I am about to finish nursing school in South Carolina and after having a very very close friend loose her license, after seeing the abuse of authority and power and tyrannical behavior by South Carolina’s BON I am now afraid to apply for or obtain an RN nurse license in the state.
My close friend was licensed as a nurse in South Carolina, the BON first accused her of abusing the patients drugs (taking them herself), based on a report from her staffing agency (who I must say, was over 120 miles away, and reported by an office staff person who was not a nurse.) The allegation was at least relayed to the staffing agency by the nurse manager, whom had it relayed to her from some other unknown individual. First of all the initial complaint was reported by someone who did not have first hand or even second hand knowledge of the alleged incident. The Staffing agency requested that she take a drug test, which she did that day; the test came back negative (no drugs in her system). A state agency, other than the BON, Department of Health and Environmental Control (DEHEC), conducted an investigation of the alleged incident and their report stated that there was no evidence to support the allegation or any wrongdoing.
The BON issued an order for an evaluation by the Recovering Professionals Program (RPP) for a drug dependency problem and on the same day, just minutes from the issuance of the order to go to RPP issued an order immediately suspending her license. RPP is an organization that treats and monitors nurses and physicians who are drug addicts or who abuse drugs or alcohol. The BON did not even give her an opportunity to comply with the order for the evaluation by RPP. She went to RPP and took two more drug tests, one urine test and a hair test (which as you know can go back several months to determine if drugs had been used over the past 3 months or more). Both drug tests were also negative. The psychiatric evaluation, by the psychiatrist at RPP gave a diagnosis that was negative for an addictive personality and negative for a drug dependency problem.
To recap, all three drug tests were negative for drugs, the psychiatrists diagnosis were negative for any drug related issues, and the investigation by DEHEC found no evidence of drugs being misappropriated, stolen or otherwise misdirected.
Despite these facts the BON refused to give her her license back, has not allowed her to have a hearing, has not complied with the state’s nurse practice act, http://www.scstatehouse.gov/CODE/t40c033.htm, SECTION 40-33-116 paragraphs A and B “ A licensee or applicant who is prohibited from practicing under this subsection must be afforded at reasonable intervals an opportunity to demonstrate to the board the ability to resume or begin the practice of nursing with reasonable skill and safety.” The BON has also violated SECTION 40-33-1330 paragraphs A and B “A hearing must be promptly commenced and determined.” As they have refused to schedule a hearing until 7 months after her request."
The BON violated her Bill of Rights and U.S. Constitutional rights, violated several sections of the state’s nurse practice act, violated their own regulations and tossed aside any and all evidence in her defense and evidence that has demonstrated that she is not guilty of drug abuse, nor stealing any drugs from the facility, nor any of the allegations. Yes I have personally seen and read all of the documentation that the BON has sent, plus have been a witness to the conversations between her and the BON. The BON further sent her a consent agreement, which basically has language in it that she admits to all of the nonsense the BON has accused her of and the BON has threatened her and has tried to coerce her into signing the document and if she does not sign the document they will not give her her license back. If she does sign the document she most likely will not be able to work because of all of the restrictions placed on her license. She will be treated like a convicted drug addict, having to suffer, at her own expense drug tests demanded upon her at any time that the BON wishes, is not allowed to move anywhere without the BON’s prior approval, and can not accept a nursing position anywhere without the BON’s prior approval.
Please tell me if all of the BON’s in every state are this corrupt? Do they get off on destroying nurses and putting them out of work with no cause? Do they all like abusing their power and authority? If this is the case I just wasted four years in nursing school as I refuse to be a party to these types of tyrannical acts by BON’s.
