Help what is regulation of drug screen???

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After having a pt crack my ribs at work i had to take a drug screen. Unfortunately it was positive for THC a very small amount. (30/ng/dl) i am being turned over to a program (IPN) within my hospital that treat impaired nurses. I have never had a problem and had a slip a few weeks ago.I was not accused of being impaired at any time and my boss wants me back ASAP. This program in putting me into a two year monitoring of toxicology, counseling, assessment by a physiologist , meetings, it is ridiculous. Im not saying that some people may need this program but i do not. All of this is at my expense and im off of work until the initial assessment is completed. Problem im having is after speaking with this company they will not give me any info until i am already in the contract. If i do not do this program they turn me over to BON and i lose my job. If i hire a lawyer i will lose my job but not my license. I just need to know if anyone has ever been in this situation and what they may have done. IPN sounds like for two years i will lose my life.I cannot even have a drink on my birthday because if by chance im tested ( and they do hair follicle) im non compliant. I dont have the money for a lawyer, but am also looking at large bill from IPN. Is there an amount that is not re-portable to the BON Thoughts anyone???? thanks in advance.

Thank you for your advice.

You are right, I am so angry & confused!

I have received SO MANY opinions, but the consensus seemed to be to FIGHT the BON, however after reading so much on sites just like this, I think that may have been the wrong decision!

As I mentioned in the original post, I was born with a birth defect, everything was twice as hard for me.

There have been times in my 26 year nursing career that things weren't always perfect. When my older children were small I went through a horrible divorce & I sought out a Psychologist. I was in therapy for a couple years, I feel all of that should be PERSONAL! It is not just one person who will be going through my medical records, it is the people at the Restore Program, everyone on the BON, I feel like my entire life will be laid out for everyone to read & judge.

I am very aware of the dangers of the medications I take may cause, as I am the HUGE STIGMA!

I have several fail-proof systems in place. For example, since I have been terminated, I have been to my physician EVERY MONTH!

My meds have been counted and I have had drug tests.

I admit, I am very afraid of the "No Narcotic" stipulation! I have struggled with this for years! I have had lidocaine injections, acupuncture, PT, massage, used heat, cold & large doses of NSAIDS, and the medication regime I am on now seems to work!

I HAVE worked in pain! And when your pain level is a 6-7, it is VERY difficult to concentrate on your work!

And, I know I am just a number to the BON, and all of the days that I DID STRUGGLE to work through the pain, the thought of steeling so much as a Tylenol from any patient NEVER CROSSED MY MIND!!

And being accused of diverting drugs is a slap in the face!

I did nothing wrong! I know if I ADMIT I have a problem, admit to being a drug addict and or diverting, and join their restore program, jump through their hoops, my license would not have been touched!

But, I feel it is so wrong! Maybe it us blind faith, but I turned it all over to God!

Like I said, getting here has been a struggle & I accept no keep my license will be a fight too!

Please keep me in your prayers!

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Is it too late for you to sign up for the eval?

The only other advise I have for you is that since you're looking for a new job anyway, you could try to get a "recovery friendly" job. In case the BON eventually does put your license on probation. Hospitals often will fire nurses who end up being on probation, especially if they are passing meds. On the other hand, dialysis centers have been known to work with nurses in this scenario, since there are no controlled meds. It's best to get in now since your license is clean. It is really hard to get a job once it is on probation, even in dialysis depending on your area. Once you have a mark on your license, hospitals will not hire you period, even after probation is over. It never goes away.

I still wouldn't tell any potential employer about this issue since for right now your license is clean and they won't hire you if you tell them now. Besides dialysis, I don't have any specific ideas but non narcotic related jobs and not in a hospital is my advise, in case you end up with license issues. I still recommend dialysis though as I haven't heard of them firing a nurse due to probation for drugs. Once you're trained they try to keep you.

Of course, not submitting to the eval could result in a suspension which is even worse because then you can't work at all as a nurse.

Even if you get probation, you still have to do a monitoring program like this one and it could be for a longer time, as well as having a permanent mark on your license that never goes away. Just want to warn you. Hope it works out for you whatever you decide.

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So, am I "screwed" either way?

I do have a 2nd interview lined up, it is in a management position, however, from the way it sounds, once I am reported, I am guilty no matter what?

How does everything end up like this?

What would you all do? I have never had any experience with the BON, nor do I know anyone that has. And, I am unable to pay a lawyer!

I feel as if I am being FORCED to join this monitoring program.

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Almost everyone in the monitoring program is in it by force. The BON wants you to have an eval. In my opinion, if you don't do it they will assume guilt, especially if your prior job reported you. I'm not a lawyer but I have had to go before the board and am involved in a real life nurse's support group. I think that avoiding the evaluation will look bad. It's up to you but think about it. This is very serious.

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I agree Lisacar 130.

Thank you for keeping it real!

I will call tomorrow.

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Good luck with everything!

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Lisacar130.... wow, I know very little about the mentioned possible consequences if one gets caught or being investigated. It's just not worth it.

But this is such a very interesting topic even though I have "never" done or used drugs myself. Yes, that's right, I've never used "illicit drugs" in my entire life. Yet still, there's only one RN that I know that lost his job for doing so, but this RN's case was I believe, due to stealing controlled substances from our Pyxis. Same difference, but I'm assuming he was stealing, for personal use.

But I never knew how companies or employers would handle this type of scenario and I don't know how much a licensed nurse, who for example, was found guilty, would require to fight their own or self-inflicted problem.

So to all the USERS out there.... wishing you the best and good luck! :woot:

Thanks again Lisa!!!

I'm sorry to keep bothering you about this but I've seen this scenario before (in my real life support group) and feel compelled to warn you again. The board is not going to believe your story about not knowing what was in the brownie, even if that is actually true. If you fight it and lose, which I'm certain you will, then you will face even harsher consequences. It isn't fair but what is even more unfair is that you are going to end up getting much harsher punishment for a little pot than others who did much worse. I wish you luck though if you are going to pursue fighting it.
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Wanted to give an update to my situation. I agreed to follow though with IPN. I figured that my lisence was more important and I didn't have 2500 for a lawyer. Was I wrong.. after the assessment of not having any dependency issues and all screens negative. They gave me the lightest of treatments . Six educational sessions. I was also expecting to get the lightest contract. Not so. They called yesterday and told me I have a five year contract with twice a week testing until further notice, weekly NA meetings and quarterly assessments. When questioned why this was the contract. Their answer. " That's what is recommended" I have hired an attorney who stated that I will not have to do any of the IPN contract and my lisence will be saved. He also stated that it is up to my employer if they want to fire me. My license was never suspended. I am praying that they will work with me as they have held my position for me and stated that they WANT me back. We shall see where this goes. If I has to do it all again I would hire an attorney asap.

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I still stand by my advise as I believe what will happen is your employer will then fire and report you to the BON, and the BON will make you do the same things (drug tests, weekly NA meetings) and you'll probably still have a license but it will have a permanent mark on it making it difficult to get employment. The lawyer doesn't care about that apparently they want your money. Have your lawyer define what he/she means by "saving your license." Can he guarantee you won't have a mark on it or be on probation? I have yet to see a lawyer get a nurse off scott free who tested positive for drugs.

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I'm so confused. Lawyer said nothing about the BON and having a contract with them. If I am turned over I want to know how much was it for someone to go through 5 years of IPN. I was told 20, 000 if not.more and they always find a reason to extend even if your compliant. I have yet to retain the lawyer. Or sign the contract. I have about 14 days for all this to be figures out and I do appreciate your advise. Nurse to nurse everyone who has been through this will be able yo guide me better than IPN and the lawyer. I trust neither. Thanks

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Well, it comes out to about $333 a month if it's $20 K for 5 years. I recommend posting again with whatever state you live in for better advice from nurses in your state. This IPN program sounds like an alternative to getting a permanent mark on your license. To me, it would be worth the money because my understanding is that if you do not sign up for the IPN program, your job will report you to the board and then you go through their program instead. It might be shorter or cheaper depending on your state but if you go through the board's program, my understanding is that you'll have a mark on your license making it extremely difficult I get a job. This mark won't happen immediately, depending on the state you live in it can take a while for the board to contact you after the job reports you and it can take a while for the actual hearing to take place. Nothing will happen to your license until the hearing. But after the hearing, I assume they would put you in probation, which includes random drug tests and meetings anyway. Yes you still would have a license but with a mark on it. Any new job you have at that point can fire you when they find out you are on probation. That will eventually end but the mark on your license is forever. If the board finds out you rejected an offer of IPN, it will look bad in my opinion. Again, please post again looking for nurses in your state for more specific advise.

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

Is your lawyer on good terms with the IPN? My understanding is that the IPN doesn't have to deal with your lawyer at all -- they can just refer your case back to the BON which does have to give you a hearing. If you simply don't sign the contract, you will be referred to the BON by the IPN or your employer or maybe both. People do go this route to fight having to be in an IPN contract but Lisacar did a good job of summarizing the pros/cons of doing that.

It's a deeply unfair system.

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