Evaluation scaries

Nurses Recovery

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Hey everyone!

I am new to the site and I am in need of some help/advice. Last month I was accused of diverting drugs from a hospital in SC while on a travel assignment. I am guilty. I feel horrible for what I have done. I took some narcotics a few times and took them with a friend. I was never physically dependent. I am being charged criminally by the hospital, but have not yet received my charges. I was told to contact the RPP program in SC and report to the sc BON. I have done both and signed my contract last week and they referred me to an evaluator to "receive a diagnosis or not." From what I have read.. it is in my best interest NOT to see an evaluator that they recommend. Do I have a choice? Does anyone know of a fair evaluator in SC? What can I expect at this evaluation? Can I expect a hair/drug test? I am so scared and overwhelmed. Any advice or recommendations would be SO SO GREATLY appreciated!

Specializes in OR.

I don't know for sure. I would just be sure that if that's the road you chose, you voluntary relinquished instead of allowed them to take it. The only vague thing I remember (from a post here way back when, couldn't tell you which thread) someone had a lead into a sales job and lost it when the company found out her license was suspended. It had to do with an inability to keep up with the requirements of a program (surprise!)

I personally don't think one has anything to do with the other. If your not functioning as a nurse (or in anything else with direct patient access), who cares if your using that license to paper your bathroom wall. As a side, criminal theft charges can put a chink in a sales job. I reckon it depends on what it winds up being in the end.

It's certainly worth a try, but it's also a wall you might run into.

I was thinking as to why the S.C. program won't let you go back to your home state and do your evaluation, rehab, there. Oh wait....they can't control the money that way. If these programs were really about recovery and advocacy, means would be found for you to go home and how shall we say "get your **** together."

You're not the first to consider chucking the whole mess. Just think long and hard about it. If you jump now and decide later to go back into nursing, you will be starting all over and still have to do the manure pile.

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.

Dear OP,

You are in a serious mess. I can't make it better and I certainly don't want to make it worse but I would like to ask a question.

I am mortally terrified of the consequences imposed by our "recovery/rehab" system. So much social stigma, invasion of privacy, expense, long term monitoring etc. The fear of losing my license, my livelihood, house, car etc. keeps me toeing the line.

My question(s): Are people just not aware of the sickening ramifications of trying to take that one pill? Perhaps the impulsiveness of youth is just to powerful to overcome? In other words, Why risk it?

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That is an excellent question Mavrick. I for one had no idea that getting a DUI would have such ramifications. Perhaps they should advertise the carnage they will inflict on your life if you get a DUI or test positive.

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Specializes in OR.
Dear OP,

You are in a serious mess. I can't make it better and I certainly don't want to make it worse but I would like to ask a question.

I am mortally terrified of the consequences imposed by our "recovery/rehab" system. So much social stigma, invasion of privacy, expense, long term monitoring etc. The fear of losing my license, my livelihood, house, car etc. keeps me toeing the line.

My question(s): Are people just not aware of the sickening ramifications of trying to take that one pill? Perhaps the impulsiveness of youth is just to powerful to overcome? In other words, Why risk it?

The impulsiveness of youth is indeed very powerful and no amount of helicopter parenting is going compensate for that. Shoot, helicopter parenting I think just makes things worse.

More than lack of awareness, it makes me sad that our recovery/rehab system incites mortal terror as the first emotion. Regardless of why someone tried that first pill/drink or whatever or what dumb move they made to get it....recovery and rehabilitation are not and should not be synonymous with punishment.

These programs claim to monitor. What they do is punish. They take it upon themselves to punish for things that are not even sins, for sins that the person has already paid a price and for sins that have nothing to do with nursing.

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Yep you are preaching to the choir with me Cats. They want their money and feelings of being important but most of all they want their bloody pound of flesh

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My question(s): Are people just not aware of the sickening ramifications of trying to take that one pill? Perhaps the impulsiveness of youth is just to powerful to overcome? In other words, Why risk it?

Impulsiveness, yes, partially, but I think maybe another aspect is the ever present "it won't happen to me", whether that thought refers to "I won't get caught" or "I won't get addicted", both probably. Look at smokers, most of them think "I won't get cancer/COPD", I mean, if you KNEW 100%, that the next cigarette would give you cancer, most people wouldn't smoke it, but they (we! I'm 169 days smoke free!!) truly don't think it'll happen to them. People who text and drive truly don't think they'll crash, people who speed don't think they'll crash or get caught and ticketed, people who drink and drive.....you get the picture. Yes the ramifications are serious, if you get caught/addicted/sick/killed, but we don't really think that will actually happen to US!

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Specializes in OR.

I agree with you completely on the "it won't happen to me " syndrome. No question about that. But where these programs are concerned, they are so two-faced. Advocacy is claimed. Punishment is handed out. It does actually "happen to us" and our own throw us on the fire.

We have the best in research and evidence based practice at hand and we eschew it in favor of old school unprovable, maybe it works, for most it doesn't 12 step stuff. We exhibit the worst ethics in the rehab industry and apply to our own. "It" happens to us and we reach out for help and get kicked upside the head.

Excuse me now, gotta take my bitter self and run to my low paid, non nursing job.......

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I have been a nurse for nearly 30 years, and had zero idea of what can happen.

That being said, I have known a couple of people who were actually helped by the program. They had a real problem.

The casual dabbler who gets caught, or gets a DUI after 3 drinks, I truly feel sorry for.

But the system has no way to differentiate. Apparently.

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Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.

I think the general behavior of the BRNs and the extortion industries that pop up around them is shameful.

If we presume that most of the people caught up in this web suffer from substance abuse disorder then we should be taking actions to help them recover; I'd imagine that the stress and shame of the system make relapse *more* likely, not less likely.

Our culture is so freaking punitive; it disgusts me.

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You could perhaps try medical billing an coding, or transcription, or something like that. Good luck!

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I red about a nurse who got a DUI on vacation (not scheduled to work for days, not even in home state!) who got thrown into a BON program. Seems like it hits no matter where you are.

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RecoveringRN- thank you so much for those words of advice. I appreciate it more than you know. I will take your advice and start the program so I at least have that door open.

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