Virginia Monitoring Program

[wish_me_luck]

Hi.

I was wanting to start a thread for only people in the Virginia Monitoring Program. I am not finding too many threads about it or people in it. I have started into it and will be doing orientation soon. I will try and post what I can but of course no one can answer your legal questions, only legal counsel can do that. This would be more for personal experiences and what not.

If anyone is in it and would like to participate in this thread, please do.

So, for me, I am in it for mental illness (will not disclose what I have) and ETOH abuse. My story began when I sent my application in for licensure (to the board). I was honest and disclosed because I don't know what the future holds and I thought it would be in my best interest to disclose. Plus, I don't feel comfortable lying. I personally do not have a history of drug use or drug diversion (my apologies if you have heard my story in other threads). I was sent a letter from the board requesting my provider send a letter regarding my dx, tx, and prognosis. In addition, I sent a letter on my own behalf with my provider's letter. My case went before the board and I was offered approval to take NCLEX if I agreed to enter into the monitoring program. If I did not agree, there would be an informal conference scheduled. If I had decided not to do the monitoring program and went with the informal conference, I was informed that there could be approval, there could be denial, there could be probation, or the offer could stand at entering into the monitoring program. There's just so many things that could happen. I thought about it and really wrestled with my decision. I have to be honest, in the beginning, I hated the idea of entering into the monitoring program. I really was thinking of taking the informal conference. Then, I realized that I could be denied. No possibility of taking NCLEX and ultimately, no chance at being a nurse. I continued to think about it and decided to take the monitoring program deal. I figured that it was in my best interest (I was in the very early stage of having a mental illness dx, so I hadn't been treated for long and this would force me to stick with getting treatment whether I liked it or not) and I would also get to sit for boards. It took weeks to receive the order in which I would have to sign (and get notarized) and send back to the board in agreement to enter the monitoring program. I went through the process and contacted the monitoring program and told them I would need to enter it and that I had a board order. A phone intake assessment interview was scheduled and then, they sent me paperwork to fill out. The monitoring program sent me recommendations that I have to follow and I will have an orientation for the program. After the orientation, I will have to do random drug screens.

Some random facts about the monitoring program. You can't work in health care until they approve you to go back. The drug screens are $50 each and they can test you as often as three times a week. From what I understand, if you are compliant, the screens (therefore, the cost) eases up. I just about had a bird when I found out the cost. But a few people told me that if I was in compliance, that it usually eases up. I am really hoping this is true. You, the participant, are responsible for the cost of the screenings. The orientations for the program are held in Richmond. Your health care providers and possible health care employers have to fill out forms every so often.

As of right now, this is about all I know. I did keep a time table of when I received documents from the board and monitoring program and when I would send documents to them. From the time I filled out my application to the time I received my board order and entrance into the monitoring program/contract, it was approximately 6 months. I will be taking boards soon.

If anyone else is interested in sharing and is in Virginia, please do. I know I have come across threads asking about this monitoring program and there wasn't much info and no one updated. I hope to keep this updated if others are interested. I hope I didn't violate TOS. Thanks.

[OverwhelmednVA]

Hey all! Hope everyone is doing well- I have a quick question, I'm about to send a resume in for a job in dialysis- and I'm wondering if I should go ahead and disclose that I in hpmp on the cover sheet or resume. Anyone have and advice on this? It is my first time since entering the monitoring program applying for a job so any suggestions would be helpful :)

[catmom1, BSN, RN]

Hey all! Hope everyone is doing well- I have a quick question, I'm about to send a resume in for a job in dialysis- and I'm wondering if I should go ahead and disclose that I in hpmp on the cover sheet or resume. Anyone have and advice on this? It is my first time since entering the monitoring program applying for a job so any suggestions would be helpful :)

Please see my reply in the other thread where you posted this question.

Catmom :paw:

[vamurse]

I felt that I interviewed well in person, looked good on paper but on paper plus disclosing HPMP? Ehhhhh... I decided to disclose during interviews and was glad I did it that way. During my job search I also applied with davita which included an initial phone interview. I disclosed in the phone interview and was not contacted for an in person interview by the unit manager...

One thing: the shock, disgust and revulsion I fully expected from everyone I interviewed with never came. All managers were very kind and understanding. Congrats on being allowed to work again you'll find a job just keep positive.

[Cavalier123]

Hey vamurse have been trying to send you messages, contact me if you can just to chat. It does get better day by day but it is very challenging. [email protected]

[OverwhelmednVA]

Did any one else have trouble when it was time to get your contacts revised for going back to work? I've sent in the release form for my case manager to contact my new employer about the monthly reports and the position was approved two weeks ago, but no contract yet! I hate waiting on snail mail! I don't know if my contract has even been revised yet because I can not get through on the phone to hpmp. Was it your experience that it just came in the mail and your case manager did not need to discuss it with you before hand?thanks for reading!

[EM3525]

Hey guys! I'm really glad I found this thread! I am new to VA HPMP I signed an initial contract in August of this year, went for orientation in the beginning of October and I'm still not allowed to practice. This is frustrating to me because I am a transfer from another state where I am enrolled and, fully compliant, and allowed to practice in their monitoring program. My case manager in the other state is so supportive of my recovery. I have almost 4 years of sobriety. I waited until I had over 2 years of sobriety to try to re-obtain my nursing license. I applied in VA for an endorsement and of course disclose I am being monitored in the other state and why and therefore had to enroll in HPMP which I expected because the two monitoring agencies have to report to each other about my progress. As I said before my intake and first contract was in August. The intake case manager is a terrible man. He should not be dealing with the public. He made everything as difficult as possible on me. I had to get the assistance of my case manager in my home state just to finally get my orientation. Both states use Affinity for their testing. Yet Virginia will not obtain any results from affinity to show them a history of compliance. I tested with affinity for my other state until the friday before I went to HPMP orientation, and then I tested the first time with HPMP with affinity. I am very frustrated because they refuse to take into account all of the hoops I have jumped through for another state. They want me to do it over. Of course I am doing everything they ask. There is a local job fair where I live. Is it ok to go talk with them as long as I'm not applying? Also can anyone tell me how much longer this is going to take? It's been 3 months now since I began contact with HPMP and signed the intake contract, and one month since I signed a detailed contract and begain officially testing for VA.

[PatriciaLee]

Those of you on this thread may be interested in a just-published investigation based on thousands of case records from the Virginia Board of Nursing. The report by The News Leader finds critical gaps in how the state handles addicted nurses and protects patients from them. As the journalist who worked on it, I would welcome hearing your thoughts in this space. You'll find the entire series here: addicted-nurses.newsleader.com

[papillion]

I start orientation tomorrow, December 29th, for Virginia, and never received any information about where/when to go...I received a call about 2 weeks ago with admittance.

I was out of town and thought they had mailed me info, but it never came....I'm assuming it's at the office in Richmond?

If having issues with posting please email me: [email protected].

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[Randomkindness]

Like an earlier poster I am required to take part in a four day "multi-disciplinary assessment" before entering the HPMP program. Needless to say it is very expensive and insurance does not pay. Can anybody tell me what this involves and where it leads. I can imagine the facility doing the testing might recommend inpatient treatment at their facility to improve their bottom line. Seems like a lot of money is being generated by this program. I do want help (diversion issues, do not need withdrawal help) but the right help.. Thanks in advance.

[fortoday]

Hi everyone, I am an Virginia RN with extensive experience of the monitoring programs in Va. I have a history of opiate dependence and am gratefully sober today. I will share a little history for anyone who is struggling with addiction and the nature of the disease. I had my initial intervention in 1998 following diversion from work. I was placed in treatment, introduced to CADUCES and monitored for 5 years with what was then Virginia Monitoring. I needed help and was grateful for the measures provided by Va Monitoring and after nine months of treatment and sobriety accepted a job as a nurse with a free standing mental health hospital. I remained at that job for 16yrs and loved it. I was able to maintain sobriety until 2008, took my eye off the ball and attempted to pass a prescription that did not belong to me and was caught. I faced legal charges and fell into the drug court program in Suffolk. This relapse did not involve work as I held non clinical positions such as CM, UR, QA..and was stopped quick. The legal charges and court issues were overwhelming and terrifying. The BON found out about this likely through probation and I met with an investigator. Unfortunately I was so overwhelmed with the drug court requirements, screens, meetings, home visits,meetings with lawyers, I neglected to enroll with what was now HPMP. I spoke with my supervisor at work about my relapse, she knew I was a recovering nurse, and it never went further with my employer. I was able to complete the drug program and in court had my charges (felony class 6) for forgery dismissed. I continued to renew my license and heard nothing further from the board and did not think beyond the court issues. I will always have on my record a felony charge but no conviction under first offenders status. Forward to today, I have been in true recovery since 9/9/2011. I ended up in a chronic pain clinic for back and spine issues and legally went back on very high doses of oxycodone in 2010 and 2011. I started to get a clue after several withdrawals, not from running out of pills, just not having enough for the tolerance I had developed. This experience helped me to finally understand how bad my addiction was. I had continued to work throughout this, felt no impairment and was a reliable coworker. I am lucky I didn't die from stupidity and denial...I was in trouble and could not see it. I would be glad to share with anyone who is struggling with the nature of addiction. My email is [email protected]. In regards to HPMP I am now in a huge pickle. I began therapy in late 2011 and really started to face the finality of my disease and in an odd way feel that it had to get bad to get better. Unfortunately between 2008-2014 I continued to work and had no hint of board issues but was contacted in Feb of 2014 by the board notifying me an investigator would be contacting me about the 2008 relapse. I didn't put it together right away but the meeting with the investigator did. A chart audit done in 2013 showed my failure to enroll in monitoring and I had some explaining to do. I wrongfully felt the clinical records and self driven treatment would mean something. I even had a year or so of drug screens done though the clinic where I was having my pain treated without narcotics. I too was told I could enroll now (feb 2014) with HPMP or wait for the informal hearing results. a meeting was scheduled for June of that year. The investigator was understanding, or seemed to be, and did not advise me against waiting to meet with the board. I did contact HPMP as instructed and and was contacted by Mr *****, the intake CM, within a few days. He advised I would have to stop working and fall under their treatment programs and would not consider the therapist and psychiatrist I already had established rapport with. I chose to go to the informal hearing....big mistake. I now have a suspended license and have not worked in nursing since May 2014. I initiated paperwork with HPMP in late Oct. I was so angry about loosing my license for something I missed in 2008 that I did not sign and send in the contract until January 2015. I am now dealing with Mr ***** regularly and am relying on family to live. I, like many of you, have almost no income and am told regularly by Mr ***** I will be placed on warning or dismissed and reported to the board if I cannot afford the drug screening and assessments. They are still collecting my records, going all the way back to 2008 and I have no idea when I can move forward. This is difficult because I am proud of maintaining sobriety and how far I have come, but now must go back to the beginning. I failed the IOP referral made by HPMP, I am doing well in a lower level of care. I don't know what they are going to do. At 45 I may have to start over, but I will not let this get in the way of my recovery. I am glad I found this site. HPMP seems to be so punitive and negative in their approach to expectations. I wish everyone success and hope for good outcomes for anyone struggling. I understand why HPMP is there, but I also see why nurses are frustrated. We entered this field to be caretakers and helpers but we are human and despite flaws can still have something to offer.

[bellavita1]

Hi, I've been in HPMP for a year now with 16 mths sobriety. I was able to start a job search in October but still haven't filled out a single application. I think I'm afraid of the rejection. Any advice or stories of success you can share to give me some courage?

[vamurse]

I found work fairly quickly, in about a month I think, but what surprised me the most was that the rejection, the searing judgment I fully expected from every interview.... Never came. We always invent scenarios in our heads that are much worse than what we actually wind up experiencing. Take the leap, send out an application. Worst case is that you don't get hired and then you'll still be in the same boat your in now. It'll be ok these things always seem to work out.