Sooo lost....ready to give up nursing if that's what it takes

Nurses Recovery

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Not even sure what to do or what comes next. I am in shock, disbelief and utterly horrified. I was called upon by my nurse manager on Thursday (9/11/14) morning to report to employee health. He actually came and escorted me. Once there I was accused of removing medications (Percocet and Norco) but not documenting them given or wasted. I worked in an area that is basically an extension of the ER/ER holding and it is very fast paced, at times we didn't get to document a lot of care given whether it be meds, interventions etc I know this is wrong wrong wrong but it is what it is... Long story longer... after the allegations were made I agreed to submit to drug testing or anything else that would prove that I have not been using any medications from my employer. My rapid screen was negative and they also sent off a 10 panel screen to an outside lab and assured me that would be positive and to make sure I answered the call from a medical review officer. 4 days later I have heard nothing from a medical review officer. I do have a prescription for Librax for IBS however I only take them as needed and hadn't taken one for 2 days prior to the test and Phendimetrazine for appetite suppression which I did take about 4 hours prior to the test. I am totally lost. My employer extended me an offer to take FMLA if I agreed to enter immediately into treatment!! (for what I still don't know) My employer referred me to a treatment facility and told me IPN would be looking for me to have reported and admitted myself to a facility. I sat there like but for what?? I am not using anything. I have never been in treatment in the past nor do I need to be in treatment now. I'm not using anything. So, scared to death, I went to this place for what I was told was just an assessment of my needs. I told them everything they asked and was completely honest. They recommended inpatient drug treatment citing my Librax and Phendimetrazine are drugs of abuse and I could possibly have an addiction issue. I was (and still am) LIVID!!! I am 5 foot 6 inches and weighed 326 pounds!!! My appetite suppressant is given to me in 2 week intervals, and my Librax.... (for IBS) I had a script for 90 pills on July 29 and still have 55 left. (It's 9/16) My employer and the treatment center have been calling and saying if I don't enter treatment by yesterday then I was going to be terminated. How is it the treatment center and my ex employer even communicate?? Isn't that some sort of HIPAA violation?? I have worked for a treatment facility before and we couldn't communicate to ANYBODY about whether somebody was there or not. Our exact phrase was "I can neither confirm nor deny that person is here". The treatment facility is openly discussing my info with my ex employer. As far as IPN and the BON... what exactly should I expect now?? I am totally ready to give up nursing if that is what it takes. I am NOT spending the money on expensive treatment or losing my self respect and dignity and admit to an addiction that I CLEARLY don't have. I'm sorry this is so long, I am just trying to figure out what I can do and what should I expect?? ANY info would be greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

welcome, i am so sorry you are going thru this....We cant give legal advise,

i would seriously seek counsel from an attorney with experience dealing with boards of nursing or boards of medicine. trust me the expense will be so very worth it.....especially if things are as you say. here there are here a lot of us have experience with BON orders, recovery etc....... you may or may not have a problem with documentation.....ie not charting a med given etc.... i do understand your prior work envuronment......please seek the right kind of legal action ...

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Get a lawyer now. If you have it will be covered. If not, find a way to pay for one. Do not talk to the Bon or your employer any longer. Don't talk to that treatment center either.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

you have been given SOME VERY GOOD ADVISE

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.

Trust me when I tell you: Get a lawyer experienced in dealing with licensure issues- NOW! Do NOT speak with anyone else before speaking to him/her. You may think you can't afford it, but you can't afford not to have a lawyer. Don't believe that any investigator is your friend. That is one of the techniques used to get you to confess (even if you did nothing wrong!)

Good luck and please let us know how it is going.

Catmom :paw:

P.S. If what you are saying is accurate, the powers that be are gearing up to give you a royal scr*w job and I am enraged for your sake.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Lawyer up! As for me, colleagues told me in 2008 to also lawyer up. However, on deep, deep self-inventory and reflection I truly have a problem that will never get addressed had I gone that route. Six years later, I'm at the peak of my career in a very large hospital that has a pension. I've been through the ringer: fired, unemployable, restrictions, father dying during diversion, getting married, finishing my BSN, etc., Finally finished Diversion two years ago and still sober and still active in AA with a sponsor. I can only tell you this: I did not see my life going this route. But, it is so much better. I have been browsing this forums for years and so wanting to tell my story....but, maybe later. I feel for everyone here.

For you JennRN2006, I advise you to get legal help. Only you know what's going on with you. For me, I was a lying alcoholic that needed help. Just glad I had some clarity to finally understand myself. Good luck to you!!

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I wish hiring an attorney was an option. I have no way to do so. I think that after careful consideration and much thought over the last 4 or 5 days since this occurred, I have decided that I will give up my license to practice nursing. I value my self respect and dignity waaaaay more than anything else. I am in no way meaning this in a derogatory way towards anybody in recovery however I was a human being before a nurse. I have been reading all of the boards here regarding IPN, trying to learn what it is and how it works. I refuse to jump through all of those hoops, pay out thousands of dollars for monitoring, admit myself to treatment costing thousands more for forgetting to document medication. My 2 drug screens, rapid and the 10 panel were negative!! Isn't this enough? Ugghhhh just over it all....

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Specializes in ER, CEN.

Why is an attorney not an option? Have you called around to see if anyone will take your case on a fee contingency basis? After all, you could be entitled to damages.

It's really a shame you have been painted into a corner but rather than giving up a career I am assuming you like, explore your options for legal assistance. Unfortunately, some narcs go missing not only because someone is personally using them, but they are sold on the street. So depending on hospital/state board policy, the disappearance of meds even because of documentation error, will be investigated. Forcing you to submit to rehab after negative drug screens seems over the top to me and I'm sure an attorney would agree.

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I will say this much, at the worst it you spent 50k on tx, IPN, therapies- it still totals less than how much you stand to lose it you give up your license. It is harder to fight for a lisence than it is to keep it and keep keeping on. I caution you to not throw in the towel just yet.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

Hi! I am so sorry to read your troubles. I entered our state's RNP in 1999 after diverting. It was a long hard road to get back after the stigma -

I honestly don't think I could have made a decision different from the one u made in your situation. I hate to say that because a nurse is the ONLY career I ever wanted - but my gosh! It just sounds like you're getting a good sc******. It just sounds nuts and I don't know if I would be strong enough to go thru it.

I wish there had been another option for u - it's just crazy that the hospital can do what they did - and with all the negative drug screens. Hugs! I'm hoping maybe u can see an attorney and maybe still be able to keep your nursing career.

Anne, RNC

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I can only share my experience and decisions. I was a Labor and Delivery Nurse for over 20 years and was caught diverting. Lived in CA at the time, entered Diversion, but hadn't gone back to work when we moved to FL. Entered their IPN program. Because all my experience was in L&D, no one would touch me, not psych facilities, not LTC and of course not L&D. I ended up with a life threatening illness that put me on high dose steriods for a long time (60 mg a day) and developed steriod induced psychosis. While that is gone it have left me on psych meds that change frequently. We have since moved back to CA. I would have to enter the probation end and my lovely transgressions are up for the world to see. The restrictions of the probation, plus the nursing glut, would leave me without a job anyway and i couldn't risk them controlling my meds.

Long story short, I am school for my counseling degree. It is the one place, especially if I go into addictions, where I won't be judged for my transgressions.

I will always be a nurse at heart, but times have changed for me. For my own sanity I decided going through the hoops to get a license I wouldn't probably be able to use wasn't worth it. Oh, BTW, i've been sober 7 years and it took the move back to CA to make me realize this. There are NO jobs here for me.

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If the issues are as you state, then a lawyer is the best advice. I am confused though, if all is as you say, why would you be "ready to give up nursing if that's what it takes", rather than prove you are innocent? For you employer to be suggesting an intervention, I believe, there must be a considerable amount of undocumented narcotics. That in-and-of itself is a huge 'red flag'... you know that. I wish you only the best and you have been given the best advice of contacting a lawyer.

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