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.
What? What states are you guys in requiring you to work in nursing while in contract?

Seeing as how the "mission" of these outfits is to "provide for a safe re-entry into nursing practice", yeah working in nursing is required. Downside is sometimes rather onerous stipulations are placed that make it very difficult to find employment. I had about 30 interviews before landing an offer and it was in a place that I wouldn't let my worst enemy be treated at. They hired a number of people under contract probably because anyone with any other choice wouldn't go near the place. And I had to relocate for that uhh...opportunity.

Personally, having satisfied the 12 month work requirement, I'm sitting out until the end. I'm done with those people trying to make my professional life into a threesome.

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Specializes in OR.
This is just so damn sad. As a consultant in LTC, I interacted regularly with a certain RN supervisor. She seemed very decent and caring, and I respected her.

We sometimes have relatively young IV drug users in LTC for IV antibiotics, due to endocarditis. So the topic of addiction presents itself.

This RN self disclosed to me that she had inpatient treatment for ETOH, which it seems she truly needed, based on her own description of the severity of the situation.

She actually said the program was wonderful.

She told me that she was in a state monitoring program, and that she was very happy and grateful.

She said she was in "long term recovery, 2 years."

I wanted to say "long term" is at least 5 years, but I congratulated her anyway.

But a couple of months later she disappeared from the job, and recently I learned that she was diverting narcotics.

I just shake my head, and truly cannot grasp why.

That honestly is sad. I think it shows two things though. One: there is a place for these kind of programs. When not used as a tool of profiteering and abuse, there is a way for it to be genuinely helpful. Two: in spite of this person being monitored, cross addiction still occurred. Has monitoring degraded into merely checking boxes and providing reports which are themselves not much more than forms with checkboxes?

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Yeah the sad truth of these programs is that they don't do recovery. They do punishment and monitoring. A person in recovery is there because they want / need to be there. After a 28 day stay in some formal treatment they are given the keys back to their life. They have to make their way in the world and work at staying sober because that is how they decided how they want to live their life. In monitoring land we are sent to some level of treatment then our every move is scrutinized. In reality we know that the next pee test is coming god knows when and one drink may cost us all. For a period of years we don't have to make choices but are turned into dependent non-autonomous beings then one day we are sprung loose. What do you think will happen when the gates to hell open. Most already have a party planned & it wont be a sober event. A very expensive sham that wont work

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Hey guys! Wanted to tell everyone I got my eval done today and was diagnosed with "mild opioid dependency." They recommend a program called sttop 40 which consists of drug education classes and group therapy. They said the total cost of the program was $500. I'm so happy I'm sitting in my car crying. Maybe there ARE honest evaluators.

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Hey guys! Wanted to tell everyone I got my eval done today and was diagnosed with "mild opioid dependency." They recommend a program called sttop 40 which consists of drug education classes and group therapy. They said the total cost of the program was $500. I'm so happy I'm sitting in my car crying. Maybe there ARE honest evaluators.

Congratulations~you must have found an honest evaluator.

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YAY!!! I wish I was from South Carolina. You diverted meds from work for personal use and got a few classes that cost $500. I got a DUI in another state that had nothing to do with work and got stuck years in a hellish, senseless program. Don't get me wrong I'm glad for you but it really magnifies how totally screwed I feel right now

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Ohhhh spanked.... I'm still stuck in a 5 year monitoring program. Just no inpatient or intensive outpatient rehab

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Oh I understand!!!! Honestly I wish you only had the $500 fine and the stupid classes. 5 years is longer than violent criminals get

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To me, this proves the insanity of the entire thing, and the spurious nature of the "evaluations". To the point of the ludicrous.

I can't imagine how a nurse could possibly divert drugs from work, and be said to only have a "mild disorder."

From my perspective, stealing drugs from work indicates the drugs are ruling your existence. You are willing to sacrifice anything, including your livelihood, for opiates.

I wish the OP well, but it seems to me something is profoundly wrong with this entire industry.

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