Cautionary Tale

Nurses Recovery

Published

Hi everybody:

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a fellow nurse in my state's monitoring program. Our program is supposed to be three years long but in reality its more like four years. The way it works is that you agree to be in this hellish existence for a period of three years. They evaluate you, take away your ability to make a living at least temporarily, place you in endless rehab you may or may not need.... You all know the story. However, the days don't start ticking down until the board signs off on your contract. Typically, a nurse will toil in this program for 6-8 months before the contract officially gets signed and three years after that you can asked for the gates of hell to creak open and you can escape. Apparently, you "official" release takes more time on top of that.

Anyway, the nurse in question did almost four years on her "three" year contract. She completed all her requirements and her case manager led her to believe that she was done. She went out with some friends and had a couple drinks which is something I think many might contemplate and (you guessed it) she got picked to be tested and popped for a very small amount of booze residue on the ETG test on what would have probably been her last test. Her punishment was to start the program all over again. That's right another 4 years of hell for some wine at dinner. I (of course) think this asinine but what can we say they got us by the short & curly hairs.

The moral is don't celebrate until you have official release papers in hand. Be well fellow citizens of Nazi Monitoring Land

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Specializes in OR.

That sounds about right. AKA....don't trust these people until it's in writing. Cuz anything they Say ain't worth a hill of beans. I think many of us have learned that the hard way. Some harder than others. I'm supposedly in the transitional monitoring stage. Really? I ain't seen those papers yet. Right now not planning to go back to nursing until after this hell is over but what if I change my mind? How long will they dally around before documenting if I really am or not, or am I? Gotta love the mind games.

Just counting the days.......

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I wish I could count the days. That's part of the problem. I thought my time started last October when I signed the contract and started complying with its terms and conditions. I wonder then if I tested positive if I wouldn't have been punished because the contract wasn't effective yet??? I really doubt it. Then I found out that the contract wasn't effective until March. OK three years from March because some lazy, jackass left my life lying on his desk because he was too disinterested to take 30 seconds to sign it for 6 months. Not so fast because now I find out that even then they can take more months to "officially release" me from this hellish deal even though I held up my end of the deal. Amazing!!!

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Specializes in OR.

I guess I'm at least fortunate in that I have a copy that states the monitoring period is from this date to this date, specifically. Downside is that it did not start until the witch in the ****hole of a rehab decided to ‘put in for it' so I was actually in limbo for something like 10 months from the time I started until the inception of it.

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I would have missed the drug test and got a lawyer ASAP. I'm in Texas and the laws are so draconian that I will have a lawyer for the next 3 years. One would be stupid to think they can fight any board of nursing. My lawyer has resolved almost 10 disputes so far. Definitely worth what I'm paying for.

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That is good information to have & I agree. No way I'm taking that last test if I know its positive. I would hope they wouldn't make you start all over because you missed a test

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Specializes in OR.
I would have missed the drug test and got a lawyer ASAP. I'm in Texas and the laws are so draconian that I will have a lawyer for the next 3 years. One would be stupid to think they can fight any board of nursing. My lawyer has resolved almost 10 disputes so far. Definitely worth what I'm paying for.

You aren't the only one that keeps a lawyer on the back burner. No matter how ridiculous and inappropriate that contract may be, I did sign it and I will adhere to it, but my lawyer will make sure that they do the same.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Hi everybody:

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a fellow nurse in my state's monitoring program. Our program is supposed to be three years long but in reality its more like four years. The way it works is that you agree to be in this hellish existence for a period of three years. They evaluate you, take away your ability to make a living at least temporarily, place you in endless rehab you may or may not need.... You all know the story. However, the days don't start ticking down until the board signs off on your contract. Typically, a nurse will toil in this program for 6-8 months before the contract officially gets signed and three years after that you can asked for the gates of hell to creak open and you can escape. Apparently, you "official" release takes more time on top of that.

Anyway, the nurse in question did almost four years on her "three" year contract. She completed all her requirements and her case manager led her to believe that she was done. She went out with some friends and had a couple drinks which is something I think many might contemplate and (you guessed it) she got picked to be tested and popped for a very small amount of booze residue on the ETG test on what would have probably been her last test. Her punishment was to start the program all over again. That's right another 4 years of hell for some wine at dinner. I (of course) think this asinine but what can we say they got us by the short & curly hairs.

The moral is don't celebrate until you have official release papers in hand. Be well fellow citizens of Nazi Monitoring Land

I will not say I have been totally abstinent since I finished the program in 2007. I've had a beer here and there. With the new DSMV criteria I would most likely have been diagnosed with alcohol abuse disorder. True the problem had reached crises proportions in 2002 to the point where I attempted suicide. But after 5 long years in the program when I had my last meeting with my Diversion Enforcement Committee I was told that I would receive a letter in the mail that I was released from my contract and testing was no longer required. My husband wanted to take me out for dinner to celebrate and I went to the bathroom. When I came back there was a big glass of Cabernet Sauvignon of a vintage I had once been particularly fond. It took great will power not to drink it - but alcohol was not going to pass my lips until I had in writing that I was done. The letter came about two weeks later.

Hppy

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smart lady I plan on doing the same

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Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.

I didn't pick up anything until I had that official letter in hand. I was told I was finished by 2 people. I kept on them until I received my letter and had it in writing that I had satisfied the requirements.

No way was I going to give them the satisfaction of being able to get the last laugh.

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I called my case manager and I can apply to be released from hell in 825 days!!! YIPEE

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Homestretch, Baby!

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