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.
Some states have passed rules that eliminate disciplinary action after a certain number of years; But in Florida that record remains, "protecting the public" even after we're dead. Our ancestors can look it up. But Joe Felony got his record expunged 10 years ago
I love that phrase. It made me chuckle in a very very sad way. It is truly pathetic that 'Joe Felony' who's done prison time can hide his/her mistakes in a legal manner but we wear a scarlet letter forever, even if we never committed a crime. For those that babble about 'nurses should be held to a higher standard, blah, blah, blah' they can KMA. We are human and have human issues.
I don't know if it was due to the pandemic or what but right at the end of my hellish tenure, after nearly 2 years of intentional unemployment in nursing because I was genuinely beat down from being unable to get a job or being stuck in crappy, unsafe settings or in positions that I was wholly unqualified for (but heyyy, it met IPNs exacting standards. Forcing Me into a position I am not remotely capable of performing? Yeah, how's that for 'protecting the public?’), I got a job at a facility that really did not have a terribly good opinion of IPN. They were genuinely willing to give a person a chance. Covid hit and I stayed there through 2022. Mid year, I actually secured a travel contract and went to the facility that originally spawned me as a nurse (never should have left). I'm guessing that I was either riding the tailwinds of Covid and nobody really looked too hard or they did and didn't really care. The travel company rep and I had a discussion about it where I said my piece and nothing further was mentioned. Credentialing for the facility wanted a copy of the 'parole' letter from IPN and that was it. Perhaps, it's because this garbage is now far enough in my past that no one cares. I am resentful that the public discipline is still there, because it serves zero purpose other than to embarrass me at this point.
I went transitioned from traveler to permanent and haven't looked back since. It will snow in heck before I leave here again.
I started in IPN October 2023 of last year. I have some other comments on this thread. Since then I have been doing OK. I'm currently dealing with a situation where an employer lied on my quarterly report and now I have to see an evaluator. I only have a 2 year contract and I'm hoping for a miracle. My biggest fear is having my contract increased to 5 years. I haven't had anything in my system for a year +. I had to file a complaint with HR and I'm hoping for some sort of revisionary statement to provide to the evaluator. I decided that I will record my evaluation because the first one that I went to, the evaluator lied. I even tried to review my eval with him and no one ever reached out to me. The worst part is that I believe my employer did this because she doesn't like me and I don't know why. She mentioned days that I called out and everything was really forced. I also showed text message proof to HR that she blatantly lied about 3 things in my review. I don't know what will happen but I figured if my employer writes a revision then that is something the evaluator will listen to. Please pray for me. I have been having panic attacks and just overall depression.
I started in IPN October 2023 of last year. I have some other comments on this thread. Since then I have been doing OK. I'm currently dealing with a situation where an employer lied on my quarterly report and now I have to see an evaluator. I only have a 2 year contract and I'm hoping for a miracle. My biggest fear is having my contract increased to 5 years. I haven't had anything in my system for a year +. I had to file a complaint with HR and I'm hoping for some sort of revisionary statement to provide to the evaluator. I decided that I will record my evaluation because the first one that I went to, the evaluator lied. I even tried to review my eval with him and no one ever reached out to me. The worst part is that I believe my employer did this because she doesn't like me and I don't know why. She mentioned days that I called out and everything was really forced. I also showed text message proof to HR that she blatantly lied about 3 things in my review. I don't know what will happen but I figured if my employer writes a revision then that is something the evaluator will listen to. Please pray for me. I have been having panic attacks and just overall depression.
You completed to HR about the person who does your quarterly reports? Why do you have a monitoring agreement and what did the person at work say about you? Is it legal to record someone without their permission?
People can be petty and evil. If you're going to work during your monitoring agreement I wouldn't do anything that may upset your employer.
What's done is done, however going forward I would remember that HR exists to protect the facility. They don't care whether you are right or wrong. I had pretty much the same issue in the first crappy job that I got at the beginning. The turnover in this place was abysmal. I think they managed to have a >100% turnover rate. The individual that wrote my review had no business doing that task. She was the embodiment of butt-kisser and I'm pretty sure had dirt on someone that made it so she could get away with anything. Anyhow, this performance review (it was the kind that had a lot of room for narrative stuff) was full of personal attacks and had very little focus on my actual job performance. There were even lies about how often I'd called in. When I set a meeting with the CNO (very tiny facility) and her and HR, it turned into a piling on complete with this horrible person crying (I swear it was fake crying.) There was even a formal write-up (ostensibly for my non-existent attendance issue) ready for my signature. I refused to sign it, was threatened with termination. I laughed and walked out. That was really quite liberating.
On my way home, I called the case manager who assured me that I had nothing to worry about, blah blah blah, then bam! She forced me to another 'evaluation.’ Another $1500 down the drain for nothing. No changes (she did make a off-the-cuff statement about how I could have had to restart the contract) no nothing other than me being further in debt and have more gray hair.
Moral of the story? While in this mess, trust no one, put your head down and just get through it. These programs have zero concern for you, your recovery or, by extension, the truth. They are about nothing but profit. We have zero credibility and the lies some of them get away with are straight up appalling. We are nothing but a source of $$. When you cease to be an income stream, you could fall back into whatever got you there and they DON'T care! Is it right? No. Is it fair? Not even close. Whatever you succeed in doing in regards to you recovery, be it SUD, mental health or what have you will be in spite of these programs, not because of it.
What's done is done, however going forward I would remember that HR exists to protect the facility. They don't care whether you are right or wrong. I had pretty much the same issue in the first crappy job that I got at the beginning. The turnover in this place was abysmal. I think they managed to have a >100% turnover rate. The individual that wrote my review had no business doing that task. She was the embodiment of butt-kisser and I'm pretty sure had dirt on someone that made it so she could get away with anything. Anyhow, this performance review (it was the kind that had a lot of room for narrative stuff) was full of personal attacks and had very little focus on my actual job performance. There were even lies about how often I'd called in. When I set a meeting with the CNO (very tiny facility) and her and HR, it turned into a piling on complete with this horrible person crying (I swear it was fake crying.) There was even a formal write-up (ostensibly for my non-existent attendance issue) ready for my signature. I refused to sign it, was threatened with termination. I laughed and walked out. That was really quite liberating.
On my way home, I called the case manager who assured me that I had nothing to worry about, blah blah blah, then bam! She forced me to another 'evaluation.’ Another $1500 down the drain for nothing. No changes (she did make a off-the-cuff statement about how I could have had to restart the contract) no nothing other than me being further in debt and have more gray hair.
Moral of the story? While in this mess, trust no one, put your head down and just get through it. These programs have zero concern for you, your recovery or, by extension, the truth. They are about nothing but profit. We have zero credibility and the lies some of them get away with are straight up appalling. We are nothing but a source of $$. When you cease to be an income stream, you could fall back into whatever got you there and they DON'T care! Is it right? No. Is it fair? Not even close. Whatever you succeed in doing in regards to you recovery, be it SUD, mental health or what have you will be in spite of these programs, not because of it.
Start over? That's my worst nightmare followed by more time. I think my employer is benign buy who knows? Glad you mentioned hair mine has some gray too and I truly believe it's because of the bs monitoring agreement.
I failed a pre employment drug screen last year June 2023. Got a lawyer, never contacted IPN. My lawyer handled everything. Lawyer contacted me in January after I closed on my brand new , first home and told me the case has been closed. No marks on my license. Was able to renew my license in July !
I failed a pre employment drug screen last year June 2023. Got a lawyer, never contacted IPN. My lawyer handled everything. Lawyer contacted me in January after I closed on my brand new , first home and told me the case has been closed. No marks on my license. Was able to renew my license in July !
I've read other stories where ppl have done the same which gave me hope. I listened and did not report to IPN. I hope you all who is experiencing this make it out with great results like me. I remember going through the stress and depression just wanting answers.
Is it hard finding work With the mark on your license? And is it public? If so what does the status say ? Is this something EVERYBODY can see if they look up your license?
It has been with certain company's. I went back to the hospital I worked at while it happened while the decided what my fate would be. My hospital did not like the way this all went down and took me back. I had no resitrictions. I cannot travel becuase of it. It is public and just states that you have the mark I am not sure everyone can see the reason for the mark
So Florida never removes the mark? That is awful. You right about the co vites felon. This is why I believe I. Goi g to try and get some of this changed if possible. I'm still working for a few more years but this system needs some changes. I know it has helped many but is has also ruined many careers and it shouldn't have.
I recommend all nurses who know they did nothing wrong and are newly under the BON/Monitoring Programs "sites" or under investigation to GET YOUR OWN independent eval that is NOT part of the monitoring program/BONs "approved" list of providers. This is what SAVED this nurse who started this thread and it's yet another example on here over the years of how getting your own eval done from a NON "BON" approved provider can save you. I recommend every nurse re read this thread from beginning to end.
THE BIGGEST LIE. The BON/Monitoring Programs convince nurses that an eval done outside one of the "approved sites" will not hold weight and isn't accepted. The fact is.....This Is A Lie. When a lawyer is involved, the "non BON/Monitoring" approved eval absolutely DOES matter. There are more than 10 examples on this Board over the past few years. The problem is....the nurse Believes the monitoring program/BON and Backs Down and only does the BON approved eval and Does NOT do an outside eval. It happens 95 out of 100 times and in 95 out of 100 times, the nurse LOSES and ends up in monitoring. In the 5 out of 100 times where the nurse lawyers up and gets their own independent eval, they win.
A nurse Will have to comply and get a BON/Monitoring Program approved eval, but you ALSO get your own independent eval FIRST and that eval puts the crooked evaluators at the BON eval site under incredible pressure to be truthful and it forces them to be honest. Also, the BON will intentionally Slow Down/Go Slow when you have a lawyer and your own independent eval because they know their only chance of winning at that point is pressure/anxiety placed on the nurse to buckle and simply want to "get it over with."
IF you have done nothing wrong and you have a lawyer and your own independent "non BON" affiliated eval that shows no issue and you are patient, you are going to win every time. Skip one of the above steps above and you are going to lose 9 out of 10 times.
Did you know that legally......as an evaluator, a patient history is part of standard of care and part of patient history is ANY SUD evals done in the past. When a BON approved evaluator sees you and you have had an independent SUD eval from a other provider that isn't BON approved, the BON approved evaluator is legally, by standard of care, Required to look at it and acknowledge it or Their own license is in jeopardy. Even though the BON/Monitoring Program says outside evals are no good, it's a lie. It's a threat. It's a false statement to install fear. When the outside eval is presented to the BON evaluator, they Legally as a standard of care have to look at it, and a whole other ball of wax is when the BON approved evaluator overturn a previous SUD eval. There are ethical concerns there and it's why most BON approved evaluators will not overturn/Find/Diagnose SUD when a recent non BON approved eval shows no SUD. The BON/Monitoring Program evaluators would love for you to simply NOT have a recent independent eval or they would prefer not to even see it or acknowledge it, but when given to them, they legally have no choice at that point but to review and acknowledge it.
Imagine you are a patient and had a recent echo at a surgery clinic as a normal routine preoperative surgical test for upcoming gallbladder surgery. One year later, you move an hour away and they discover you are having PVCs and you get referred to a cardiologist. The cardiologist certainly has to acknowledge, review, look at your previous echocardiogram that was done somewhere else and a test he didn't order. It's the same thing in the mental health/addiction field. The provider can not simply "not acknowledge" the previous, independent SUD eval you had done, REGARDLESS of what the monitoring program/BON writes on a piece of paper or verbally tells you. It's literally malpractice to not review/acknowledge the previous SUD eval. Sure, they can say we want another eval, but the previous independent and recent SUD eval still holds great power.
catsmeow1972, BSN, RN
1,314 Posts
Some states have passed rules that eliminate disciplinary action after a certain number of years; But in Florida that record remains, "protecting the public" even after we're dead. Our ancestors can look it up. But Joe Felony got his record expunged 10 years ago
I love that phrase. It made me chuckle in a very very sad way. It is truly pathetic that 'Joe Felony' who's done prison time can hide his/her mistakes in a legal manner but we wear a scarlet letter forever, even if we never committed a crime. For those that babble about 'nurses should be held to a higher standard, blah, blah, blah' they can KMA. We are human and have human issues.
I don't know if it was due to the pandemic or what but right at the end of my hellish tenure, after nearly 2 years of intentional unemployment in nursing because I was genuinely beat down from being unable to get a job or being stuck in crappy, unsafe settings or in positions that I was wholly unqualified for (but heyyy, it met IPNs exacting standards. Forcing Me into a position I am not remotely capable of performing? Yeah, how's that for 'protecting the public?’), I got a job at a facility that really did not have a terribly good opinion of IPN. They were genuinely willing to give a person a chance. Covid hit and I stayed there through 2022. Mid year, I actually secured a travel contract and went to the facility that originally spawned me as a nurse (never should have left). I'm guessing that I was either riding the tailwinds of Covid and nobody really looked too hard or they did and didn't really care. The travel company rep and I had a discussion about it where I said my piece and nothing further was mentioned. Credentialing for the facility wanted a copy of the 'parole' letter from IPN and that was it. Perhaps, it's because this garbage is now far enough in my past that no one cares. I am resentful that the public discipline is still there, because it serves zero purpose other than to embarrass me at this point.
I went transitioned from traveler to permanent and haven't looked back since. It will snow in heck before I leave here again.