I am not doing it; going to try a hearing with the board

Has anyone decided to just go before the board of nursing instead of doing a program?

I have decided I don't want to do the program for several reasons.

- I cannot afford the drug screens (they are $50 a pop and insurance won't cover them). The program handbook said no participant would be turned away due to inability to pay. The person over the program said that the participant is responsible for the cost. I explained I couldn't afford it and that the handbook said no one would be turned away. He was like "well, we can only do so much."

- I am not doing anything wrong. I have a mental illness and I binged before (made me very ill; but in my own defense, I am a very small person- short and thin). I did not commit a crime nor did I divert medication. I am in my 20s and am legal to drink.

- I had a psychiatrist that I went to on a regular basis and was compliant. He wrote a letter saying that certain medications should be used for the illness I have, yet he did not prescribed any medication to me that I was not already on through a family physician (yet charged me medication management). The one medication that I am on was not mentioned in the certain medications for the illness. I requested and asked if he would put me on the medications and he said "no". He even admitted he didn't really know how to treat my illness. The reason I am going to have to stop going to him is because he is leaving the practice (I go to a community service psychiatric care setting). That would mean I would be getting a third psychiatrist (yes, the psychiatrist I had before this one left as well...all within like 6 months or less). That means I am starting over. It's frustrating that I don't have an ongoing provider.

- I have had healthcare jobs before and done clinical, in addition to having other jobs and I have not had a problem in those positions. I am generally well liked and considered dependable.

- The last and one of the most important reasons. I was honest and said I had a mental illness and supplied the dx, tx, and prognosis as requested and I misunderstood. I thought it was saying do you have a mental illness because that could impair your work ability. All mental illness has that potential, so I said yes. Apparently, I was saying I was not stable when answering yes and I am stable because I am getting treatment.

Has anyone gone before the board and won their case?