I self reported a positive drug screen 5 months ago. I don't do drugs, it wasn't an intentional thing. Let's just leave it at that.
BON is finally looking at my case. I got a phone call from IPN that the investigator on my case from the BON contacted IPN for an "emergency referral". IPN lady said I had 24 hours to agree to get an evaluation and voluntarily withdraw my license. The ironic thing is I already got an evaluation per my lawyer, who is approved, but since it was not "IPN facilitated" I cannot use it with IPN. ?I knew this would probably happen but my lawyer was hoping to present it to the BON and not deal with IPN.
My evaluation I got on my own did NOT suggest monitoring which is amazing! So I plan on sending that to the new, IPN owned, evaluator. I'm sure he is in their pocket and financially driven to say that I'll need monitoring. I'm mentally prepared for that part.
My concern is I've received nothing from the DOH/BON. My lawyer says I have two choices. Play the IPN game, or try to deal with the BON, but risk a suspension on my license while they "investigate", and a public complaint on my license.
I can see why IPN backs you into a corner and makes it seem that the only way is through them, by their arbitrary rules.
I'm waiting to hear back from IPN. I knew I'd get sucked into this, but a positive evaluation made me think for one moment I'd prevail.
@Ipnsux could you explain how your approached the IPN evaluator? I was thinking about doing the same thing. I’m in MI and here the Dr. will say they’re HPRP (MI monitoring program) approved
I went through this nightmare 4 years ago. My dream....when I'm a retired nurse... to try and lobby and fix this broken system somehow. How can a job that is so respected be reduced to these crazy people ruining your life. No other job is subjected to this. It's wrong and needs to be changed. Yes I know we deal with people's lives but what IPN and the BON make nurses go through is NOT a normal process. I'm thankful I hired a lawyer and fought them. $40,000 later and I still received a"mark " against my license. I was broke for many years but I was not going down for something I didn't do. In the end...they did win. I paid a ton of money and still have a mark against me. Thankfully it has not hindered my career. We HAVE to as nurses do something.
I’ts been nearly 2 years since I’ve been out of the clutches of those horrible people. Because I was fortunate enough to be able to move (had to multiple times during that joke of a contract because I had to go where I could find work), about 6 months from before the end, I landed in a place that I reckon thought the same of IPNs antics as I do. 2+ years later, I’m still there and quite happy. A shame I had to move across the the state, 5 hours from any family to get here.
I’m not on here as much anymore because it’s possible to actually have a life that is not controlled by stupid, meaningless rules that are irrelevant to actually helping anyone. It’s possible to enjoy life when you don’t have to worry about *** like not drinking to much water so you don’t flunk a piss test when drugs were never your issue to start with. It’s possible to have hobbies and a social life when you aren’t being forced into useless 12 step meetings that do nothing but unnecessarily ramp up anxiety. It’s possible to AFFORD life when you are not paying through the nose for pointless tests and you are not seen as an ATM machine for a bunch of bullying thugs like IPN and their ilk.
While there are people that benefit from things such as monitoring, 12 step meetings etc and even people who should not be practicing, that bunch of crooks and their cronies in the rehab programs do way more harm than good. Regardless of what they babble about, this is a huge money making enterprise that is rife with conflicts of interest and huge doses of massively unethical behavior. The fact that the individuals who run this program and others like it can actually sleep at night, knowing how much ruin they rain down on people for the crimes of being human and being nurses, saddens me.
All that being said, I made it through their gauntlet, though not unscathed. I will always be angry, sad and disgusted about the years of my career and my life that were stolen all in the name of the god of money. I’ve moved on and am in a good place now but it has been in spite of those idiots, certainly not because of them.
So true. Someday!! I really want to see what can be done about all this. I will have to wait until I'm no longer a nurse. I have no doubt they would come after me. I'm a few years from retirement. I'm seriously going to research and push back. At that point why not maybe just maybe . I can make a small difference in this very flawed system.
UGHHHH!! I have been fighting the BOH for almost a year now here in FL. I have a valid, credentialed IME that states I do NOT need IPN and am safe to practice. Because one of 'their' own tried to say I do they have restricted my license. He is in bed with the IPN...its all a money machine. Very sad!! I have a great attorney and am still battling but in the end I completely refuse IPN..its a scam for sure. Good luck to you!
I WON!!! License is fully restored and there is no discipline or public complaint on file. NO IPN! It was a long 17 months but well worth it. Good luck to anyone else fighting it!
That’s amazing LMA! Did they take your IME? Or did you go to their person and also get cleared? Congratulations! It’s so hard to get out of their clutches once you are on their radar. Best of luck with your career moving forward! Now to sue them all in bed with IPN! Absolutely sickening how they profit off nurses who may actually need help.
So happy for you !! I had to switch jobs in order to stay home for a year and care for my father who recently passed away away. I found out that the "mark" against my license did matter. I wanted to be a travel nurse and make some good money for a bit, but they would have nothing to do with me . Even though I have many skills. Again this whole part of my life came back to bite me. I went back to the hospital that is amazing before I left and helped me to deal with this whole IPN BS. They knew the story and took me back without any issue. I was lucky. So my advise is flight to NOT have that mark or you will be limited. Few more years to retire. I will be looking into everything legal and who would be the area of goverment to change this corrupt ,money driven system.of course that in itself may not be possible..stay strong and safe fellow nurses!!.
I hired a wonderful attorney! I had to pay for another IME, and it completely refuted the IME performed by the states recommendation. Like 180 degrees different. The first one..(PLEASE DO NOT POST ANYTHING THAT CAN IDENTIFY ANYONE IN ANY PROGRAM/ENTITY PER TERMS OF SERVICE) is in bed with IPN!! I agree..fight it!! He contradicted himself in so much of my 5 page report. I plan to fight him now because had he did his "JOB" it would have been settled a year earlier.
So if anyone knows a good attorney for that type of malpractice let me know. Its not right at all what he is doing! But the more he sends to IPA the more $$ they all make. If your case is irrefutable as mine was then don't give up!! Or if there is a one off etc...don't submit to IPN as they try to back you in a corner..don't do it!!
sofloRN
11 Posts
@ipnsux hi do you still have the list of IPN evaluators? lawyer fdetails? [email protected]