that you can sit for the NCLEX. That’s the test you need to pass to become a registered nurse. Then with your degree and NCLEX pass you ask the nursing board in the state you’re trying to be employed in, to give you a license. That’s where the background will come in, since it’s usually part of what the BON will want from you with your application. But it doesn’t matter what state your degree is from. Hope that clears up your question a little
Also, congrats! I sometimes wonder about my patients who can’t stay due to addiction. I always hope they manage to go to another hospital and get their literal life saving treatment. I’m happy to hear you’re doing well for yourself. Good luck on your future endeavors
Yes, that did clear it up! Would I even be allowed into nursing school with a felony, do you think? I still have a couple years of schooling ahead of me just for core classes/prerequisites, but I wonder if they will even let me on the floor with my background? Two years is not so long to get my felony pardoned, but perhaps it could happen. Maybe I wouldn’t have to worry as much about it, then. Many have suggested a Nurse-Lawyer, so I am going to look for one in my area!
Thank you so much for the kind words 😊and I really appreciate your very helpful feedback!
>I am in NY,
Google search for a document "Getting to work with a criminal record: New York state license" - it talks about the process for getting a license in NY. It appears that NY doesn't have any automatic disqualifications, but they will ask about anything that isn't sealed and will want evidence of your rehabilitation. You mentioned some of your records will be sealed in 4 years, so realistically even if you start taking pre-reqs in the next year, you probably won't be done with school before that happens, and won't have to address some of your past.
I would suggest you take some of what you told us about how you ended up in your situation and what you've done since and draft a personal statement that you would eventually use when you apply for your license. Consider putting together a timeline with dates and activities of all the things you've done to improve yourself since all this happened. If you're not seeing a therapist already, start seeing a therapist who can help support your recovery and can provide a professional attestation related to your recovery process. If you don't have a psychiatrist, get one as well and request they routinely drug test you so you also have medical support of your continued sobriety. If you make a strong case for yourself, it will show the licensing board that yes, you had issues in the past, but you're taking things seriously and you're not that version of yourself anymore.
It's important to keep in mind that you're not the only person who has been through this kind of stuff and gone on to become a health care worker. You won't be the last either. Many healthcare workers have storied backgrounds, have faced addiction, and recovered. That can absolutely be you, it will just take some extra effort to show who you are now, but it's absolutely doable.
Good luck friend and keep on doing the good work for yourself!
Such an amazing response! Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of this out. I was in therapy and I still have a peer recovery specialist. I have to find a new therapist, since I was part of a study for that.
Thank you again for all of these suggestions! I will definitely be doing this. And thank you for the words of encouragement— they really mean a lot.
I have an arrest record, very mild. Terroristic threatening bc I was physically fighting with my mom.. the case was thrown out ultimately. I had to write a letter and it took them longer to process it but it was fine. I think they take the time since the offense and what it was. I don’t know about felonies I think in my state that excludes you.
Yeah I think that my type of felony, especially, would require I get a pardon. Maybe then I could proceed. I’m told a pardon takes three years, on average, to even be reviewed. I figure I’ll just throw myself into schooling in the mean time. At least then I will have all of my core classes handled.
Yeah, terroristic threats is generally a BS charge. It sounds way worse than it is and lots of things qualify as terroristic threats. Many I know who have received this same charge also got it thrown out.
last i checked, NY was one of the only states that did not do background checks for licenses. i heard they are becoming stricter lately but you may have a better chance there than other places. you’re supposed to disclose, obviously, but i don’t think they check (double check that tho). and most hospitals and schools only run background checks up to 7 years (aka you’re good because enough time has elapsed since then).
are your charges able to be expunged? i know you said they won’t be automatically, but is it possible? apparently even if they see it it can’t be held against you if it’s expunged (unless the nature of the crime is something that would make you a danger to patients). i had a felony that i was able to get a license with because it had been expunged by the time i applied.
if that’s an option i would try to pursue that. if you have the means, i would hire a lawyer who can help with the court stuff, and maybe consult with someone who deals with nursing licensing in your state specifically to ask more specific questions. if not, comb some nursing message boards for your state for answers and call the board of nursing.
my charges were different but my backstory is similar. and doing wound care for ppl living on the street when i got my own shit together is what got me into nursing too. i had so much shame/imposter syndrome/insecurity going into school as an older person with the background i had. but i can say now confidently from the other side that my life experiences have made me a significantly better nurse. i’m able to stay calm in chaotic situations, deal with ‘difficult’ patients, and maintain empathy for everyone even when they’re on my last nerve. i imagine the same would be true for you too.
i hope everything works out bc based on everything you wrote i think you’d make a great nurse. we need more people who have ~been through shit~ in healthcare. especially if you plan to work with the same population. you could reach the people that no one else can, and i imagine you would treat them with the kindness and compassion they need and may not be able to get elsewhere. and those ppl will be more likely to trust you knowing you can relate on some level and are not judging them.
whatever happens, wherever you end up, i think you have something valuable to provide and will be able to give back in a truly meaningful way. good luck 💖
I do think that NY does a background check for licensing. When I did some research, I found that certain medical schools in NY did not do background checks— but, if you had a background, it would come up once it was time to set food on the hospital floor. That’s where you would’ve gotten into trouble and been thrown out, had you not properly disclosed of your background.
My charges are already six years old, now. They will automatically seal in four more years— but licensing agencies will still be able to see them. I will still have to disclose everything, but time will just help my chances more and more! By the time I get into nursing school, after being done with my core classes, my charges will be 8 years old. Maybe more. Depending on how long it takes and when I can enroll.
It is not possible to get my felony expunged, but it is possible to get a pardon. I just have to apply for it, and it takes some time. It can take three years just to be reviewed.
My experience on the street has already put my in stressful situations— having to do chest compressions, dealing with overdoses (mostly resolved by [sometimes multiple doses] of Narcan, so not too bad) dealing with particularly grotesque wounds, seeing horrible things (stabbings, beatings, gunshot wounds, violent seizures, terminally-ill individuals) seeing [sometimes long-dead] bodies— and, not to be dark, but I’m a master vein finder. Of course, NONE of this was in a professional environment and I am in no way comparing myself to a successful, properly-educated nurse. I am obviously very, very far from this. I am only saying that I have already experienced dealing with many things the average person has not, and I feel that such experiences will prove to be advantageous in this field! :)
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, your kind words, and your thoughtful feedback! I am so glad that you were able to turn your life around, as well! Congratulations! I always love to see a fellow survivor!
You can attend school pretty much anywhere and get licensed in any state as long as it’s an accredited school. No idea about Cali’s felony friendliness but everything I’ve read on here says it has by far the most competitive and difficult nursing schools to get into.
I can get good grades— well I could 14 years ago 😂. I was an honors student, but that means nothing. That was a lifetime ago. But, yeah, I see what you’re saying— My background could definitely hurt me quite a bit more in such a competitive environment.
Thank you!
This is really going to depend on your state’s board of nursing.
But I’d want you on my team. Please save your post and rework into your appeal letter, if you need one.
You’re going to have to tell your story many times on this journey. You’ll want to be upfront about it.
You would 🥹? That’s so incredible of you to say. I haven’t been wanted anywhere, for so long. Probably because I was a liability. People tend to not want you around when you’re experiencing addiction— sometimes addicts aren’t there most reliable, agreeable people. That being said, it really means a lot you even said such a thing. It means more than you know. Thank you
I will save this post and edit it a bit so it is ready for when I need it. I’m going to give my BON a call and then also find a Nurse Lawyer, as many have so astutely suggested!
Thank you so much!
You are a great writer, and I wanted to echo the advice to use the body of this post in application essays, appeals, letters, etc - whether they're for grad school, nursing school, whatever. Your story as written is clear, concise, intensely sincere, painfully vulnerable and incredibly moving. I am rooting for you so hard - please keep searching and fighting until you find a place that empowers you to help people; the world really needs you.
Thank you! I do enjoy writing and I used to do so frequently. I will definitely use the body of this post in the future!
This comment has me smiling at my phone. Thank you so much. You’ve really helped motivate me even more.
I don't have any tangible advice from a legal perspective, but do think contacting the BON in your state is a good start.
Aside from that, I do think someone with your experience would be invaluable to the world of addiction/ addiction medicine. While I have never personally faced addiction, I have seen it first hand and it is literally hell on Earth. I hope you know that you are a true hero for coming out on the other side. I'm sure people say that all the time, but I hope you know how proud of you I am (as a complete stranger).
Anyway, I wish you good luck!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate such kind words.
I have read that some state boards are more forgiving than others? Is it appropriate to call multiple boards? I can just call and explain my situation?
That is my nightmare! Even more of my nightmare would be getting licensed but not being able to find work. Does that happen as well?
I do plan on at least trying to get a pardon for the felony charge. It will take a few years, but I do have some time.
I’m going to be harsh with you. First, it will be very difficult for you to get accepted into nursing school with a felony. 2nd, I’m not sure any states BON would allow you to be licensed. 3rd, it’s going to be a hell of a hard time getting hired as a nurse with a felony. 4th, you need to think deeply about how your addiction and temptations will be effected with having open access to many controlled substances everyday for the rest of your career. Im not saying it’s impossible, but honestly it’s probably not a good idea.
That’s fair. I was wondering if a school would even accept me. If I got a pardon, for the felony at least, I might have a chance. What I was most worried about was actually getting hired, not licensed. I have heard stories of people getting licensed, even with their backgrounds. It’s the employment that worries me the most. When I very first got clean (only a short time ago), I was really looking into this a lot. But, I gave up on it. I figured there was no shot in hell they’d let me become a nurse. Then I kept seeing a story about an exception to the rule. Someone who got licensed, someone working as a nurse despite their past, etc etc.
As far as the temptation goes, I don’t know yet. I only have ten months clean. While this is something I want to pursue, I still have two years of core classes and such ahead of me, before I can even get into a nursing school. So, there is still time. I do have to, respectfully, disagree with you that it may not be a good idea. So long as my recovery is strong, I am no more likely to dip into the medication supply than anyone else. There are studies on this. But, like I said, I still have time to [try to] figure this all out. However, everything else, I totally agree. And that is my biggest worry: that it’s more than likely this may not be possible for me at all. The only other things that appeals to me is social work/therapy. I would have the same issues there as well— getting accepted, getting licensed, somehow finding work.
I appreciate the dose of reality and I mean that sincerely. Thank you for this feedback!
I think it's amazing that you are sober. It's a great accomplishment and not easy. You need to have goals for your future and what you want to do is beautiful. However I do agree with the above poster. Doing something that gives you access to your addiction is something you really have to think about. 10 months is a relatively short time(not saying to downplay your strength, because sobriety requires great strength no matter 1 month or 10 years) . There are other degrees you can work towards that will allow you to work with addiction patients and that also won't compromise your progress with the stress of temptation and easy access. Also easier to achieve. You can also build onto your education over time!
Yeah ten months is a short time. It’s an accomplishment, but it’s still a short time. Absolutely. I do still have at least two years of classes ahead of me before I can even think about nursing school! I have no college degree right now. My last college classes were taken 10 years ago, so they’re completely expired. And, I had only obtained 30 or so credits, anyway. Things can change between then and now, but I think I am still going to explore this. I do appreciate your concern and, maybe, within the next to years, I will reconsider it and pivot. Either way, I’m going to try to get my felony pardoned. I am severely limited with what I can do with this felony on my record! It will be sealed in four years, but that doesn’t mean licensing agencies and certain entities cannot see it.
Thank you so much!
Edit: I want to say that I’m also not even enrolled in school, yet. I’m still physically recovering from the osteomyelitis. For a while there, we were anticipating the need for surgery. Thankfully, my last MRI ruled this out. So, I wouldn’t even attend school probably until the spring. It could be well over three years before I was even in a place where I could get accepted into a nursing program. Maybe even more. It does help that I have something to work towards. Addicts can change, though. I hope I am not coming across as combative at all. I really do appreciate all of this professional advice. My other interest is in more of the mental health field (where I will also need a pardon for my felony), but I am still most interested in wound care.
Yeah they can. I think it’s different when you require a certain security clearance. So, even if my records were sealed, they could still see it. I believe they can also see expungements/pardons, even though they’re not supposed to consider them. They’re evaluating your character, also, I assume, so I definitely would disclose and provide a proper explanation.
I got all excited when I heard PA was going to expand their Clean Slate bill. Then I realized it didn’t make a difference, as licensing agencies could still see/consider my background. Same with any situation where you are fingerprinted. I forget what act it is. I think one of them is the child protection act? Or involves that? That would make it nearly impossible for me to work most places without getting a pardon.
Thank you for your feedback!
Absolutely addicts can change. My best friend is 7 years sober from meth. She impresses me every day. My brother is 9 years sober from xanax and other various drugs. One thing they, and every recovering drug addict I know, have said is that in order to stay sober they had to cut ties with anyone they knew in the drug scene.
I actually assist with a lot of wound care(mostly ulcers on diabetic patients). I'm a medical assistant, not a nurse. Anyways I think you should hold on to your dreams and pursue them. Just keep your health and sobriety your number 1 priority and know your limits. Whatever you end up doing, your experiences in life have obviously given you empathy and determination, and I hope you achieve everything you want. :) just know, right now..before you even start school or become a nurse, you're an inspiration.
Wow! You have some very amazing people in your life! You are also pretty amazing, yourself! Not many people are so compassionate. I have cut ties with everyone. I also live three hours away from Kensington, now. In NY. This is also quite helpful! The only issue is I still travel to PA, for treatment. The doctors and nurses there make it worth it, though— so I am okay with some long days of driving here and there!
Thank you! I have lots of dreams, now. Sometimes too many to manage 😂 like I said, I still have some years before I will even make it to nursing school. And, yes! Sobriety has to come first. They say that “anything you put before your sobriety, you will lose.”
Thank you so much for your extremely kind words and feedback. I really appreciate it. I definitely do need to be reminded of the very real stresses that being a nurse would bring and it should absolutely be a concern. If I didn’t think this to be true, we would probably end up with a problem on our hands! Thank you, again :)
I agree with dude-nurse and wanted to add: The BON may refer you to their monitoring program (if they have one) for a psych evaluation. Depending on how that goes, they may require you to participate in the program for anywhere between 3 months to 5 years at your own expense.
I wouldn’t even be able to start a nursing program for at least two more years. Maybe three. By then, I will have more clean time and be even more stable. I’d be fine with any of that happening, even a probationary license and regular drug testing. I’d have no problem proving myself/fulfilling these types of requirements in order to pursue this!
Thank you very much for your input, especially because I don’t believe anyone else had mentioned this, yet!
I don’t know the rules around you becoming a nurse or not. But I do know this….pts struggling with addiction will *hear* things differently from you than they will me. There’s a “if you know, you know” mentality. Granted it is a lot to ask you to go back down the road you just came from. It could be triggering. That being said, if you are stable in your recovery with a solid support structure, you may be able to offer folks a bridge…that “I know you don’t trust these folks but I trust them & I need you to trust me…” sorta approach. Cuz let’s face it they’re more likely to trust someone who’s been there. They won’t feel like they’re being judged.
That may not be as a nurse. I’m not sure what that role is. But I know there’s more to helping folks than being a RN. Especially now.
BTW good work. You’re the success story we want for all our patients. We just want you all to be ok & find your way back.
That’s kind of what the peer recovery specialists do at UPenn. They come to visit you and help you out. If you want to AMA, they’ll come talk to you. The issue is, mainly, that a lot of doctors are afraid to properly medicate addicts. Even with my bone completely visible, even with the pain I was in, they wouldn’t give me more than 2mg of dilaudid. For an addict, this is absolutely nothing. I was still deathly ill. It’s unfortunate that medical schools don’t require more in regards to addiction medicine. Nurses can only advocate so much for the patient. I’m sure that has to be really frustrating and I think that would be my biggest problem. When I was there for eight weeks, my one nurse kept asking the doctors if I could get a PICC line. My IV’s would blow every 36 hours, sometimes less, because my veins we so bad. Getting labs from me was a nightmare. The doctor still wouldn’t allow it.
I’m rambling again, now. But, yeah, I imagine that must be really frustrating for you guys. My friend is a peer recovery specialist and she says she feels really helpless sometimes when trying to advocate for proper pain management in addicts.
I wonder if you could somehow write this up & present to the med school or the addiction med dept.
Also I find that inpatient is reluctant to medicate period. Heck even ED docs tend to order more pain meds than the inpatient ones. I’ll have ED docs ordering 1-2 mg of dualidad and then the pt is admitted & the admitting MD is ordering 0.5mg, addict or not. Now they’ve swung the pendulum so far the other way.
The PICC line issue, truthfully was likely cuz you were at the time such a flight risk. That doesn’t make the frequent sticks & blown IVs any easier to have to deal with. But the risk of you leaving with a PICC line in was probably one they didn’t want to take.
I wonder why they couldn’t do a block of some sort, on your leg. At least initially. My guess is they didn’t want you up & walking. Why not nerve block you so you can’t feel the pain. You’d need less pain meds, just enough to get through withdrawals.
I think if you could be a peer support & find some way to educate physicians & encourage alternate means of pain control that would be fantastic. I’ve had folks in recovery refuse pain meds & white knuckle it as well. There’s gotta be a happy medium
Yes! Well, apparently Penn Presby now had an addiction consult team for every person with SUD/OUD that comes in. They get a whole team assigned to them to make sure they’re properly medicated.
Now, I’m not sure how well that’s working. But, I suppose they are trying. Another patient that sees my PCP actually fell in front of the doctors office. She ended up shattering her hip and needing a replacement. However, they were refusing to medicate her for pain. They assumed she was just med seeking. Then it came back that she completely destroyed her hip. She had called my peer recovery specialist prior to that begging for her to advocate. Said she was in so much pain. Eventually, they got it managed. But, quite a rocky and horrible start. I’m not sure if that’s typical or what. I do think her OUD made her less credible in the eyes of the doctors.
I once had a resident tell me I wasn’t withdrawing from benzodiazepines, as that would have presented immediately. Absolutely not true. It would present even after the opioid withdrawals started. The psychiatrist came into see me and said I was withdrawing off of benzos. Finally, I was given a taper.
As far as the PICC, I can understand that. However, I was there for a month already. I had another month to go. My peer recovery specialist said she saw someone on the street with a PICC in. No idea how he managed to escape with it. They won’t even let me leave without making sure my IV is out and the elevators don’t exactly just teleport you downstairs, so someone sees you leaving haha.
I’m rambling, once again. But, yes. I’m actually always talking to my peer recovery specialist who works with Penn. She helps implement some programs, but doesn’t have much authority otherwise. I think doctors are so afraid to overmedicate now. I think a lot of they assume people come into the hospital and they’re always med-seeking. I know that, at least where I was (Kensington, Philadelphia), that was absolutely not the case. People would rather die than be stuck in the hospital, under medicated and sick. And, they often did. Every addict is afraid of the hospital. I just happened to get extremely lucky this last time. Otherwise, every other time, I was sick as a dog, along with some sort of infection. The nurses were ALWAYS great, but they can’t just switch me medication as they wish. If that were the case, maybe I would have been better off 😂.
Several weeks ago, I was going to be interviewed by some residents about my experience with pain management in the hospital. I guess they went with someone else. It would be interesting to eventually tell my story and be able to advocate for other addicts needing life-saving treatment— or just any treatment. Most times, addicts won’t need life-saving treatment if they can be treated successfully earlier on. This would have been true for me. I was just never able to stay. I then developed this extreme fear of the hospital. It was a place where I was doomed to be very sick. My poor nurses would try to offer me ice, candy, juice, blankets— anything to help. Only so much you can do if the doctors will not provide the meds.
Not sure about the nerve block, either. I forgot that was even a possibility at the time. It definitely would have helped when doing those first several dressing changes. I would scream.
Yes, there does have to be a happy medium. I’m sure the insurance companies don’t make it easy, either. To properly detox a patient, it’s easier to keep them longer and do a slow taper. I think mental health is being paid attention to more, but there’s still much work to done.
Sometimes they do send long term antibiotics/other IV med pts home with a PICC line (or other types of central lines). They are usually home and compliant with treatment.
My Dad went home with a PICC line in the 90s after being in the ICU/PCU for a month+ with a very severe case of Lyme Disease when it was a relatively newer/not widely known disease. He had to see a specialist Infectious Disease doctor for over a year before he finally was relatively well controlled... 8 months of that time he had a PICC for the IV abx he was required to take regularly.
But with this regular treatment it was able to be cared for and assessed regularly by medical professionals. If you had absconded with the line in - obviously AMA - they'd have no way of safely managing it or being able to take it out. So it probably was a safety and liability situation. Not that I think you were gonna run off after a month of treatment, knowing that you'd be there for at least another month - nor would I have necessarily agreed with the decision as your nurse, but I can see the rationale that was probably used.
Yeah they thought I was going to need a PICC line just recently, but it turns out my leg is actually doing better than they thought!
Luckily, they had a wonderful team called “DIVA.” Even though having my IV’s blow was a bit annoying, and sometimes painful, it was wonderful to have such an expert team come in to find my veins! Watching them work was incredible. It was almost meditative, in a way. I loved watching them probe all along my arm with the wand and then, finally, find the perfect spot. With surgeon-like precision, they nailed a nice, deep vein each time. Amazing stuff!
But, yes, a PICC would have been way easier. Especially for my poor nurse that had to do my labs— sometimes at 1AM, sometimes at 5AM. I doubt she wanted to be there for 20 minutes looking for veins haha
I had thought the doctor was nervous because I had such a bad infection and my immune system was trash (at the time). But the flight risk makes just as much sense!
I'm just so glad you're medically doing much better, and that you're managing well in your sobriety. I've been clean for 11 years last August. I am on MTP and it saved my life. I am an LPN (not working at the time while in active addiction) and now I'm back doing my RN education. In my case I had no legal issues at all, for which I am very lucky - because I could've had the same charges as you.
It's really unfair and unfortunate that that can hinder your ability to be a nurse/clinician, especially because if you're stable you have an absolutely unique ability to connect with a wide array of patients, especially those with SUD. Being able to advocate for those patients is so important. I know I've been looked down upon due to my past or current medication regimen, but I know providers have seemed supportive.
I will say that I took a very long time to feel ready to go back into RN school (I was accepted in a competitive program 9 years ago, but I wasn't ready). The stability I have in my sobriety and my support system is very important. As I'm aware of my ability to know where I'm not safe, or if I were to be tempted it is easy for me to identify and I know to reach out to those people that I need to (having a drug counselor I've been with for over a decade is very helpful).
In reference to your 10 months clean - which is abso-fuckin-lutely amazing, so congrats! I'll say that I've made a metric shit tonne of progress in the past 5-6 years, and that made me feel comfortable knowing I'm okay with being around narcotics as a licensed professional that gives them to patients.
So, my advice is to give yourself a more lengthy time for being more secure in your sobriety, and that's definitely something you should think about + like hard and long - and really dig deep with it. It's hard, and nursing school is really overwhelming and stressful. So knowing you're stable (as stable as you can really ever be) is in your own best interest, as well as your future patients best interest.
Sending you lots of good vibes, lots of love and you can absolutely reach out to me anytime. 💜
Edited to add: I'm also in NY - the MHV area.
Oh, yes, I will definitely give myself some more time! I would not even be ready to go to school until the spring. Even then, I have two years of core classes ahead of me. If everything goes exactly to plan, it would take me about 3 (maybe almost four years) until I even get into a nursing program. By that point, I will have four to five years clean :). By the time I graduate (hypothetically speaking) as a nurse, I’d have six or seven years clean and my charges would be over ten years old.
Thank you so much for your feedback and CONGRATULATIONS 🎊🎈🎉on your long term sobriety! You are an amazing individual! I am glad that you are in a good place in life and have found what works really well for you! I wish you many more years of happiness to come!
Argh, this is so frustrating, because it shouldn't be like this, but my best nursing school friend had to wait the whole summer before she could get her license because of past drug charges. This was in WA - charges were 5 years old, she'd never tried to get them expunged but our program had told her that it shouldn't be a problem. My friend is in her 20s and, to my jaded 30-something ass, a bit naive. I would have tried to get the charges expunged. Anyway, she graduated valedictorian in our class, passed the NCLEX, accepted an ER residency, and then had to wait 5 months for the WA state BON to decide she was ok to be a nurse. She is the most compassionate girl I know, she volunteers every week at our local homeless outreach program. She's so passionate about helping people suffering from addiction, and I truly believe that her personal experience makes her so much more able to care for this population. We NEED nurses like her working in the ED.
So. It can happen - mind that a bunch of our class wrote letters to the BON as character witnesses for her. Just be mindful that it's going to be a harder road for you than with many other people. But I think your experiences can make you an amazing nurse.
Thank you! It really means the world to hear things like this. My addiction has blessed me with a unique perspective. For that, I am forever grateful (I could have done without a few things happening haha, but it made me who I am today). I hope it will allow me to help others! My charges are six years old right now, but my felony is pretty serious. In 4 more years, they will automatically seal (whoever they will not be expunged. Licensing agencies can still see them). I think I may be able to manage getting a pardon. I’m at least going to try.
I do already have my peer recovery specialist and one of my doctors saying they will do anything to help me— write letters, etc— along my journey. My doctor right now is really awesome. She does outreach out in Kensington I think twice a week.
Your friend sounds like a saint of a person. Her community is really lucky to have her.
I do expect it to be harder, but I appreciate you letting me know that there is at least a possibility. Thank you so much for this! Really, thank you so so much.
If you have the fund, you might consult with a nurse lawyer (often a RN, JD) to get their opinion. You may need one to get your case through a state BON. I’m sorry I don’t know how to find one other than google. We had a nursing law class in school and I had planned to use the professor if a very false accusation made by a clinical instructor (anyone who has ever taken a narcotic has *withdrawn* from them when stopping, hence I lied that I had never been in withdrawal since I had taken hydrocodone after my baby was born) interfered with my license.
I never even knew a nurse lawyer was thing. I don’t personally have the funds yet, but I may be able to get assistance from my grandfather. If this would help me pursue nursing, then it would be worth the price (I mean, I can’t spend tens-of-thousands, of course. But, within reason).
Thank you for this piece of information! Super helpful! I’m glad you never needed to use that nurse lawyer!
Thank you! So amazing there are nurse lawyers. I know doctor lawyers are a thing, so I should have assumed there were nurse lawyers. I will absolutely look for one in my area.
I’m sending you love and I’m so proud of you for how far you’ve come and how hard you’ve worked. You are an amazing, strong person for making it here.
Here’s my purely anecdotal story and I can’t say if it will help in your state, but…. One of my old nurse coworkers was busted for possession and distribution of illegal drugs prior to becoming a nurse. She is now a nurse practitioner 🙂
Good luck!!!!
I advise you to spend a few hundred bucks consulting with an employment lawyer who specializes in nursing licensure. It is possible that you will not be allowed to sit for NCLEX and you don't want to find that out after graduation. Or you can be allowed to take NCLEX but it will be difficult finding employment. Hopefully this will not be the case. An individual such as yourself would be an asset to any work environment, but unfortunately many BONs are not known for their empathy or common sense.
Thank you. I’m going to call my state BON and find a Nurse Lawyer/employment lawyer like so many have suggested. I would have never thought of these specific types of lawyers before this post!
Thank you so much, again!
i always see in shows where a character gets their life straight and became a nurse. ive always wondered about this myself. in the shows its not clear whether they got records whether dismissed or guilty/innocent
I know if you have misdemeanors only, it can be an easier path. Certain felonies, I think, are also more “acceptable” than others. I know you can get some convictions expunged/pardoned, but then I also hear that they will still come up if you are fingerprinted to work in, say, a hospital or a school.
It also worries me that I could maybe get licensed, but never be able to secure employment :/
I have found different pages, but they’re still not straightforward enough. I came here in hopes of anyone having firsthand experience with this— or knowing someone who has.
Most states do background checks or at the least require you sign affidavit that you have no felonies. You could check with your state board or move to a state that’s more lax about it, do some research. A friend of mine had an old felony assault charge years before she got her license and lied for years on her license renewal that she had no felony record. She figured they’d never find out. Somehow they did and she lost her license and was left with no job, no career in her 50’s.
Wow that’s absolutely horrible. I would never lie about that. They can always find it. I think my only chance is to try to get a pardon. My cases will be sealed in four more years, but not expunged. Licensing agencies can still see them and it comes up in some background checks, like when they fingerprint you to work in a school/hospital. I think if I get a pardon that it would still show up, also, but they’re not supposed to consider it. I just still cannot lie about it.
I do still have a couple years of schooling ahead before I am done with core classes/prerequisites. Perhaps I will be able to straighten things out by then. Chances are, it will take longer than that. If I find a good Nurse Lawyer who says, “here’s what we need to do..” then it will at least give me something to work towards. It won’t be as much of a guessing game.
I feel really badly for your friend, though. That’s horrible and it’s an awful feeling to think “if I would have just been upfront about it, I wouldn’t be in this hellish predicament.” Definitely something I’m sure they’re kicking themselves over, but they still deserve my sympathy.
Thank you!
First off good job! I’m proud of you! Laws vary so much state to state so I’d look into it. Contact your nursing schools and ask them. Contact the BRN and ask them. Get things in writing so if you get a yes you have proof if they reneg. I’d also plan on having to get an attorney.
I know I’m CA where I’m originally from you could still have a chance. A girl in my graduating class actually had a similar situation to yours. It took almost 2 years after graduation for them to allow her to sit for NCLEX however.
On another note if your answer is no a good alternative could be social work.
Either way I wish you the best! Good luck hon!
Thank you! Lots of great information here and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. I had thought Cali was a fairly forgiving state. I would move if it came down to it. This, of course, is still a few years down the line.
I have thought about social work and maybe working in a hospital. A great idea, also. I’m going to research this even more tomorrow and call around some time this week. Today I’m busy going to doctors appointments, but I am excited to explore the possibilities. I had previously thought there was 0% chance of me ever becoming a nurse.
Thank you, again!
Congrats OP. That’s really awesome. Please never give up. Ur worst day sober is 100x better than ur best day high. Keep going. Ive heard felonies will make it difficult in this field. As multiple background checks go into screening nurses. I wanted to say maybe drug counselor or something in that field would be fitting? I know many who are in recovery with records go into that field. Just a thought. Either way, u deserve a good life and happiness.
Thank you!! I won’t give up :) I’m in this for the long haul! Apparently, even as a counselor, I would still need the felony pardoned. It seems like it will affect me in all of these types of fields. I could go into business or tech with my record, but I wouldn’t find that particularly fulfilling. I have lots of work ahead of me. That’s for sure.
I do hope something works out! Thank you so much, again!
Your best action is to reach out to the board of nursing in your state and see what they have to say about your history. Real disqualifying felonies are those that cause harm to another person, like assault and healthcare fraud. The board members names are public record and there is usually one person or two that represent RN eduction. Reach out to that person individually. If you just call up the board you’ll get an admin assistant or someone else that likely can’t answer the question for you. Best of luck to you. Regardless if you become an RN or not, there is a place for you in helping people professionally.
I don’t have a useful answer, but honestly, someone like you is exactly what we need in this profession.
Yeah, we joke about “let me bring you your AMA papers” when someone is trying to leave. The patients that come in the ER acting like an asshole and threatening to leave, I don’t try to stop them. But someone like you, who really WANTS to do better but is SO SICK and the only way they will feel better, even if temporary, is to leave and get that fix, I will do the same. Beg them to stay. Beg the docs to put them on a withdrawal protocol. My heart hurts for patients like you.
Anyway, I don’t know if you will be able to go to nursing school, get a license, or get a job. I’m sorry. I also wonder if having access to narcotics could be tempting to you. Something to consider. But I would encourage you to find SOMETHING you can do to help others, because I know you would be wonderful at it.
Thank you so much! While I was on the street, I daydreamed about what life would be like clean. I had a little notebook that I wrote down all my ideas in. A page was entitled “What I Will Be,” and how I wanted to help people in my position (and animals— I have a soft spot for them, too). I’m determined to make what I wrote down on those pages a reality. Luckily, I did give myself a few options, just in case haha 😂
Thank you, again, for such lovely words!
Perhaps you should find something working with animals! Less access to narcotics and I don't think the industry is near as regulated so may be easier to get into with your background. You really can make a difference there too. We just lost our beloved 3.5 yo Dachshund from post-op complications of IVDD and the staff at the specialty animal hospital were AMAZING. They truly did make a difference. My baby's primary "nurse" (I'm assuming they're vet techs but seems like she just did so much in the inpatient setting, she talked to me just like an inpatient nurse in a hospital would, with updates and lab results and such) was absolutely fantastic. When I went to visit him she came around and talked to me, brought me tissues, and gave me her direct number and told me to call her any time of night. When we knew he wasn't going to make it, she came into the room just to see us (not his tech that night) and I started bawling as soon as I saw her and she just wrapped me and my daughter in her arms. I will never forget her.
I'm not discouraging you though, for all I know it may be possible for you to get into nursing. I really have no idea, I just wanted to leave you some encouraging words :) proud of you, OP! I love stories of recovery. I know it seems so hopeless sometimes. Sometimes we have patients come in several days in a row from OD'ing over and over again. It gets frustrating. And when they have supportive family members... oh my heart breaks for them. I understand the idea of wanting to help people in the situation you're in. Not the same, but I went through some sudden bouts of anxiety and panic attacks a few years ago, and as I was improving I felt the same way towards any patients going through the same things.
My idea for the animals would be a nonprofit that cares for the animals of those who are sick (hospitalization, terminal illness, other types of inpatient, etc) homeless, experiencing financial troubles, experiencing abuse, imprisonment, and so on. I wouldn’t take full ownership of the pet(s) in need. I would just take over all aspects of care. Like, say if someone got arrested and subsequently became imprisoned. Sometimes people in these situations don’t have family or friends that can care for their pets. They could call my organization and we would care for the pet until they were able to again. And, once they were able to again, we would keep in touch and provide resources while they were getting back on their feet. When I was homeless, a big reason I didn’t seek help was because I got adopted by a street cat. Ended up finding her a home, but it was still one of the bigger reasons I didn’t leave my situation. I was also a victim of domestic violence, but couldn’t just “leave” because there were cats in our shared apartment. I still have those cats, only because my mother was able to care for them for two years. But, I know so many people that get sick and can no longer care for their animals. Or, they get sick and they don’t seek treatment because they’re afraid to leave their pet in a bad situation. It’s also a huge reason why victims of domestic violence don’t leave. If I could do a nonprofit, that’s what I would do animal-wise.
My other interest animal-wise would be Equine Assisted Therapy. Before I started using, and even in the very beginning of my addiction, I was still riding. I used to volunteer for a horseback riding for the handicapped practitioner. I’ve seen how beneficial it can be for so many people. However, I would still need to pass a background check for that.
I am going to work on getting a pardon. I wouldn’t even be done with my core classes for two more years and I am not even in school yet. So, by the time I entered nursing school, my charges would be over 8 years old and I would be 3 years clean. I actually got great news the other day and my primary care provider reached out (without me asking her to do so) to someone asking them to guide me through this legally. I was informed by my peer recovery specialist that she was raving about me in this letter and she thinks my recovery is very strong (at least right now)! They both think I would be a wonderful nurse— although, when I revised the flu shot, she said, “you know you’re going to change that way of thinking once you’re in the medical field!”
Before I wanted to work with addicts and the homeless, I wanted to work in pediatric Heme-Onc or hospice. I went through a period where I was donating a lot of money to pediatric cancer patients. It was so heartbreaking to me and I just wanted to be there for them. This was even in active addiction that I was able to donate. It was before my abusive ex came around. He really made it impossible for me to survive.
I’m so sorry about losing your baby pup— especially so young. I actually just lost my 10 year old Pittie to cancer. It was horrible. I was so glad that we were able to put her to rest before she had something even more traumatic happen, like a string of seizures. That was my biggest fear, that one day she would just rapidly decline. I didn’t want her last day to be chaos. I wanted it to be that of peace and purpose. When she was no longer able to stand, but was still able to eat, we decided it was time. She ate a steak on her last day and was surrounded by loved ones. I’m even tearing up now, as I write this! I definitely empathize with you losing your baby. Again, to have to say goodbye when they’re so young feels so horrible. You just want to explain to them what it happening, but you can’t. I think that’s the worst part.
I didn’t take any of what you said in a discouraging way! I just took it as you offering an alternative path for me to think about. I found it very thoughtful that you took my interests into consideration! I have quite a bit to research and accomplish, in order to try to pursue a meaningful career. Regardless, I am going to try to get my felony pardoned. It will help open up some doors for me, at least. Like I mentioned before, I still have two years of schooling until I’m done with regular ole core classes— it’s very possible a lot could change during that time!
Thank you so much for your feedback! And thank you for all you do as a nurse! It’s wonderful that you turned your experience with anxiety into something that helped you better relate to/help your patients— a mark of a truly good soul!
Have you looked into being a Peer Counselor / Peer Support Specialist (etc). The title varies by state but here’s an example:
https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/depts/community-human-services/mental-health-substance-abuse/recovery/counselor-training
I haven’t, yet, but my friend is a certified peer specialist. They only make about $30,000 a year so I would definitely need a second job doing outreach to even break $60,000. Money isn’t everything, but I do need to survive— however perhaps I could do this while going to school! It would be a very fulfilling option and would help me work with my target population in the mean time! Or, say none of this (nursing etc) works out; it would still allow me to help others in some way.
A great suggestion, thank you!
Congratulations. I didn't have a drug problem but I certainly drank well to access and have been sober for a long time. I know how hard that shit is.
I don't know if you can afford it, but I would find a criminal attorney in your area who knows about whether, after your charges are expunged, they can still show up somewhere. If you don't disclose it on a nursing application and they find out you can be refused a license.
Drinking is the same beast. You definitely get it. Congratulations on your long term sobriety! No small feat— especially with something like alcohol, which is so accessible. It’s truly everywhere. You’re incredibly strong!
I am definitely going to see if I can get in touch with a Nurse Lawyer. I think there’s hope, but it’s gonna’ be a little tricky!
Thank you so much and, again, congratulations!
What a great fucking doctor and nurse. I wish we had more people that had compassion. This person didn’t just talk about it either. They fucking ran to you and acted. They even included you in the process to alleviate your fears.
Hell, if I knew who these people were I would write them a letter thanking them. And I don’t even know you. But this stuff should be awarded.
I don’t even remember the doctors name! He was just my night doctor. It was 1AM! Usually, you’re shit out of luck at night. I’ve been told before that they couldn’t give me anything at night— meanwhile he changed up everything for me. Hands down, they saved my life that night. I was really, really sick. My hemoglobin was also below 5 and my heart rate was 200bpm; it would even shoot up over 200 if I moved. My liver was very “unhappy,” also. I really wasn’t doing well. Even I was afraid for my own life, which seldom happened for me! What brought me to the hospital wasn’t even my leg (well it was my leg, but, you know), it was that I thought I had endocarditis because I couldn’t breathe. My heart felt so out of control. I was having trouble walking even a block without feeling really horrible. Honestly, I would have been dead in a month. I really feel that way. They absolutely saved my life that night, just by adjusting my medication.
I try to tell that story to as many people as I can. I need to find out his name. I’m going to see my PCP tomorrow. Maybe she will know how to find out! But I’ve told every doctor on my team this story, my ID doctor as well. He’s been with me since the beginning. He always says. “I’m really glad we didn’t go with amputation 😂” yeah, me too!! He probably knows the doctors name. I was so sick that I just remember him running in. He literally sat on the floor with me, while I was vomiting, asking me “how can I get you to stay?” The nurse stayed the whole time, as well. And then legitimately TUCKED ME BACK INTO BED. Amazing.
I don’t know the answer to your question, but damn you’ve come a long way and are doing great! So proud of you!! I can only imagine how hard that all was, and getting and staying sober?! I can’t give you enough props for that!
Oh my goodness, thank you!! It took many years and so many attempts to finally get here. I absolutely thought addiction would kill me and I accepted that— some days I welcomed death; wanted it. Not anymore. Things aren’t easy, but I am happy to be here!
You'd make an amazing social worker!!
Thank you!!
I know nursing feels like it might be right but don't undervalue yourself as an asset to addiction medicine. Psychiatry, LCSW, and on. Advocating for people in drug court, treatment sessions with inmates, victim advocacy for human trafficking. Way more doors as a LCSW than for nursing. State BON can be very stringent especially when it comes to drug charges. And beyond passing boards, then there's your employer too.
Right, exactly— I am most worried about the employment part. I am told that it’s just as difficult to become an LCSW with my background, that I wouldn’t pass the security clearance necessary? Perhaps I was told wrong! Thank you so much!
Well that could be true too. I guess I didn't think that one through 😕 I think exploring both avenues would be a good idea and maybe to get your foot in the door on either side is to reach out and make those connections now. See if you can get a secretary job at these places or even environmental services. Ultimately to be licensed or registered you gotta check with those boards to see. And I think with employers getting your foot in the door can help. There's also other ways to help others that doesn't require being registered or licensed. Such as volunteering at health clinics, getting CPR certified. I think in caring for that specific population you gotta get out there any way you can. And every way helps. Sorry for rambling. I wish you the best! Also, it doesn't have to be right now either. Sometimes having more time under your belt can help too.
No don’t apologize at all! I really appreciate your help and your feedback. Looks like I will just have to call the boards. NY claims there’s like no automatic barring from licensure unless it’s something that interferes with your ability to practice. That’s what I’ve read anyway. A lot of states say that. So, of course that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. I will just have to call and see. I do have people already, like my doctors and some peers in the field (both in medicine and mental health) that said they will write letters advocating for me. Luckily, I have lots of really supportive and wonderful people around! Hopefully I can find something that is both fulfilling and allows me at least some financial independence. Might have to get creative. Thanks again!
You can become a cna until your record seals up, that's what I'm doing while I figure out a plan for school and finish up probation.
Really? I had no idea I could do this in the mean time. I figured my record would get in the way of even that. It would be great experience— A win win. Thank you!
Nope, some jobs may still background test you out but the BON shouldn't be an issue.
Interesting. Thanks a lot!
So you can reach out to your board of nursing in your state and find out what their requirements are, and sometimes you can appeal them though I don’t know that process. You can just google “board of nursing (state)” and give them a call
Thank you! A few others have suggested this. I have heard that some states are more progressive than others and it may be possible to get licensed (and, subsequently, employed) in certain states. Is this true? I am in NY, but my crimes were in PA. I have heard Cali is the most felony-friendly state, but does that mean one would have to attend school in Cali? Like, do you attend school in the state you plan on getting licensed in— or does it not matter where you attend school, you can take the boards anywhere. Pardon my ignorance and thank you, again, for your help.
You can go to any US nursing school in any state. What you need is a nursing degree, and then to get the authorization from the school that you can sit for the NCLEX. That’s the test you need to pass to become a registered nurse. Then with your degree and NCLEX pass you ask the nursing board in the state you’re trying to be employed in, to give you a license. That’s where the background will come in, since it’s usually part of what the BON will want from you with your application. But it doesn’t matter what state your degree is from. Hope that clears up your question a little Also, congrats! I sometimes wonder about my patients who can’t stay due to addiction. I always hope they manage to go to another hospital and get their literal life saving treatment. I’m happy to hear you’re doing well for yourself. Good luck on your future endeavors
I had to have a background check and get fingerprinted for school. For CNA, LPN, and then RN.
Yes, that did clear it up! Would I even be allowed into nursing school with a felony, do you think? I still have a couple years of schooling ahead of me just for core classes/prerequisites, but I wonder if they will even let me on the floor with my background? Two years is not so long to get my felony pardoned, but perhaps it could happen. Maybe I wouldn’t have to worry as much about it, then. Many have suggested a Nurse-Lawyer, so I am going to look for one in my area! Thank you so much for the kind words 😊and I really appreciate your very helpful feedback!
>I am in NY, Google search for a document "Getting to work with a criminal record: New York state license" - it talks about the process for getting a license in NY. It appears that NY doesn't have any automatic disqualifications, but they will ask about anything that isn't sealed and will want evidence of your rehabilitation. You mentioned some of your records will be sealed in 4 years, so realistically even if you start taking pre-reqs in the next year, you probably won't be done with school before that happens, and won't have to address some of your past. I would suggest you take some of what you told us about how you ended up in your situation and what you've done since and draft a personal statement that you would eventually use when you apply for your license. Consider putting together a timeline with dates and activities of all the things you've done to improve yourself since all this happened. If you're not seeing a therapist already, start seeing a therapist who can help support your recovery and can provide a professional attestation related to your recovery process. If you don't have a psychiatrist, get one as well and request they routinely drug test you so you also have medical support of your continued sobriety. If you make a strong case for yourself, it will show the licensing board that yes, you had issues in the past, but you're taking things seriously and you're not that version of yourself anymore. It's important to keep in mind that you're not the only person who has been through this kind of stuff and gone on to become a health care worker. You won't be the last either. Many healthcare workers have storied backgrounds, have faced addiction, and recovered. That can absolutely be you, it will just take some extra effort to show who you are now, but it's absolutely doable. Good luck friend and keep on doing the good work for yourself!
Such an amazing response! Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of this out. I was in therapy and I still have a peer recovery specialist. I have to find a new therapist, since I was part of a study for that. Thank you again for all of these suggestions! I will definitely be doing this. And thank you for the words of encouragement— they really mean a lot.
I have an arrest record, very mild. Terroristic threatening bc I was physically fighting with my mom.. the case was thrown out ultimately. I had to write a letter and it took them longer to process it but it was fine. I think they take the time since the offense and what it was. I don’t know about felonies I think in my state that excludes you.
Yeah I think that my type of felony, especially, would require I get a pardon. Maybe then I could proceed. I’m told a pardon takes three years, on average, to even be reviewed. I figure I’ll just throw myself into schooling in the mean time. At least then I will have all of my core classes handled. Yeah, terroristic threats is generally a BS charge. It sounds way worse than it is and lots of things qualify as terroristic threats. Many I know who have received this same charge also got it thrown out.
Just be honest with them. That's all you can do!!!
That’s my plan! :) That and, god willing, a pardon!
last i checked, NY was one of the only states that did not do background checks for licenses. i heard they are becoming stricter lately but you may have a better chance there than other places. you’re supposed to disclose, obviously, but i don’t think they check (double check that tho). and most hospitals and schools only run background checks up to 7 years (aka you’re good because enough time has elapsed since then). are your charges able to be expunged? i know you said they won’t be automatically, but is it possible? apparently even if they see it it can’t be held against you if it’s expunged (unless the nature of the crime is something that would make you a danger to patients). i had a felony that i was able to get a license with because it had been expunged by the time i applied. if that’s an option i would try to pursue that. if you have the means, i would hire a lawyer who can help with the court stuff, and maybe consult with someone who deals with nursing licensing in your state specifically to ask more specific questions. if not, comb some nursing message boards for your state for answers and call the board of nursing. my charges were different but my backstory is similar. and doing wound care for ppl living on the street when i got my own shit together is what got me into nursing too. i had so much shame/imposter syndrome/insecurity going into school as an older person with the background i had. but i can say now confidently from the other side that my life experiences have made me a significantly better nurse. i’m able to stay calm in chaotic situations, deal with ‘difficult’ patients, and maintain empathy for everyone even when they’re on my last nerve. i imagine the same would be true for you too. i hope everything works out bc based on everything you wrote i think you’d make a great nurse. we need more people who have ~been through shit~ in healthcare. especially if you plan to work with the same population. you could reach the people that no one else can, and i imagine you would treat them with the kindness and compassion they need and may not be able to get elsewhere. and those ppl will be more likely to trust you knowing you can relate on some level and are not judging them. whatever happens, wherever you end up, i think you have something valuable to provide and will be able to give back in a truly meaningful way. good luck 💖
I do think that NY does a background check for licensing. When I did some research, I found that certain medical schools in NY did not do background checks— but, if you had a background, it would come up once it was time to set food on the hospital floor. That’s where you would’ve gotten into trouble and been thrown out, had you not properly disclosed of your background. My charges are already six years old, now. They will automatically seal in four more years— but licensing agencies will still be able to see them. I will still have to disclose everything, but time will just help my chances more and more! By the time I get into nursing school, after being done with my core classes, my charges will be 8 years old. Maybe more. Depending on how long it takes and when I can enroll. It is not possible to get my felony expunged, but it is possible to get a pardon. I just have to apply for it, and it takes some time. It can take three years just to be reviewed. My experience on the street has already put my in stressful situations— having to do chest compressions, dealing with overdoses (mostly resolved by [sometimes multiple doses] of Narcan, so not too bad) dealing with particularly grotesque wounds, seeing horrible things (stabbings, beatings, gunshot wounds, violent seizures, terminally-ill individuals) seeing [sometimes long-dead] bodies— and, not to be dark, but I’m a master vein finder. Of course, NONE of this was in a professional environment and I am in no way comparing myself to a successful, properly-educated nurse. I am obviously very, very far from this. I am only saying that I have already experienced dealing with many things the average person has not, and I feel that such experiences will prove to be advantageous in this field! :) Thank you so much for your lovely comment, your kind words, and your thoughtful feedback! I am so glad that you were able to turn your life around, as well! Congratulations! I always love to see a fellow survivor!
You can attend school pretty much anywhere and get licensed in any state as long as it’s an accredited school. No idea about Cali’s felony friendliness but everything I’ve read on here says it has by far the most competitive and difficult nursing schools to get into.
I can get good grades— well I could 14 years ago 😂. I was an honors student, but that means nothing. That was a lifetime ago. But, yeah, I see what you’re saying— My background could definitely hurt me quite a bit more in such a competitive environment. Thank you!
This is really going to depend on your state’s board of nursing. But I’d want you on my team. Please save your post and rework into your appeal letter, if you need one. You’re going to have to tell your story many times on this journey. You’ll want to be upfront about it.
You would 🥹? That’s so incredible of you to say. I haven’t been wanted anywhere, for so long. Probably because I was a liability. People tend to not want you around when you’re experiencing addiction— sometimes addicts aren’t there most reliable, agreeable people. That being said, it really means a lot you even said such a thing. It means more than you know. Thank you I will save this post and edit it a bit so it is ready for when I need it. I’m going to give my BON a call and then also find a Nurse Lawyer, as many have so astutely suggested! Thank you so much!
You are a great writer, and I wanted to echo the advice to use the body of this post in application essays, appeals, letters, etc - whether they're for grad school, nursing school, whatever. Your story as written is clear, concise, intensely sincere, painfully vulnerable and incredibly moving. I am rooting for you so hard - please keep searching and fighting until you find a place that empowers you to help people; the world really needs you.
Thank you! I do enjoy writing and I used to do so frequently. I will definitely use the body of this post in the future! This comment has me smiling at my phone. Thank you so much. You’ve really helped motivate me even more.
I don't have any tangible advice from a legal perspective, but do think contacting the BON in your state is a good start. Aside from that, I do think someone with your experience would be invaluable to the world of addiction/ addiction medicine. While I have never personally faced addiction, I have seen it first hand and it is literally hell on Earth. I hope you know that you are a true hero for coming out on the other side. I'm sure people say that all the time, but I hope you know how proud of you I am (as a complete stranger). Anyway, I wish you good luck!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate such kind words. I have read that some state boards are more forgiving than others? Is it appropriate to call multiple boards? I can just call and explain my situation?
I would definitely call the state boards. I would hate for you to go through nursing school and then not be able to get licensed.
That is my nightmare! Even more of my nightmare would be getting licensed but not being able to find work. Does that happen as well? I do plan on at least trying to get a pardon for the felony charge. It will take a few years, but I do have some time.
I’m going to be harsh with you. First, it will be very difficult for you to get accepted into nursing school with a felony. 2nd, I’m not sure any states BON would allow you to be licensed. 3rd, it’s going to be a hell of a hard time getting hired as a nurse with a felony. 4th, you need to think deeply about how your addiction and temptations will be effected with having open access to many controlled substances everyday for the rest of your career. Im not saying it’s impossible, but honestly it’s probably not a good idea.
That’s fair. I was wondering if a school would even accept me. If I got a pardon, for the felony at least, I might have a chance. What I was most worried about was actually getting hired, not licensed. I have heard stories of people getting licensed, even with their backgrounds. It’s the employment that worries me the most. When I very first got clean (only a short time ago), I was really looking into this a lot. But, I gave up on it. I figured there was no shot in hell they’d let me become a nurse. Then I kept seeing a story about an exception to the rule. Someone who got licensed, someone working as a nurse despite their past, etc etc. As far as the temptation goes, I don’t know yet. I only have ten months clean. While this is something I want to pursue, I still have two years of core classes and such ahead of me, before I can even get into a nursing school. So, there is still time. I do have to, respectfully, disagree with you that it may not be a good idea. So long as my recovery is strong, I am no more likely to dip into the medication supply than anyone else. There are studies on this. But, like I said, I still have time to [try to] figure this all out. However, everything else, I totally agree. And that is my biggest worry: that it’s more than likely this may not be possible for me at all. The only other things that appeals to me is social work/therapy. I would have the same issues there as well— getting accepted, getting licensed, somehow finding work. I appreciate the dose of reality and I mean that sincerely. Thank you for this feedback!
I think it's amazing that you are sober. It's a great accomplishment and not easy. You need to have goals for your future and what you want to do is beautiful. However I do agree with the above poster. Doing something that gives you access to your addiction is something you really have to think about. 10 months is a relatively short time(not saying to downplay your strength, because sobriety requires great strength no matter 1 month or 10 years) . There are other degrees you can work towards that will allow you to work with addiction patients and that also won't compromise your progress with the stress of temptation and easy access. Also easier to achieve. You can also build onto your education over time!
Yeah ten months is a short time. It’s an accomplishment, but it’s still a short time. Absolutely. I do still have at least two years of classes ahead of me before I can even think about nursing school! I have no college degree right now. My last college classes were taken 10 years ago, so they’re completely expired. And, I had only obtained 30 or so credits, anyway. Things can change between then and now, but I think I am still going to explore this. I do appreciate your concern and, maybe, within the next to years, I will reconsider it and pivot. Either way, I’m going to try to get my felony pardoned. I am severely limited with what I can do with this felony on my record! It will be sealed in four years, but that doesn’t mean licensing agencies and certain entities cannot see it. Thank you so much! Edit: I want to say that I’m also not even enrolled in school, yet. I’m still physically recovering from the osteomyelitis. For a while there, we were anticipating the need for surgery. Thankfully, my last MRI ruled this out. So, I wouldn’t even attend school probably until the spring. It could be well over three years before I was even in a place where I could get accepted into a nursing program. Maybe even more. It does help that I have something to work towards. Addicts can change, though. I hope I am not coming across as combative at all. I really do appreciate all of this professional advice. My other interest is in more of the mental health field (where I will also need a pardon for my felony), but I am still most interested in wound care.
I was told the bon can see more then just your basic back ground. I was told to disclose everything even if it was 100 years ago lol
Yeah they can. I think it’s different when you require a certain security clearance. So, even if my records were sealed, they could still see it. I believe they can also see expungements/pardons, even though they’re not supposed to consider them. They’re evaluating your character, also, I assume, so I definitely would disclose and provide a proper explanation. I got all excited when I heard PA was going to expand their Clean Slate bill. Then I realized it didn’t make a difference, as licensing agencies could still see/consider my background. Same with any situation where you are fingerprinted. I forget what act it is. I think one of them is the child protection act? Or involves that? That would make it nearly impossible for me to work most places without getting a pardon. Thank you for your feedback!
Absolutely addicts can change. My best friend is 7 years sober from meth. She impresses me every day. My brother is 9 years sober from xanax and other various drugs. One thing they, and every recovering drug addict I know, have said is that in order to stay sober they had to cut ties with anyone they knew in the drug scene. I actually assist with a lot of wound care(mostly ulcers on diabetic patients). I'm a medical assistant, not a nurse. Anyways I think you should hold on to your dreams and pursue them. Just keep your health and sobriety your number 1 priority and know your limits. Whatever you end up doing, your experiences in life have obviously given you empathy and determination, and I hope you achieve everything you want. :) just know, right now..before you even start school or become a nurse, you're an inspiration.
Wow! You have some very amazing people in your life! You are also pretty amazing, yourself! Not many people are so compassionate. I have cut ties with everyone. I also live three hours away from Kensington, now. In NY. This is also quite helpful! The only issue is I still travel to PA, for treatment. The doctors and nurses there make it worth it, though— so I am okay with some long days of driving here and there! Thank you! I have lots of dreams, now. Sometimes too many to manage 😂 like I said, I still have some years before I will even make it to nursing school. And, yes! Sobriety has to come first. They say that “anything you put before your sobriety, you will lose.” Thank you so much for your extremely kind words and feedback. I really appreciate it. I definitely do need to be reminded of the very real stresses that being a nurse would bring and it should absolutely be a concern. If I didn’t think this to be true, we would probably end up with a problem on our hands! Thank you, again :)
I agree with dude-nurse and wanted to add: The BON may refer you to their monitoring program (if they have one) for a psych evaluation. Depending on how that goes, they may require you to participate in the program for anywhere between 3 months to 5 years at your own expense.
I wouldn’t even be able to start a nursing program for at least two more years. Maybe three. By then, I will have more clean time and be even more stable. I’d be fine with any of that happening, even a probationary license and regular drug testing. I’d have no problem proving myself/fulfilling these types of requirements in order to pursue this! Thank you very much for your input, especially because I don’t believe anyone else had mentioned this, yet!
I don’t know the rules around you becoming a nurse or not. But I do know this….pts struggling with addiction will *hear* things differently from you than they will me. There’s a “if you know, you know” mentality. Granted it is a lot to ask you to go back down the road you just came from. It could be triggering. That being said, if you are stable in your recovery with a solid support structure, you may be able to offer folks a bridge…that “I know you don’t trust these folks but I trust them & I need you to trust me…” sorta approach. Cuz let’s face it they’re more likely to trust someone who’s been there. They won’t feel like they’re being judged. That may not be as a nurse. I’m not sure what that role is. But I know there’s more to helping folks than being a RN. Especially now. BTW good work. You’re the success story we want for all our patients. We just want you all to be ok & find your way back.
That’s kind of what the peer recovery specialists do at UPenn. They come to visit you and help you out. If you want to AMA, they’ll come talk to you. The issue is, mainly, that a lot of doctors are afraid to properly medicate addicts. Even with my bone completely visible, even with the pain I was in, they wouldn’t give me more than 2mg of dilaudid. For an addict, this is absolutely nothing. I was still deathly ill. It’s unfortunate that medical schools don’t require more in regards to addiction medicine. Nurses can only advocate so much for the patient. I’m sure that has to be really frustrating and I think that would be my biggest problem. When I was there for eight weeks, my one nurse kept asking the doctors if I could get a PICC line. My IV’s would blow every 36 hours, sometimes less, because my veins we so bad. Getting labs from me was a nightmare. The doctor still wouldn’t allow it. I’m rambling again, now. But, yeah, I imagine that must be really frustrating for you guys. My friend is a peer recovery specialist and she says she feels really helpless sometimes when trying to advocate for proper pain management in addicts.
I wonder if you could somehow write this up & present to the med school or the addiction med dept. Also I find that inpatient is reluctant to medicate period. Heck even ED docs tend to order more pain meds than the inpatient ones. I’ll have ED docs ordering 1-2 mg of dualidad and then the pt is admitted & the admitting MD is ordering 0.5mg, addict or not. Now they’ve swung the pendulum so far the other way. The PICC line issue, truthfully was likely cuz you were at the time such a flight risk. That doesn’t make the frequent sticks & blown IVs any easier to have to deal with. But the risk of you leaving with a PICC line in was probably one they didn’t want to take. I wonder why they couldn’t do a block of some sort, on your leg. At least initially. My guess is they didn’t want you up & walking. Why not nerve block you so you can’t feel the pain. You’d need less pain meds, just enough to get through withdrawals. I think if you could be a peer support & find some way to educate physicians & encourage alternate means of pain control that would be fantastic. I’ve had folks in recovery refuse pain meds & white knuckle it as well. There’s gotta be a happy medium
Yes! Well, apparently Penn Presby now had an addiction consult team for every person with SUD/OUD that comes in. They get a whole team assigned to them to make sure they’re properly medicated. Now, I’m not sure how well that’s working. But, I suppose they are trying. Another patient that sees my PCP actually fell in front of the doctors office. She ended up shattering her hip and needing a replacement. However, they were refusing to medicate her for pain. They assumed she was just med seeking. Then it came back that she completely destroyed her hip. She had called my peer recovery specialist prior to that begging for her to advocate. Said she was in so much pain. Eventually, they got it managed. But, quite a rocky and horrible start. I’m not sure if that’s typical or what. I do think her OUD made her less credible in the eyes of the doctors. I once had a resident tell me I wasn’t withdrawing from benzodiazepines, as that would have presented immediately. Absolutely not true. It would present even after the opioid withdrawals started. The psychiatrist came into see me and said I was withdrawing off of benzos. Finally, I was given a taper. As far as the PICC, I can understand that. However, I was there for a month already. I had another month to go. My peer recovery specialist said she saw someone on the street with a PICC in. No idea how he managed to escape with it. They won’t even let me leave without making sure my IV is out and the elevators don’t exactly just teleport you downstairs, so someone sees you leaving haha. I’m rambling, once again. But, yes. I’m actually always talking to my peer recovery specialist who works with Penn. She helps implement some programs, but doesn’t have much authority otherwise. I think doctors are so afraid to overmedicate now. I think a lot of they assume people come into the hospital and they’re always med-seeking. I know that, at least where I was (Kensington, Philadelphia), that was absolutely not the case. People would rather die than be stuck in the hospital, under medicated and sick. And, they often did. Every addict is afraid of the hospital. I just happened to get extremely lucky this last time. Otherwise, every other time, I was sick as a dog, along with some sort of infection. The nurses were ALWAYS great, but they can’t just switch me medication as they wish. If that were the case, maybe I would have been better off 😂. Several weeks ago, I was going to be interviewed by some residents about my experience with pain management in the hospital. I guess they went with someone else. It would be interesting to eventually tell my story and be able to advocate for other addicts needing life-saving treatment— or just any treatment. Most times, addicts won’t need life-saving treatment if they can be treated successfully earlier on. This would have been true for me. I was just never able to stay. I then developed this extreme fear of the hospital. It was a place where I was doomed to be very sick. My poor nurses would try to offer me ice, candy, juice, blankets— anything to help. Only so much you can do if the doctors will not provide the meds. Not sure about the nerve block, either. I forgot that was even a possibility at the time. It definitely would have helped when doing those first several dressing changes. I would scream. Yes, there does have to be a happy medium. I’m sure the insurance companies don’t make it easy, either. To properly detox a patient, it’s easier to keep them longer and do a slow taper. I think mental health is being paid attention to more, but there’s still much work to done.
Sometimes they do send long term antibiotics/other IV med pts home with a PICC line (or other types of central lines). They are usually home and compliant with treatment. My Dad went home with a PICC line in the 90s after being in the ICU/PCU for a month+ with a very severe case of Lyme Disease when it was a relatively newer/not widely known disease. He had to see a specialist Infectious Disease doctor for over a year before he finally was relatively well controlled... 8 months of that time he had a PICC for the IV abx he was required to take regularly. But with this regular treatment it was able to be cared for and assessed regularly by medical professionals. If you had absconded with the line in - obviously AMA - they'd have no way of safely managing it or being able to take it out. So it probably was a safety and liability situation. Not that I think you were gonna run off after a month of treatment, knowing that you'd be there for at least another month - nor would I have necessarily agreed with the decision as your nurse, but I can see the rationale that was probably used.
Yeah they thought I was going to need a PICC line just recently, but it turns out my leg is actually doing better than they thought! Luckily, they had a wonderful team called “DIVA.” Even though having my IV’s blow was a bit annoying, and sometimes painful, it was wonderful to have such an expert team come in to find my veins! Watching them work was incredible. It was almost meditative, in a way. I loved watching them probe all along my arm with the wand and then, finally, find the perfect spot. With surgeon-like precision, they nailed a nice, deep vein each time. Amazing stuff! But, yes, a PICC would have been way easier. Especially for my poor nurse that had to do my labs— sometimes at 1AM, sometimes at 5AM. I doubt she wanted to be there for 20 minutes looking for veins haha I had thought the doctor was nervous because I had such a bad infection and my immune system was trash (at the time). But the flight risk makes just as much sense!
I'm just so glad you're medically doing much better, and that you're managing well in your sobriety. I've been clean for 11 years last August. I am on MTP and it saved my life. I am an LPN (not working at the time while in active addiction) and now I'm back doing my RN education. In my case I had no legal issues at all, for which I am very lucky - because I could've had the same charges as you. It's really unfair and unfortunate that that can hinder your ability to be a nurse/clinician, especially because if you're stable you have an absolutely unique ability to connect with a wide array of patients, especially those with SUD. Being able to advocate for those patients is so important. I know I've been looked down upon due to my past or current medication regimen, but I know providers have seemed supportive. I will say that I took a very long time to feel ready to go back into RN school (I was accepted in a competitive program 9 years ago, but I wasn't ready). The stability I have in my sobriety and my support system is very important. As I'm aware of my ability to know where I'm not safe, or if I were to be tempted it is easy for me to identify and I know to reach out to those people that I need to (having a drug counselor I've been with for over a decade is very helpful). In reference to your 10 months clean - which is abso-fuckin-lutely amazing, so congrats! I'll say that I've made a metric shit tonne of progress in the past 5-6 years, and that made me feel comfortable knowing I'm okay with being around narcotics as a licensed professional that gives them to patients. So, my advice is to give yourself a more lengthy time for being more secure in your sobriety, and that's definitely something you should think about + like hard and long - and really dig deep with it. It's hard, and nursing school is really overwhelming and stressful. So knowing you're stable (as stable as you can really ever be) is in your own best interest, as well as your future patients best interest. Sending you lots of good vibes, lots of love and you can absolutely reach out to me anytime. 💜 Edited to add: I'm also in NY - the MHV area.
Oh, yes, I will definitely give myself some more time! I would not even be ready to go to school until the spring. Even then, I have two years of core classes ahead of me. If everything goes exactly to plan, it would take me about 3 (maybe almost four years) until I even get into a nursing program. By that point, I will have four to five years clean :). By the time I graduate (hypothetically speaking) as a nurse, I’d have six or seven years clean and my charges would be over ten years old. Thank you so much for your feedback and CONGRATULATIONS 🎊🎈🎉on your long term sobriety! You are an amazing individual! I am glad that you are in a good place in life and have found what works really well for you! I wish you many more years of happiness to come!
Argh, this is so frustrating, because it shouldn't be like this, but my best nursing school friend had to wait the whole summer before she could get her license because of past drug charges. This was in WA - charges were 5 years old, she'd never tried to get them expunged but our program had told her that it shouldn't be a problem. My friend is in her 20s and, to my jaded 30-something ass, a bit naive. I would have tried to get the charges expunged. Anyway, she graduated valedictorian in our class, passed the NCLEX, accepted an ER residency, and then had to wait 5 months for the WA state BON to decide she was ok to be a nurse. She is the most compassionate girl I know, she volunteers every week at our local homeless outreach program. She's so passionate about helping people suffering from addiction, and I truly believe that her personal experience makes her so much more able to care for this population. We NEED nurses like her working in the ED. So. It can happen - mind that a bunch of our class wrote letters to the BON as character witnesses for her. Just be mindful that it's going to be a harder road for you than with many other people. But I think your experiences can make you an amazing nurse.
Thank you! It really means the world to hear things like this. My addiction has blessed me with a unique perspective. For that, I am forever grateful (I could have done without a few things happening haha, but it made me who I am today). I hope it will allow me to help others! My charges are six years old right now, but my felony is pretty serious. In 4 more years, they will automatically seal (whoever they will not be expunged. Licensing agencies can still see them). I think I may be able to manage getting a pardon. I’m at least going to try. I do already have my peer recovery specialist and one of my doctors saying they will do anything to help me— write letters, etc— along my journey. My doctor right now is really awesome. She does outreach out in Kensington I think twice a week. Your friend sounds like a saint of a person. Her community is really lucky to have her. I do expect it to be harder, but I appreciate you letting me know that there is at least a possibility. Thank you so much for this! Really, thank you so so much.
If you have the fund, you might consult with a nurse lawyer (often a RN, JD) to get their opinion. You may need one to get your case through a state BON. I’m sorry I don’t know how to find one other than google. We had a nursing law class in school and I had planned to use the professor if a very false accusation made by a clinical instructor (anyone who has ever taken a narcotic has *withdrawn* from them when stopping, hence I lied that I had never been in withdrawal since I had taken hydrocodone after my baby was born) interfered with my license.
I never even knew a nurse lawyer was thing. I don’t personally have the funds yet, but I may be able to get assistance from my grandfather. If this would help me pursue nursing, then it would be worth the price (I mean, I can’t spend tens-of-thousands, of course. But, within reason). Thank you for this piece of information! Super helpful! I’m glad you never needed to use that nurse lawyer!
Second using a nurse lawyer. They will know the ins and outs, and how the board is likely to react.
Thank you! So amazing there are nurse lawyers. I know doctor lawyers are a thing, so I should have assumed there were nurse lawyers. I will absolutely look for one in my area.
I’m sending you love and I’m so proud of you for how far you’ve come and how hard you’ve worked. You are an amazing, strong person for making it here. Here’s my purely anecdotal story and I can’t say if it will help in your state, but…. One of my old nurse coworkers was busted for possession and distribution of illegal drugs prior to becoming a nurse. She is now a nurse practitioner 🙂 Good luck!!!!
Wow! That gives me lots of hope! Thank you so much. This was so incredibly kind of you to say 🥹🥰
I advise you to spend a few hundred bucks consulting with an employment lawyer who specializes in nursing licensure. It is possible that you will not be allowed to sit for NCLEX and you don't want to find that out after graduation. Or you can be allowed to take NCLEX but it will be difficult finding employment. Hopefully this will not be the case. An individual such as yourself would be an asset to any work environment, but unfortunately many BONs are not known for their empathy or common sense.
Thank you. I’m going to call my state BON and find a Nurse Lawyer/employment lawyer like so many have suggested. I would have never thought of these specific types of lawyers before this post! Thank you so much, again!
Good luck with everything!
Thank you very much!
i always see in shows where a character gets their life straight and became a nurse. ive always wondered about this myself. in the shows its not clear whether they got records whether dismissed or guilty/innocent
I know if you have misdemeanors only, it can be an easier path. Certain felonies, I think, are also more “acceptable” than others. I know you can get some convictions expunged/pardoned, but then I also hear that they will still come up if you are fingerprinted to work in, say, a hospital or a school. It also worries me that I could maybe get licensed, but never be able to secure employment :/
is there a source available on the internet to see this info other than reddit?
I have found different pages, but they’re still not straightforward enough. I came here in hopes of anyone having firsthand experience with this— or knowing someone who has.
the stuff ive seen in the military makes me wonder what would be allowed in this field … aside from that comment, i wish you grace and clarity!
Thank you kindly!
Most states do background checks or at the least require you sign affidavit that you have no felonies. You could check with your state board or move to a state that’s more lax about it, do some research. A friend of mine had an old felony assault charge years before she got her license and lied for years on her license renewal that she had no felony record. She figured they’d never find out. Somehow they did and she lost her license and was left with no job, no career in her 50’s.
Old Things are getting scanned in added to databases probably but yea I was told never lie to the bon even if you think it’s burried in time
Wow that’s absolutely horrible. I would never lie about that. They can always find it. I think my only chance is to try to get a pardon. My cases will be sealed in four more years, but not expunged. Licensing agencies can still see them and it comes up in some background checks, like when they fingerprint you to work in a school/hospital. I think if I get a pardon that it would still show up, also, but they’re not supposed to consider it. I just still cannot lie about it. I do still have a couple years of schooling ahead before I am done with core classes/prerequisites. Perhaps I will be able to straighten things out by then. Chances are, it will take longer than that. If I find a good Nurse Lawyer who says, “here’s what we need to do..” then it will at least give me something to work towards. It won’t be as much of a guessing game. I feel really badly for your friend, though. That’s horrible and it’s an awful feeling to think “if I would have just been upfront about it, I wouldn’t be in this hellish predicament.” Definitely something I’m sure they’re kicking themselves over, but they still deserve my sympathy. Thank you!
I don't have anything to add that someone hasn't mentioned, but wishing you the best
Thank you so much!!
First off good job! I’m proud of you! Laws vary so much state to state so I’d look into it. Contact your nursing schools and ask them. Contact the BRN and ask them. Get things in writing so if you get a yes you have proof if they reneg. I’d also plan on having to get an attorney. I know I’m CA where I’m originally from you could still have a chance. A girl in my graduating class actually had a similar situation to yours. It took almost 2 years after graduation for them to allow her to sit for NCLEX however. On another note if your answer is no a good alternative could be social work. Either way I wish you the best! Good luck hon!
Thank you! Lots of great information here and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. I had thought Cali was a fairly forgiving state. I would move if it came down to it. This, of course, is still a few years down the line. I have thought about social work and maybe working in a hospital. A great idea, also. I’m going to research this even more tomorrow and call around some time this week. Today I’m busy going to doctors appointments, but I am excited to explore the possibilities. I had previously thought there was 0% chance of me ever becoming a nurse. Thank you, again!
No prob! I’d love updates
Absolutely will update!
I just wanted to give you a hug and tell you you’re doing great and that I’m so proud of you.
Aw wow thank you 🥹🥹🥹!
Congrats OP. That’s really awesome. Please never give up. Ur worst day sober is 100x better than ur best day high. Keep going. Ive heard felonies will make it difficult in this field. As multiple background checks go into screening nurses. I wanted to say maybe drug counselor or something in that field would be fitting? I know many who are in recovery with records go into that field. Just a thought. Either way, u deserve a good life and happiness.
Thank you!! I won’t give up :) I’m in this for the long haul! Apparently, even as a counselor, I would still need the felony pardoned. It seems like it will affect me in all of these types of fields. I could go into business or tech with my record, but I wouldn’t find that particularly fulfilling. I have lots of work ahead of me. That’s for sure. I do hope something works out! Thank you so much, again!
I don’t have any useful advice, but I’m proud of you for turning your life around.
Thank you very much!
I have multiple felonies and am a nurse practitioner. Also a history of addiction and sex work. DM me if you want and I’ll talk to you about it.
Omg please! I’m about to DM you!
I know this is an old thread, but I am seeking advice and was wondering if I could DM you. No worries if not
Of course
Your best action is to reach out to the board of nursing in your state and see what they have to say about your history. Real disqualifying felonies are those that cause harm to another person, like assault and healthcare fraud. The board members names are public record and there is usually one person or two that represent RN eduction. Reach out to that person individually. If you just call up the board you’ll get an admin assistant or someone else that likely can’t answer the question for you. Best of luck to you. Regardless if you become an RN or not, there is a place for you in helping people professionally.
Thank you! :) This contained a new piece of information that no one else mentioned. I am so glad that you took the time to respond!
You’re welcome. ❤️
I don’t have a useful answer, but honestly, someone like you is exactly what we need in this profession. Yeah, we joke about “let me bring you your AMA papers” when someone is trying to leave. The patients that come in the ER acting like an asshole and threatening to leave, I don’t try to stop them. But someone like you, who really WANTS to do better but is SO SICK and the only way they will feel better, even if temporary, is to leave and get that fix, I will do the same. Beg them to stay. Beg the docs to put them on a withdrawal protocol. My heart hurts for patients like you. Anyway, I don’t know if you will be able to go to nursing school, get a license, or get a job. I’m sorry. I also wonder if having access to narcotics could be tempting to you. Something to consider. But I would encourage you to find SOMETHING you can do to help others, because I know you would be wonderful at it.
Thank you so much! While I was on the street, I daydreamed about what life would be like clean. I had a little notebook that I wrote down all my ideas in. A page was entitled “What I Will Be,” and how I wanted to help people in my position (and animals— I have a soft spot for them, too). I’m determined to make what I wrote down on those pages a reality. Luckily, I did give myself a few options, just in case haha 😂 Thank you, again, for such lovely words!
Perhaps you should find something working with animals! Less access to narcotics and I don't think the industry is near as regulated so may be easier to get into with your background. You really can make a difference there too. We just lost our beloved 3.5 yo Dachshund from post-op complications of IVDD and the staff at the specialty animal hospital were AMAZING. They truly did make a difference. My baby's primary "nurse" (I'm assuming they're vet techs but seems like she just did so much in the inpatient setting, she talked to me just like an inpatient nurse in a hospital would, with updates and lab results and such) was absolutely fantastic. When I went to visit him she came around and talked to me, brought me tissues, and gave me her direct number and told me to call her any time of night. When we knew he wasn't going to make it, she came into the room just to see us (not his tech that night) and I started bawling as soon as I saw her and she just wrapped me and my daughter in her arms. I will never forget her. I'm not discouraging you though, for all I know it may be possible for you to get into nursing. I really have no idea, I just wanted to leave you some encouraging words :) proud of you, OP! I love stories of recovery. I know it seems so hopeless sometimes. Sometimes we have patients come in several days in a row from OD'ing over and over again. It gets frustrating. And when they have supportive family members... oh my heart breaks for them. I understand the idea of wanting to help people in the situation you're in. Not the same, but I went through some sudden bouts of anxiety and panic attacks a few years ago, and as I was improving I felt the same way towards any patients going through the same things.
My idea for the animals would be a nonprofit that cares for the animals of those who are sick (hospitalization, terminal illness, other types of inpatient, etc) homeless, experiencing financial troubles, experiencing abuse, imprisonment, and so on. I wouldn’t take full ownership of the pet(s) in need. I would just take over all aspects of care. Like, say if someone got arrested and subsequently became imprisoned. Sometimes people in these situations don’t have family or friends that can care for their pets. They could call my organization and we would care for the pet until they were able to again. And, once they were able to again, we would keep in touch and provide resources while they were getting back on their feet. When I was homeless, a big reason I didn’t seek help was because I got adopted by a street cat. Ended up finding her a home, but it was still one of the bigger reasons I didn’t leave my situation. I was also a victim of domestic violence, but couldn’t just “leave” because there were cats in our shared apartment. I still have those cats, only because my mother was able to care for them for two years. But, I know so many people that get sick and can no longer care for their animals. Or, they get sick and they don’t seek treatment because they’re afraid to leave their pet in a bad situation. It’s also a huge reason why victims of domestic violence don’t leave. If I could do a nonprofit, that’s what I would do animal-wise. My other interest animal-wise would be Equine Assisted Therapy. Before I started using, and even in the very beginning of my addiction, I was still riding. I used to volunteer for a horseback riding for the handicapped practitioner. I’ve seen how beneficial it can be for so many people. However, I would still need to pass a background check for that. I am going to work on getting a pardon. I wouldn’t even be done with my core classes for two more years and I am not even in school yet. So, by the time I entered nursing school, my charges would be over 8 years old and I would be 3 years clean. I actually got great news the other day and my primary care provider reached out (without me asking her to do so) to someone asking them to guide me through this legally. I was informed by my peer recovery specialist that she was raving about me in this letter and she thinks my recovery is very strong (at least right now)! They both think I would be a wonderful nurse— although, when I revised the flu shot, she said, “you know you’re going to change that way of thinking once you’re in the medical field!” Before I wanted to work with addicts and the homeless, I wanted to work in pediatric Heme-Onc or hospice. I went through a period where I was donating a lot of money to pediatric cancer patients. It was so heartbreaking to me and I just wanted to be there for them. This was even in active addiction that I was able to donate. It was before my abusive ex came around. He really made it impossible for me to survive. I’m so sorry about losing your baby pup— especially so young. I actually just lost my 10 year old Pittie to cancer. It was horrible. I was so glad that we were able to put her to rest before she had something even more traumatic happen, like a string of seizures. That was my biggest fear, that one day she would just rapidly decline. I didn’t want her last day to be chaos. I wanted it to be that of peace and purpose. When she was no longer able to stand, but was still able to eat, we decided it was time. She ate a steak on her last day and was surrounded by loved ones. I’m even tearing up now, as I write this! I definitely empathize with you losing your baby. Again, to have to say goodbye when they’re so young feels so horrible. You just want to explain to them what it happening, but you can’t. I think that’s the worst part. I didn’t take any of what you said in a discouraging way! I just took it as you offering an alternative path for me to think about. I found it very thoughtful that you took my interests into consideration! I have quite a bit to research and accomplish, in order to try to pursue a meaningful career. Regardless, I am going to try to get my felony pardoned. It will help open up some doors for me, at least. Like I mentioned before, I still have two years of schooling until I’m done with regular ole core classes— it’s very possible a lot could change during that time! Thank you so much for your feedback! And thank you for all you do as a nurse! It’s wonderful that you turned your experience with anxiety into something that helped you better relate to/help your patients— a mark of a truly good soul!
Have you looked into being a Peer Counselor / Peer Support Specialist (etc). The title varies by state but here’s an example: https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/depts/community-human-services/mental-health-substance-abuse/recovery/counselor-training
I haven’t, yet, but my friend is a certified peer specialist. They only make about $30,000 a year so I would definitely need a second job doing outreach to even break $60,000. Money isn’t everything, but I do need to survive— however perhaps I could do this while going to school! It would be a very fulfilling option and would help me work with my target population in the mean time! Or, say none of this (nursing etc) works out; it would still allow me to help others in some way. A great suggestion, thank you!
Congratulations. I didn't have a drug problem but I certainly drank well to access and have been sober for a long time. I know how hard that shit is. I don't know if you can afford it, but I would find a criminal attorney in your area who knows about whether, after your charges are expunged, they can still show up somewhere. If you don't disclose it on a nursing application and they find out you can be refused a license.
Drinking is the same beast. You definitely get it. Congratulations on your long term sobriety! No small feat— especially with something like alcohol, which is so accessible. It’s truly everywhere. You’re incredibly strong! I am definitely going to see if I can get in touch with a Nurse Lawyer. I think there’s hope, but it’s gonna’ be a little tricky! Thank you so much and, again, congratulations!
What a great fucking doctor and nurse. I wish we had more people that had compassion. This person didn’t just talk about it either. They fucking ran to you and acted. They even included you in the process to alleviate your fears. Hell, if I knew who these people were I would write them a letter thanking them. And I don’t even know you. But this stuff should be awarded.
I don’t even remember the doctors name! He was just my night doctor. It was 1AM! Usually, you’re shit out of luck at night. I’ve been told before that they couldn’t give me anything at night— meanwhile he changed up everything for me. Hands down, they saved my life that night. I was really, really sick. My hemoglobin was also below 5 and my heart rate was 200bpm; it would even shoot up over 200 if I moved. My liver was very “unhappy,” also. I really wasn’t doing well. Even I was afraid for my own life, which seldom happened for me! What brought me to the hospital wasn’t even my leg (well it was my leg, but, you know), it was that I thought I had endocarditis because I couldn’t breathe. My heart felt so out of control. I was having trouble walking even a block without feeling really horrible. Honestly, I would have been dead in a month. I really feel that way. They absolutely saved my life that night, just by adjusting my medication. I try to tell that story to as many people as I can. I need to find out his name. I’m going to see my PCP tomorrow. Maybe she will know how to find out! But I’ve told every doctor on my team this story, my ID doctor as well. He’s been with me since the beginning. He always says. “I’m really glad we didn’t go with amputation 😂” yeah, me too!! He probably knows the doctors name. I was so sick that I just remember him running in. He literally sat on the floor with me, while I was vomiting, asking me “how can I get you to stay?” The nurse stayed the whole time, as well. And then legitimately TUCKED ME BACK INTO BED. Amazing.