I am a nurse in a detox and with 5 years clean. First of all, don't take the blame for her actions. There is a hippa law and no one has access to your medical records without your permission. I screwed up my license, lost it, got it back and was on probabtion for 3 years with urine drops. The only check on your license is through your state nursing board, and you can look that up yourself. Has she been sanctioned or suspended or revoked? I know many nurses who have pulled their careers and lives together. Some, actually, don't continue on in nursing due to the availability of narcotics. I wish her luck but recovery needs to come first. Anything she puts before her recovery she will lose to her addiction.

Her license is still active with no restrictions.

i don't understand why any nurse with an unrestricted license cannot get a job. Is that a manipulative tactic she is using on you and your dad? No one can get access to her medical records, however if some were to report her to the nursing board, she would be drug screened and if positive she will have her license revoked (unless she voluntarily suspended them). Losing her license may not be a bad thing for her, if she has access to drugs at work. How does she get the drugs she abuses?

I am a nurse and have a bachelors degree in nursing. Your sister is using this. They cannot get her medical records unless she signs a form for such and this is not a requirement for a job. Each state has a program for addicted nurses and requirements for them to meet. If they report themselves as having a problem or get caught stealing drugs they can join. For example in Kentucky it is called K.A.R.E. Kentucky Alternative Recovery Effort. They allow you to work with restrictions for 5yrs. then give you back your unrestricted license. If she has no restrictions then there should be no reason why can't work or get hired. She is not obligated to tell them she is an addict either. Nurses that are in these programs do so because it is either that or lose your license because they got caught stealing narcotics. There are some however that feel the only way they can work around the drugs is to be in these programs so they are monitored while they recover. Other nurses never know they have restrictions...only the supervisor. I told my family I couldn't go to rehab because I would lose my license too because I simply did not want to go to rehab. Your sister knows better. Now so do you. LOL Tell her.

hey, it's been a while since anyone posted so i hope you get this message. I too am a nurse with an addiction and while i have never had any probs with my liscense i have been in rehab more than once and have been accused of things at work etc. it depends on where you are and how quickly word gets around. in smaller cities like mine...well its not really small but you'd be suprised how quickly tounges can wag and sometimes if a nurse has a drug problem even though it's against the law to defame or slander a nurses rep it's ok if no one finds out if you know what i mean. I have had a few problems off and on though i am now currently working there have been under the table rumours passed about me when i was in the middle of my last problem. If you live in a small area she may have trouble getting rehired even if she has not had any trouble with her liscense. but also there are many employers who are very willing to work with a nurse with narcotic restrictions and who are honest about it they are getting more and more informed and cannot legally hold it against her because addiction is an illness and they are in the medical field so tecq it would be discrimination. it depends on the facility and area etc. i have found that when i was honest about it they were more than willing to help me.i hope this doesnt confuse you more. the truth is that people in general are very hard on other people....i am currently experiencing problems but that is because i am hiding my addiction and people are suspicious of me. when i finially decide to come clean about everything there are laws and everything to protect my liscence if i am honest. although im not sure if my current employer would keep me....so while i can protect my liscense i may not be able to keep my job....i hope you get what i mean.....best of luck and post so we can see how everything is going. Jen