I came back to nursing after losing my registration

Dear Delyara, I lost my nursing registration after diverting medication during an opioid addiction. The disciplinary hearing was one of the most humiliating days of my life, and I believed I would never work in healthcare again. Recovery came first: treatment, monitoring, therapy, and years of sobriety. Later, I began the formal process of seeking restoration. I completed refresher education, occupational-health assessments, supervised practice, and answered questions about the harm I caused without minimizing it. Last month, the board restored my registration with conditions. Today, I completed my first supervised shift. I was not permitted to handle controlled medication alone, and I am grateful for that boundary. An elderly patient asked whether I was new. I said, “I’m returning.” That word felt more accurate. I did not return as the nurse I had been before addiction. I returned with safeguards, humility, and the knowledge that competence includes knowing where I require accountability.