escaping hprp

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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.

Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

At the time I decided to get help from EAP at that employer, I had been a nurse for over 29 years. I had never needed EAP before & had never had any kind of licensure problems. This experience was my introduction to the wonderful world of EAP! What a warm welcome!

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My 1st experience too. Employee Assistance, what a misnomer. The woman never even spoke to me, too eager to report me to state, I guess. Hope others see this and pass the word.

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I completed Michigan HPRP a couple years ago. Barely drank, but after a daughter's wedding (had drank there) was in an MVA. ER nurse recommended call them. I was I honest about drug experimentation in the 60s. I'd been a nurse since the 70s and had no knowledge of HPRP. ***At that time I'd worked at a drug and alcohol rehab facility for MANY years.

I began a 3 year contract. Shortly after my Father was diagnosed with lymphoma and died six hours later. I had left my nursing job. Luckily I had time and money to focus on HPRP increasing my father. It's a very expensive program....financially & emotionally. I had to attend AA myths. After several months in our weekly HPRP group, I complained that they turned me into a liar. I'd not lied until at those meetings I had to say I was an alcoholic. After a split open talk...I spoke to the Al-Anon speaker became VERY active in the local Al-Anon group. HPRP therapist encouraged me to file a change of monitoring agreement that I'd attend Al-Anon mtg instead of AA...backed my my HPRP psychiatrist. Team approved the changed. I treasure my completion letter. Good Luck to everyone under their thumb. I'm soooo grateful for Al-Anon program, my sponsor & friends and my HPRP therapist & weekly group members...I can't imagine surviving losing my person. My Mom died decades ago & I suck at marriages....so my Dad was my person. Best Wishes.

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For what it's worth....I never say anyone helped at all by an attorney. It just cost ALOT!!

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Dharmlynn are you saying that getting an attorney does not help or it does help? Did you work at all as a nurse while in the monitoring agreement? Do you work as a nurse now? Did you have an attorney while going through the hprp process before you got a monitoring agreement?

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

Mcm79,

I don't know about other people's experience having an attorney when working with HPRP. I can say that, for me, having an attorney definitely helped. HPRP wanted me to sign a 5 year contract even though I was no longer living or working in Michigan & had no intention of going back or even renewing my license. My attorney fought that length of contract & I ended up with a 1 year contract instead of 5. I would never recommend anyone facing the BON or the monitoring agency without an attorney to stand up for them.

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Hi Mcm79. My monitoring was in Michigan.

There was only 1 person who retained an attorney while I was being monitored. She paid a fortune, no changes were made in her agreement & then she dropped out of HPRP. I never had an attorney. While I was in the Monitoring years I didn't work at all. I inherited money, couple of homes & a couple. Of vehicles. I was in a grief fog for a long time from my Dad's death so I chose not to work. Instead I spent time my 3 daughters & their boys & children and got VERY active in Al-Anon. I pressed through the years of HPRP trying not to think about it to keep my attitude towards it in check. As I was just reaching completion I had 2 aneurysms rupture & was on a vent for several weeks..Recovery took several months & they wanted to close my case for noncompliance. After all I'd been through, that was not going to be the end of my story. My HPRP therapist fought for me & my physicians sent in documentation ( ALOT of it.). In the 3 years of monitoring, I had 5ot6 HPRP case managers. Fortunately a former one who was supportive of me backed me up & they decided to declare me as completed having met all my requirements.

****I need to add this missed point. Part of why I didn't want to find a job those years was that I would have needed a work site monitor & I didn't want that or to work day shift.

I never went before the Board of Nursing or ever had my place of employment file a complaint against me. I had a criminal case for a DUI & plead guilty. I had a restricted drivers license & 1 year of non-profit supervised probation, court fines & costs. I'd worked local EMS & the judge knew me. The legal part was kind & quite gentle- I felt respected through it. HPRP was demeaning to all of my group. I never planned on working as a nurse again...but didn't want them to take away my RN license.

After I completed, I renewed my license 1 time. I've not & choose never to work as a nurse or work at all. I'm 60 yo, on disability & live with my firstborn & her family. My SIL saved my life the day I almost died. I have a floor of their home & I make it so they need NO daycare for my 12 & 8 yo grandchildren. All's will that ends well.

I feel bad for anyone who has to deal with HPRP. I hope they indeed have changed a lot....my experience was that they are all about money, could care less about "helping" anyone, & are so humiliating and punitive. Mcm79, best wishes your way.

Copycat, I'd never heard of anyone getting a 1 year or a 5 year agreement....so glad the attorney got it reduced for you. At that time in Michigan or in our group 3 years was basically standard. Best to you

I hope for everybodys sake that it has improved...it's difficult to have to go through.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.

The legal part was kind & quite gentle- I felt respected through it. HPRP was demeaning to all of my group. I never planned on working as a nurse again...but didn't want them to take away my RN license.

In my state of Nebraska, the impaired professionals' program is extremely punitive and humiliating. There is a permanent black mark on the license of anyone subjected to it.

I did not have criminal charges so have no personal experience with that side of it. However, I have heard at least one nurse make the same statements that DharmaLynn did, i.e. that the criminal system was very respectful and truly supported and applauded someone staying clean. This was contrasted with the BON abuse.

I have said it before and will say it again: I am in recovery in spite of, not because of, the humiliation heaped on me by the members of the BON.

With the economy the way it is, I am pretty sure I have been discarded as a nurse since I have been unable to overcome the stigma in order to find a nursing job.

Bitter doesn't even BEGIN to express how I feel about this.

Catmom :paw:

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All I can say is WOW! The stories are horrific I'm soo scared nursing is all I no and I have kids to take care of...I'm appealing my case as they recommended a 2yr monitoring agreement, I pray that I find a job even though I really don't want to wrk days or have a worksite monitor but it seems I don't have a choice r any other options, I have a very expensive attorney but so far it hasn't made a difference! Help! I wish I can talk to someone who has a success story ugh

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

When I was in HPRP, I was not restricted to working days. I've worked nights since 1975 & there is no way I would make it on a daytime schedule. I made sure my attorney made them drop that requirement.

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Mcm79,I don't know about other people's experience having an attorney when working with HPRP. I can say that, for me, having an attorney definitely helped. HPRP wanted me to sign a 5 year contract even though I was no longer living or working in Michigan & had no intention of going back or even renewing my license. My attorney fought that length of contract & I ended up with a 1 year contract instead of 5. I would never recommend anyone facing the BON or the monitoring agency without an attorney to stand up for them.
in my case my attorney (who claimed to specialize in BON cases) was utterly useless!
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ALOT of people ended up working in Dialysis. Our group was kind of close, some kept in touch after completing the weekly group meetings with our therapists. I never heard anything about permanent black marks on their records...some got good jobs once completing. I was really glad I was approved to attend Al-Anon meetings rather than AA. Some kept their original jobs

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