About to start recovery process, some questions

allnurses Guide · May 26, 2017

Made a new account for this forum even though I don't post much under my other one.
Some questions. I had a UDS and it's going to be postitive. I do have a problem. I do want help. I'm going to self report at work before my UDS comes back. It'll be delayed some I'm sure because of the long weekend with Memorial Day. When I report I know they'll have questions and they'll be looking at my charting, med pulls, etc. I did divert waste.
If if I admit that, and I don't know how not to because that's the drug in my system, will they have me arrested? My spouse is telling me not to admit to diversion but just say I got it from a friend due to fear I'll be arrested. My gut is telling me to just be honest and they'll refer me to the states monitoring program.
I'll actually hold my other questions for now.

Stop posting details here and consult a lawyer. Don't admit to anything until you do. If you are genuine about seeking help get your butt into a NA meeting. If you need in-patient detox and treatment seek it. At least start looking at programs. You will likely be fired so COBRA your insurance and keep it long enough to get through a 30 day treatment program.

Good luck to you.

Hppy

GermanCookie, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · May 26, 2017

I agree with hppy. I applaud your candidness, but these are definitely questions best asked of an attorney. Glad you're getting help. Hang in there.

Lisacar130 · May 27, 2017

No one is going to believe that you weren't taking from work. It is not that common for the hospital to press charges, but if they do they will do whether you admit to anything or not. They might not even ask you how you got it, all they need to know is a positive drug test on meds you don't have a script for. Instead of lying, you can tell them that you admit to having a problem but decline to answer the question about how you got it. You can omit info, but I wouldn't lie. I can only speak for Illinois, but if you report yourself to the board in Illinois before your job does, even a day before, you have a chance at getting a deal better than probation where nothing shows up on your license as long as you follow all the requirements. Your state may also have such a deal. I would definitely call several lawyers, some charge a lot more than others so call around. Look up lawyers in your state that specifically deal with the board and healthcare professionals. Many will give you free advise on the phone before even hiring them. I would also post looking for nurses on here in your state for guidance on this issue.

Recovering_RN · May 27, 2017

I wouldn't admit to anything if I were you. You never know how much info will be put into your employee file, and who might later see it. People talk, even if some information is supposed to be confidential.

When I was pulled aside and given a drug test, of course they knew I was diverting. And when they saw which drug was in my system, they knew I'd gotten it from work. But they never asked! Not once! I spent two weeks waiting for the results, AGONIZING on what story to tell. Should I say I diverted? Got it from someone else? It was my father's old medication that I found after he died (that was actually true for one of the drugs I had in my system, but not the main one I'd been diverting, which was dilaudid). I went over and over ideas for a plausible story, and in the end, they didn't ask. They called me, said I had tested positive for dilaudid, asked if I had a prescription for it, I said no, then they said that was a terminating offense, and that was it!

Last time I interviewed for a job, of course I had to tell them I was in TPAPN, but I didn't have to give all the details. I just said I had a problem with addiction to prescription narcotics. When they call my old employer, all they will be told is my start & end dates for employment, and if I was eligible for rehire. No one but my manager, probably her assistant, and HR know which specific drug I tested positive for, and yes those people will probably gossip, but in the overall scheme of things people will just remember that they'd heard I was fired, and it had something to do with drugs. The dilaudid, the diversion, etc were assumed, maybe even will be assumed by everyone who heard the gossip, but nothing is written down as far as specifics or my admission of anything.

As time goes by, people will forget, and you want as few details written down as possible so there's less information for people to remember. I don't know which unit you work on, but I was in the ED. That is an incredibly small community! I interviewed for several jobs where I knew people from my old ED job, and that will always be the case. People in my new job that knew me, or knew of me, back then, might remember there was a scandal, but they probably won't remember any details. Just give them as few details as possible to remember later on!

And I know it can happen, but I have never known of anyone who was arrested. It's generally kept within the nursing board, the monitoring program, and the hospital.