escaping hprp

Nurses Recovery

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I was wrongly placed into hprp (michigan) in 2011. Did not have funds to hire attorney to fight for myself so forced to entered into contract or lose licensure. Tried it for 6 months but being treated as a criminal, exploited for money from unethical hprp addictionist, lied to by hprp reps and basically humiliated at every turn by the program was more than I could stand. Cashed in retirement and hired attorney. State of Michigan sued me twice for quitting program and lost both times. Board of nursing rejected judges decision, suspended my license (I presume as punishment for daring to challenge their authority by fighting for my rights and having the audacity to actually win that battle) and threw me back into hprp (May, 2014) where I was sent to an addictionist and therapist for evaluation; both of whom agreed I should not be in program. Hprp answer to this dilemma was to continue down their approved list of therapists/addictionist till locating one willing to treat me for a diagnosis i do not have in order to satisfy hprp and nursing board. At that suggestion, I bailed and although I have never had a single substance abuse occurence and a spotless 16-year work record, my license remains suspended. But I am in this to win as are my attorneys who are representing me without cost. If you have been wrongly placed in hprp, I suggest you join the fight and restore the life stolen from you. Contrary to what the state board believes, we did not agree to surrender our civil rights when we earned our nursing license. Do not allow the bullies to win.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I am sorry you are going through this....Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

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followed closely by money to be gathered.

I am sorry you are going through this....Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Yup follow the money...they have you by the short hairs and they KNOW IT.

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Specializes in Oncology.

How did you come to be wrongly placed in the program?

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In 2011, after the loss of my father, I left voicemail with our hospitals Employee Assistance Program requesting information on their grief support program. The EAP rep never returned my call but reported me to state board as "unsafe to practice", (??????). When I was contacted by state board I was asked numerous questions. Was asked if I drank alcohol and stupid me, I said occasionally. Was asked when the last time I had alcohol said shortly after my Dads funeral, I was asked if I was sad at the time and answered 'of course'. I have 2 sisters but Dad had made me his medical advocate, Dad suffered from alzheimers and developed a gastric bleed from which he was not recovering. My sisters wanted him placed in a nursing home but I chose hospice. My mom and I cared for him full time at home that month before he died. Following Dads death, my sisters informed me I was no longer part of our family. Following the funeral, I did have 2 glasses of wine and I was sad but it was not as if I had ever had an alcohol problem, in fact I rarely drank, so when I was asked about alcohol it never occurred to me that I should hide any use. That was how I landed in hprp. Today, if any future employer were to look me up on National Data Base they would see, "suspended license, unsafe to practice, substance abuse" making me forever unemployable as an RN. This despite my 16-year nursing career without a single incident; years of perfect attendance, evaluations declaring me a "role model" for others and the honor of being the most frequently requested OR nurse by surgeons and employees in the unit. I was the nurse chosen to train the new RNs. So, yep, this was a bitter pill to swallow (no pun intended, ha). Like I said, I did hprp for 6 months before quitting and know 1st hand it has nothing to do with helping those with substance abuse and even if a partipant follows every rule to the letter, hprp will find cause (such as their providers not filing their assessments on time) to extend the original monitoring agreement. Hprp is so out of control and dishonest, it would surprise me if anyone ever gets out by their original monitoring end date. Power and money, that's their motivation.

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Its probably awful to say, but it is comforting to know there are others out there treated just as wrongly. Trying to reconcile that I will never again be a practicing RN, a career I absolutely loved, but it breaks my heart. Have found other RNs and CRNAs are clueless as to what is going on in our profession with hprp. I have shared my story, written our Governor for help, and won my case in a court of law but reading some of the other accounts of hprp experiences my story does not seem all that unique. I think the general public would be shocked to know how health professionals are being treated.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.

Dear brayrn-

I hope you prevail against the abuses of hprp. Unfortunately, there are abusive uses of power in many states. For myself, I had a legitimate addiction issue that I have successfully addressed.

My recovery was very much in spite of not because of the humiliation piled on me by the BON in my state.

Perhaps if you are successful, this will in time set a precedent to curb the abuses that are so rampant in the licensure system.

Please keep us updated as to how it turns out.

:hug:

Catmom :paw:

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

Bray - that's just crazy! I am sorry u are having to go thru that. I know of one coworker that went thru a sort of a similar situation in our state (Louisiana) but unfortunately didnt have good results. Good luck to u.

It's just a shame. U go thru such a personal loss and try to reach out using proper channels for assistance. They not only don't provide u with help during a really crappy time - but u get the screwing (please excuse the language!!) in the process.

Slapping the labels on u like they did? Just nuts!!

Anne, RNC

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Hello I'm in the process of dealing with hprp and I do have an attorney but it just seems that the program is about breaking u emotionally and financially I hope my attorney helps pls give advice or insight thanks

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

Reporting nurses to the BON seems to be the norm for EAPs in Michigan. The same thing was done to me. I will never trust EAP at any employer again! They are paid by the facility you work for & they don't really care about employees.

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Sadly true about EAP. 1 request for info on their grief support program 3 years ago has led to my suspended license and unemployment. HPRP is a bureaucratic nightmare from which escape seems impossible. And for what? Never trust anything related to EAP or human resources.

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