Going for IPN evaluation to see if I can keep my nursing license. Please help!

[SMITHYSON90]

Hey everyone. Writing my first post here. So I wanted to apologize in advance if I'm going on too long or posting in wrong place.

Board of nursing is sending me for an evaluation from their appointed doctor. I will try to be short in telling my tale.

Some background:

I started a new job at a hospital in November 2014. During the 3 months that I was there, I diverted a total of 3 percocets on 3 different occasions. (I had a surgery 2 months prior to starting the job). Instead of wasting the med, I'd pocket it. I hurt, but this is no excuse at all. And extremely stupid of me. The patients ALWAYS received their medication. I only took the waste.

I was approached 3 months later, in January of 2015, and they started grilling me about my narc pull. So I came clean about everything because I thought that if I told the truth, it would look better for me. HUGE mistake, apparently. My lawyer said if I didn't say a thing, I wouldn't be in as much trouble. He said the system was not set up for honest people. Anyways, Got drug tested and they called the cops, she asked a bunch of questions, wrote everything down and sent me home. Nurses said to contact IPN. Which I did the next day, and they said I need to stay away from any medical work, which I did. My lawyer said not to contact them again after that.

So 7 months down the road, I get a call from the sheriff's office saying that there was a warrant for my arrest and I should come in after the weekend. So I did, and was charged with 2 counts of Grand theft and some misdemeanor stuff. The process started for IPN again, I made an appointment with the doc and I went to do my evaluation. The doctor was super cool, said some nice things, also said I was not a harm to patients or an addict . Did a UDS(negative). After the evaluation, I didn't receive anything from IPN. My lawyer was in contact with BoN though.

1 month after the arrest (This is August 2015 now, 8 months after I was fired) I go in front of the judge and he introduced me to drug court to drop all my charges. So I started that. Drug court is the same thing as IPN I believe, just not as expensive. Except when you mess up a drug test or miss meetings, you go to jail. I finished drug court with no problems, it was a year and half long program.

So today, this is 2 years and 4 months since I was fired. Now that charges are gone, I am back with BON. After all the papers being sent back and forth, my punishment was this:

--My license was officially REPRIMANDED

--Fine of $500

--Undergo evaluation of IPN. If I'm "diagnosed with a condition that prevents me from practicing nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients, then I shall undergo treatment that they provide me with. If I am not in need of monitoring or treatment, and IPN is not suitable, no further action will be required."

I have 20 days left to make an appointment with the doctor. There is no way I will be able to afford IPN program. I am in so much debt and close to losing the house. So treatment is not an option for me, unless I can get a job as an RN while doing IPN. I'm pretty sure that it will never happen. I can pay for the evaluation, barely. But that's about it.

Has anyone ever heard of IPN saying treatment is not needed? Anyone know if the drug court program will help make the decision of no treatment? Would bringing in a letter of recommendation help? Or patient satisfaction cards? (in the 3 months that I worked, I received 9 cards from patients and family members complimenting my work, and I have tons from other jobs)

Anyone know of a doctor in Sarasota, Florida that is good? Doesn't just recommend everyone?

Anything at all would help. This is a huge moment in my life, and I NEED to be ready for what is about to come.

Thanks for reading!

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

Hi...also in Sarasota myself. I can tell you who NOT to go to. What IPN does not tell you is that you are not restricted to the names on that letter. As long as the person does IPN evals, that is sufficient, Stay away from anyone affiliated with any kind of treatment facility. You will be diagnosed as needing what ever services that facility conveniently offers. Your lawyer is correct. Say nothing further to IPN or to the BON. This system is absolutely NOT set up for folks that are truthful.

You've not got enough posts to be able to send PMs. i am going to try to send you one with some contact info.

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

OK, I don't seem to be able to send a private message, but write back to me and perhaps we can get in further contact. I have been on this surreal roller coaster from hell for over 3 years now. if I can help support someone to not have to go through what I did, I'd like to.

hope to hear from you soon..

[caliotter3]

This is a public site. Individuals from Boards are able to access posts on this site. You would do well to keep your information between yourself and your legal counsel.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

This is a public site. Individuals from Boards are able to access posts on this site. You would do well to keep your information between yourself and your legal counsel.

I feel like this gets overused. The poster didn't reveal anything that isn't known by the BON, IPN, or the judicial system.

[ChryssyD]

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Your lawyer is so right--honesty doesn't seem to count for anything. I get it--there have to be consequences, but it seems like they could have left the cops out of it, at least.

I gotta tell you I was shocked to hear you saw a doctor who was willing to say you don't have an addiction--wish I could have found one like that. The addiction specialist who did my evaluation basically said, Well, if you can stay clean for 5 years, you're not an addict; if you can't, you are. Thanks, Doc--you went to med school and everything so you could tell me that? My hairdresser could have told me that.

Anyway, the clean drug screens and meeting attendance you did with drug court will help you, I think. You may still wind up in IPN, though you might get a shorter-than-usual contract--I think IPN may do different time frames, depending on the circumstances. Best of luck, and remember--lots of people start out feeling overwhelmed and hopeless in these programs, but it does get better. If you have to, you can do it.

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

"Your lawyer is so right--honesty doesn't seem to count for anything. I get it--there have to be consequences, but it seems like they could have left the cops out of it, at least."

Agreed, honesty seems to be a foreign concept. The cognitive dissonance that makes my head hurt is that these programs and the associated "treatment" that seems mandatory for the large portion of participants shove the 12-step stuff at you like it should be the 5th gospel. One of the tenets of that stuff is "be honest." That however just seems to hurt wayyyy more than help with this. As far as involving the cops, that is not an IPN/BON decision but rather the facility. Some facilities are content with making the person report to IPN and calling it a day. Others hang you out to dry. IPN does not seem to care about any effort you've put forth in the interim. Successful completion of drug court? I suspect that is just used as ammunition to justify maximum enforcement. As best i have seen, IPN is fond of boilerplate contracts that ignore why the person may be there to start with.

I too am shocked that a doc was found that was willing to state lack of an addiction. Most (at least any of them that are hooked up with treatment facilities and stand to make bank off of what they say in the evaluation) that IPN send a person to, are going to slam you with the diagnostic criteria that justifies you needing the program that they so conveniently offer. I have seen where a doc will recommend something and IPN completely ignores the doc's opinion. I know of one person that refuses to do IPN evals anymore because of that.

IPN, these kind of docs, etc care nothing about anyone's recovery from addiction or anything else. These programs are primarily about money and power. Yeah, this thing may be precisely the wake up call needed for some as well as there are people that should not be practicing except under the watchful eye of it, but far more are inappropriately caught up in it and more damage than good comes out of it.

[SMITHYSON90]

Is there a way to get the doctors report after he has evaluated me? If yes, then how?

If that doctor gave me a good report, then I will try to get him again! He was really chill and understanding.

[MFTinRN]

New to the forum, also in the Sarasota area and curious about the Dr you used. I will need be in need of an IPN evaluation I'm pretty sure and am still in this shocked phase of coming to terms with the situation I've placed myself in. I'd love to hear more about your experience with the IPN evaluation once it's completed.

[Raven1313]

Yes just contact the Evaluator and request it.