HPRP unfairly being treated

Nurses Recovery

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I need advice help.

I have ave been a LPN since May 2016. I am currently in school to get my RN degree.

In october of 2016 I was arrested for OWI. I have been in a "treatment" program with the court system for over a year. I have been sober from alcohol and have proof of sobriety. I don't do drugs and never really did. I have been practicing my license and working at a long term care facility working night shift for over a year now. I do not have a substance abuse problem or alcohol problem. It was a mistake and worst mistake of my life.

I am almost done done with the court system and all of a sudden out of now where I get hit with HPRP.

They are not honoring the fact I've been sober and have proof of it for over a year. They are trying to make me do a monitoring agreement for another two years which is extremely costly and my insurance does not accept the counselor providers HPRP chooses for you. So I have to pay out of pocket. The program will wind up costing me over $12,000 that I DONT have. I don't have the money to pay for this. I do not need to be monitored. I have my entire facility backing me up right now. I am a good nurse with a good reputation. I am trying to get my RN degree. I am trying to better my life. I am in no way a threat to anyone's safety.

Its either comply with them or lose my license. I don't believe this is right. Their terms are outrageous. I am at real risk of losing my license I worked 5 jobs for and busted my ass to get. I am 32 years old. I have corrected my mistake I made. Now they want to take my life away from me.

I cant eat, I can't sleep. I am in pure agony and stress over all of this. I can't afford what they are asking of me. I am in trumendous debt with a horrible credit score. I have been working hard at making my debt better. Currently have a law suit against me for a private student loan from many many years ago. I am under so much stress I can't even function properly.

I dont know wha to do to fight that I am being unfairly treated, in my opinion. I made a mistake, I paid for it. I suffered from it and I grew from it. Why now? Why come after me over a year and a half after I have already gone through treatment.

On top top of all this, I live in a remote area. I refused their treatment program but now they are making me get a doctors evaluation. A doctor of their choice of course. The closest doctor they offered me is over 9hr drive away from my home! I work full time and I go to school. I don't know how they expect me to drop every thing to drive 9+ hours to go to a hour doctor appointment practically a whole nother state away.

Please help!

I can't figure out how to use the quote reply. I have a hard time grasping why misuse of a non-controlled medication landed a monitoring agreement.

This all seems so out of this world to me. People I have talked to about it literally can't grasp why this is happening to me. Some have even said "they can't do that, you did nothing wrong" well, they can and they are!! People don't understand what I'm going through because they think I'm making it up or it's so bizarre and unfair. It's crazy.

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I can't figure out how to use the quote reply. I have a hard time grasping why misuse of a non-controlled medication landed a monitoring agreement.

This all seems so out of this world to me. People I have talked to about it literally can't grasp why this is happening to me. Some have even said "they can't do that, you did nothing wrong" well, they can and they are!! People don't understand what I'm going through because they think I'm making it up or it's so bizarre and unfair. It's crazy.

Yep it's absolutely crazy. We are all in agreement.

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I can't figure out how to use the quote reply. I have a hard time grasping why misuse of a non-controlled medication landed a monitoring agreement.

This all seems so out of this world to me. People I have talked to about it literally can't grasp why this is happening to me. Some have even said "they can't do that, you did nothing wrong" well, they can and they are!! People don't understand what I'm going through because they think I'm making it up or it's so bizarre and unfair. It's crazy.

In fairness, I made myself quite sick with my abuse of the med. This wasn't my exact case, but imagine a bulimic seriously abusing a prescription diuretic. (Because the med I abused is such a bizarre med to abuse, I never name it out of fear of my case manager or the Board reading this site. I would be so easily identified.) My doc told me she thought it was a good way to make me force me to get help. But I had quit working months prior because I knew I was in no shape to work. I thought that made me safe...but it didn't. I didn't think the BON would act on it, but I was sorely mistaken about the reach the BON has into nurses' lives.

In their investigation into me, they got all my medical records. They found out a had a history of mental illness (severe depression) and an old, past problem with addiction. Then they requested even more, older medical records. So they nailed me for those problems as well, even though those weren't what got me reported and they were NOT current problems.

Because the monitoring folks had no clue what to do with me, since I wasn't abusing a controlled substance, I got placed in a mental health AND opiate abuse-type contract. I never drank alcohol and wasn't abusing opiates, but I still have to take naltrexone and avoid alcohol. I still got a narcotics restriction. I am in mandated psychiatric treatment with therapy and psych drugs. They forced me into a full YEAR of IOP, even though I didn't struggle with stopping the abused med and I never relapsed.

They truly didn't know what to do with me, so they just decided to make me to every single restriction and treatment a contract could offer. Actual alcohol abusers and opiate addicts in my program aren't required to take naltrexone witnessed. But I am.

It all just stinks.

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My personal opinion is that you will have no choice. I have seen so many nurses with DUI ( OWI ) get contracts for monitoring. In Florida, it's different for everyone. Most DUIs I know have a two year contract, we recovering drug addicted get 5. The only other big difference is that the DUIs don't get key restrictions. I'm also in group with a lady who got popped for a random at work and came up positive for THC. She got a 1 year contract. Everyone who I have ever seen try and fight the contract just ends up spending more money and still having the same outcome. If you are now on their radar, the only things you can do are to give up nursing, or find a way to afford it. They do not care how in debt you are, if you are bankrupt, whatever. If you want to continue being a nurse, put your head down and comply. Let go of any sense of fairness, that no longer exists. The only hope any of us have is to complete the contract and then we can move forward. But right now, they have me by the balls.

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I am very fortunate that I do have a very good reputation and have a lot of people backing me up. I do live in a small community and I feel like I know everyone here even tho I wasn't raised in this town. I was a bartender for like 10 years. I was a medical assistant in the clinics for 3 years and then now a nurse (LPN) for the last 2 years.

My Administrator and DON are totally behind me, they have written letters in my behalf. My supervisors, my charge nurses and floor nurses. All have written letters in my behalf.

I will give it a good fight but I understand it's probably not going to work. The HPRP in MI just had a law suit against them that went through. So, hopefully they will be more willing to look further into this MA for me? I'm not really sure.

I do know I made a decent wage and living as a bartender, honestly. I just don't want that for my life anymore. I have continually been working to improve myself and my career over the years. I have been doing great. Working and paying for college out of pocket. I paid for my LPN out of pocket working 4-5 jobs at once and going to full time nursing school at the same time. Up until now, that was the hardest year of my life. Now I have this...shattering everything I worked for.

It's abaolutely insane to think about it. And to hear other people's suffers with the monitoring program. It literally breaks my heart.

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Yeah see if you can join that class action suit in Michigan. Ultimately most nurse bullies are cowards with no strength of conviction. They will dish it out until slapped across their faces. If pain is put on the BONs they will start to reconsider their harsh positions. I wish there was such a suit I could join in Pennsylvania

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In fairness, I made myself quite sick with my abuse of the med. This wasn't my exact case, but imagine a bulimic seriously abusing a prescription diuretic. (Because the med I abused is such a bizarre med to abuse, I never name it out of fear of my case manager or the Board reading this site. I would be so easily identified.) My doc told me she thought it was a good way to make me force me to get help. But I had quit working months prior because I knew I was in no shape to work. I thought that made me safe...but it didn't. I didn't think the BON would act on it, but I was sorely mistaken about the reach the BON has into nurses' lives.

In their investigation into me, they got all my medical records. They found out a had a history of mental illness (severe depression) and an old, past problem with addiction. Then they requested even more, older medical records. So they nailed me for those problems as well, even though those weren't what got me reported and they were NOT current problems.

Because the monitoring folks had no clue what to do with me, since I wasn't abusing a controlled substance, I got placed in a mental health AND opiate abuse-type contract. I never drank alcohol and wasn't abusing opiates, but I still have to take naltrexone and avoid alcohol. I still got a narcotics restriction. I am in mandated psychiatric treatment with therapy and psych drugs. They forced me into a full YEAR of IOP, even though I didn't struggle with stopping the abused med and I never relapsed.

They truly didn't know what to do with me, so they just decided to make me to every single restriction and treatment a contract could offer. Actual alcohol abusers and opiate addicts in my program aren't required to take naltrexone witnessed. But I am.

It all just stinks.

Hopefully that is your FORMER doctor, and did you consider a HIPAA lawsuit against her?

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after taking a nap and working 5 night shifts in a row I am sitting down in my living room reading the letters my coworkers have written in my behalf. I am in tears. To read how supportive they are of what I am going through and their kind words about me as a nurse has just made my horrible last few weeks a little bit more manageable.

It makes me feel like I did choose the right thing at pursuing my nursing degree. I am dang good at it and I have proof to support that. It makes me feel humbled inside.

I need to try and fight for what I believe is right. I need to fight for my right to persue what makes me happy in life. If I lose it and have to figure out a new career, at least I fought for it. I will continue to fight even after the fact and I will fight and advocate for nurses rights.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I wish you the best and hope things turn out ok. I'm glad your boss and coworkers support you. Take care.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I never fail to be amazed at the draconian actions of the various BON's. Doesn't seem to matter which state you are in, the mistakes you made in your past can sadly haunt you for years. Just because it's not in the least bit fair doesn't mean it won't happen. From what I've read and heard from nurses involved in these programs it doesn't much matter if you fight it or not you're going to get screwed financially and very possibly professionally for potentially years. Just once I'd like to hear a story that comes out in the nurses favor though I won't hold my breath waiting for that.

I know it's probably not much consolation but at least you are employed and have bosses that support you during this process. Good luck, I sincerely hope it all works out OK for you in the end.

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I was a contract OR RN when this began. Was promptly fired by my agency upon receiving probation and monitoring. I spent over a month looking for a job and going on interviews. Finally a friend from nursing school offered me a RN supervisor position (almost couldn't take it because of monitoring requires a "on site monitor"). My new employer, DON has been extremely supportive...until recently. He wanted me to transition into his position (this would be a mountain to climb with ISNAP). But now I am getting a cold shoulder at work from upper management. Of course it could very well be my imagination because I will in constant fear of having to find another nursing job or the fact State just had their yearly visit. Either way I think the realization that I can't do what they need/want to is beginning to change their impression of my usefulness.

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I was a contract OR RN when this began. Was promptly fired by my agency upon receiving probation and monitoring. I spent over a month looking for a job and going on interviews. Finally a friend from nursing school offered me a RN supervisor position (almost couldn't take it because of monitoring requires a "on site monitor"). My new employer, DON has been extremely supportive...until recently. He wanted me to transition into his position (this would be a mountain to climb with ISNAP). But now I am getting a cold shoulder at work from upper management. Of course it could very well be my imagination because I will in constant fear of having to find another nursing job or the fact State just had their yearly visit. Either way I think the realization that I can't do what they need/want to is beginning to change their impression of my usefulness.

I am sorry about this. It seems like even when we PROVE ourselves competent and worthy; our one mistake never leaves us. It's not a bridge that will just burn and move on already. I feel your pain.

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