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.
In Michigan, there is a class-action against the PHPs for MDs and PAs which is run exactly the same. Google it . Michigan PHP class action lawsuitas an audit evidenced all of the abuse and conflict of interest issues that we all know to be true. Maybe they are making some traction in Michigan. And, 4 other states have some form of lawsuit or audit going on.
Yes, Michigan audits discovered the rampant conflict of interest, confirming that money was the biggest motivating factor. 4 states have some form of active litigation and there is some traction being made. Louisiana has active legislation co-authored by a senator making it more difficult for the board ( medical) do this crap. They have no legit oversight, force an "evaluation" at an all cash , out of state " preferred center" ( where literally no one in history has NOT been referred to " treatment" ) which forces the patinet/healthcare provider to admit themselves for treatment or lose their license ergo livelihood. Docs, AHP's and RNs need to unite against this, as some real progress seems near.
Idk..I am still working on what's going on in my case. It just doesn't make sense! They monitor you vigharously for 2-3 (sometimes 5) years...it is a financial burden and it's stressful.
They want to make me pay $75 a pop for drug tests plus pay out of pocket to see a specialist, plus pay out of pocket to see a counselor biweekly. Plus limit hours I work, plus limit times that I work. All for what?
I don't have a history of mental issues, I am not an alcoholic. I went thru a year and a half treatment already. What the hell is this going to prove? That they control my livelihood basically. Wrong. My entire facility that is a total of 3 LTC floors, one rehab and one Alzheimer's unit and not one person who I work with has a problem with me or my work ethics what so ever. I am not a threat. I have never done drugs. They can take all the hair samples, finger nails, yada yada they want. I'll never test positive for drugs. I don't even drink alcohol anymore nor do I plan to. This is all a crock and violation of my rights. I work hard and I have a very large facility that will back me up.
Here I am fighting for my nursing license. Really? Zero logical sense to ruin my life to prove I am sober for another two years.
My work can test me at any time if they feel I was on something. We have the UA tests in facility. I would even buy a pbt to test if I needed to. Would be much cheaper than going thru their expensive testing.
SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN
1,847 Posts
Yeah the years-long monitoring program is stupid. The whole mark for life thing is shameful