Bad messed up

zoeintx · Sep 17, 2017

The board will find out and most likely offer a peer assistance program. Go with that, do exactly what they say and stay clean. In Texas, if you successfully complete the program, you will not be reported to the board.

Rose3511 · Sep 17, 2017

You want to do a couple of things contact the Chapman law group in Florida and do a consultation, they do not usually charge for the first visit and they will be honest about what they can do for you. There are many folks on this site that can help you navigate the IPN program if you end up there.

However, you are a single Mom and there is some medical reason that you need to identify that is causing the need for Xanax . Don't get me wrong a single Mom with two daughters can be grounds for Xanax, especially the closer to the teenage years they are. But you were a hospice nurse for 10 years so clearly you are not rattled easily. However, there is much evidence to show that anxiety can be caused by hormone imbalances, vitamin D levels lower than they need to be or low iron. Thyroid issues which trigger all of these are being seen more often in people describing what you experienced. However, the traditional route of IPN and getting an assessment will do nothing to identify or treat these items. Many general practice physicians do not look for it or really know what to do if they find it. Look around for an integrative practice that specializes in women's health. They will run the correct lab tests and provide the proper treatment. Often they are concierge doctors, but it is worth the $150 they charge. A good integrative management practice will also have a nurtiestist on staff. Often they can treat with dietary changes. What you pay for the round of testing will be far cheaper than the hair test, urine test and Peth test that IPN runs you through. You may also want to look into the AMEN clinic if there is no good integrative medicine physician in your area. They are on the leading edge of the field. You may have to travel, but it is worth it. They will tie you into local providers after they finish their diagnosis. Chapman Law group can help you get the Department of Health to allow you to follow this course of treatment versus the IPN. In the end you will be healthier for your family and your patients.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2017

[COLOR=#000000]" the traditional route of IPN and getting an assessment will do nothing to identify or treat these items"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000]This is the precise mistake i made. I was under the impression that IPN was there to help me. The sad truth, i firmly believe is that the traditional route is to do nothing more than steer a person into the mill of expensive evaluation/treatment/contract/endless P-test/probably ridiculous and possibly career ending stipulations. The push, like with many of the "approved" evaluators and "treatment" set ups (besides the fact that few are insurance paid, read cash only) is heavily 12-step focused. Now if your issue is truly addiction/ alcoholism then 12-step may be of help. Consider that 12-step if a helpful thing can be found in many church basements for free. An overpriced "treatment center" is not required for access. That right there should tell you something about many of the "peer program approved treatment centers."

If it is anything in the mental health arena running the gamut from depression to schizophrenia and every where up down and in between, IPN has no clue how to deal with you. You will be labeled an addict and you will treated as such. Nothing will be done to address the reason why you did what you did to begin with. After you are able to make it through the initial round of the IPN gauntlet with a little of your sanity intact, and you are able to find a therapist that you connect with (there will be no help from IPN in this matter) is when you will be able to work on how you got here to begin with.

As others have said. Lawyer up! Whether you choose the firm others have mentioned above or there is another firm here in Florida that is well versed in these matters, do it before you have any contact with either the board or IPN. They will not protect you entirely from the clutches of either but they may be able to minimize the impact or at least be able to help you steer the impact in such a way that it is actually beneficial to you.

These programs were originally meant to be beneficial to the nurse in need instead of the punitive money-generating monster they have become. There are always and should be consequences to our actions but many times where these programs are concerned, the punishment far outweighs the crime.[/COLOR]

K9lover, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2017

Thank you all so much for your kind words and encouragement. I have never been in trouble. I was a hospice nurse for 10 years. I started out taking Xanax to help with the emotional hardship. I then decided to go back into Med/Surg and take a break. The horrendous anxiety and panic attacks continued. I had a massive panick attack at work and that's why I took the medicine from the Med cart. I have an active prescription for the medication bit was still charged with Possession without a prescription. I don't have the funds for an attorney. I guess I will see about a Public Defender. Also any ideas anyone on what type of job I can do while waiting? Can I continue to work as an RN or would that not be advisable? Thank you all again so very much. Any information is appreciated.

As to what sort of job you can do while waiting did you work in another non-healthcare field prior to nursing? If so perhaps you could return to it. Getting ahead here, hoping all goes well and you land on your feet; I do not think med/surg is 'off limits' with a restricted license but I would never suggest you go back to such a stressful environment. While I got clean/sober as a young waitress I certainly can see how some areas, such as nocs, are slippery slopes. After telling an interviewing manager I was physically/emotionally incapable of working nights she just kept repeating "so you REFUSE to work nights?" Ironically that was for a drug/alcohol rehab. Finally told her I do refuse nights, I had worked nights for 5 years and quit before I had a meltdown and before I turned to anything to help me cope. Same with stress, maxed out on floor nursing stress. Have never regretted that, I worked too hard to give up my sobriety/serenity. Anyway I recall an RN on diversion and she failed a drug test with a legit Rx for Ativan; feedback I had gleaned from nurses coming into 12-step on diversion is that they cannot use any mood-altering drugs except caffeine. I waited tables prior to college and made good money, it help immensely in giving me 'people skills', perhaps you could look into that, you already have gleaned the 'people' skills from nursing. It has stressors but it may serve you well in learning to cope without anything & waitresses do not eat their young. There is also healthcare informatics but likely it requires an RN license. Get thyself into diversion and don't look at differences between yourself and nurses who took Morphine. Anyone who read this and never had issues with anything will think it's just as addict-like to take 5 Xanax as it would be to take 5 mgs of Morphine, you will have mandated 12-step, look at similarities, don't compare yourself to others, take what you need and leave behind the rest, get a sponsor and you will get more out of the program. Best of luck and one day at a time!

illinoisbound, BSN · Feb 20, 2018

The day I was arrested for my DUI was also the Best and Worst day of my life, too. Thank you for your perspective. I haven't read all the comments here yet but I did want to urge the OP to consider that he/she had a drug problem. It's amazing what kind of things we do when we're sick in our addictions. I'm grateful to have found recovery.

K9lover, ASN, RN · Feb 24, 2018

I am an RN in Florida. I was caught taking five 0.5 mg Xanax from work (on camera). I have a prescription for them but took them from the Pyxis system. I was terminated, arrested and charged with 2 felonies (grand Larceny and Possession of a controlled substance without a prescription). I just bailed out and got home. I am exhausted, devastated and lost. I don't know what came over me to do such a stupid thing. I have never been in trouble before. The Administration at the hospital told me to self report to the BON. I do not have money to hire a lawyer and will have to use a public defender. I am wondering about others that have been through this or similar. Im hoping to plea the charges to misdemeanors. I HAVE to work and make a living. I am single with 2 daughters. Any information or ideas would be so helpful. Thank you all so much. Please don't judge. It was my drug of choice to self soothe

Grand larceny? How much is a single 0.5 mg Xanax worth? Grand larceny is greater than $950, I should think it would behoove the facility in which you worked how they can attach a $950 charge to a single Xanax (after 2 years in corrections I am acquainted with a number of penal codes.)

They would have you dead to rights on possession charge but I don't see how this is grand larceny.

That being said do not listen to those who just say give up your license, you would never get it back. I am unsure of what you were thinking when you already had a prescription, had you ran out and worried about withdrawal?

I wish you the best on getting reduced to misdemeanors especially if this is a 1st offense. We all make mistakes in life. When I read anything about nurses in recovery it gives me a new wave of gratitude I was a waitress when I got sober.

Stick around the Allnurses recovery pages, it is quite informative in wending your way through situations such as yours.

markko · Feb 27, 2018

Be proactive. Get an AODA assessment on your own. Go to a couple of AA meetings and get signed notes confirming attendance. Bring all that to the DA and be honest and open. If the AODA shows a problem with drugs or alcohol, prove to the DA that you're going seek help voluntarily. That may get the felonies dismissed or reduced to misdemeanors. If the DA won't drop the charges, ask if you participate in a Deferred Prosecution program. That will eventually get the charges dropped. Go ahead with the self reporting to the Impaired Professionals program BEFORE the hospital reports you. If YOU report it, the Nursing Board tends to give you a significantly lesser sentence.

Lisacar130 · Mar 25, 2018

Hi Molleerose... I am also from Illinois. In IL, you have to self report before you are reported, even if only by a day, to have the chance to avoid probation. So you will almost for sure face probation, which is similar to the program for people who self reported except that you will have a mark on your license. A lawyer might be able to help you not have too many restrictions but won't be able to help prevent you getting a mark on your license or avoid the probation status... the only exceptions i have seen to the self report rule is someone who reported themselves after being reported but she was hospitalized after getting caught at work so she had that excuse as to why she didn't self report immediately. She self reported maybe a week or two after she was caught at work but it was immediately after being discharged from the hospital.

Have you contacted the Illinois Professionals Health Program yet? You'll have to sign up with them eventually so you might as well contact them now. It will look good if you do prior to your hearing and they usually come with you to the hearing and make you look good. Ask for Janet... she is the case manager and is extremely sweet.

When is your hearing? What I would recommend is to get a job now that you think will be OK with you being on probation. It is much much harder to find a brand new job with a license on probation than it is to simply stay at the job you already have with a license on probation. Janet has told me some hospitals will fire you upon finding out and others will keep you. I know dialysis would for sure keep you on, as I know people who have been allowed to stay at their HD job while on probation. Probably smaller facilities like nursing homes or assisted living (as opposed to hospitals) would be more likely to keep you on. Basically anywhere without an HR department would be more likely to keep you on. But you never know... if a condition of your probation is to not work with any controlled substances then even a NH wouldn't work... so that's why i would try for a dialysis job because they do not work with any controlled substances and are frankly used to working with our population. If your lawyer thinks you may end up with restrictions (like no passing controlled substances) then I would get a job now while your license is clean that is compatible with that. Sometimes no home health is a restriction, no nights, no overtime as well.

Humblednurse · Mar 25, 2018

My situation is kind of tricky. After being caught I then went into rehab followed by Aftercare and I PHP. During this time I found another job and slipped up again. I believe they noticed some suspicious activity from me so I quit now I'm in fear while being investigated by the first facility that I will be reported again. I don't know what to do... I haven't spoke with my lawyer yet but I plan on doing so soon I'm at the point where I'm thinking about surrendering my license. I'm really not a bad person just made some really bad choices.

Lisacar130 · Mar 25, 2018

Wait... how long has it been since you left the first facility? Do you know for sure if they reported you yet?

My current sponsor back in the day was reported by multiple different places and was job hopping and using like crazy. She did get suspended for a year (many years ago) but is now a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She has a mark on her license but moved on to get a masters degree and now is doing well.