Florida IPN saga continues

[Ipnsux]

So, I posted several months ago.

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.

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

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.