I Need Help

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Get ready...this may be a long post.  I need and want help for alcohol addiction.  I had bariatric surgery 5 years ago and have basically traded in one addiction for another.  Things have progressively gotten worse over the past year.  I am a school nurse and we were home for several months due to Covid and in the meantime, I lost my father with whom I was very close.  I've been a nurse for 14 years and a school nurse for 2.  I do not think I can stop drinking on my own.  At the very least, I need medical detox...I experience withdrawal all day during my work hours.  So much so, that I start my morning (before work) with a drink to hold off the shakes.  SO the big question is...if I want to go to rehab, do I have to disclose it?? I could totally do it over Summer break, in another city.  I've read horror stories about TPAPN and I don't want to lose my job.  This is my dream job. I have 3 children and keeping their schedule is so amazing, as well as a decent salary with a great pension.  I've never been arrested or accused of anything and as far as I know, nobody knows that I have this problem.  I am fully capable of doing my job and I think it's such BS that one cannot seek out help voluntarily without being completely chastised by the board.  Is voluntary rehab doable without disclosure or am I kidding myself?  

17 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:

It doesn't benefit anyone except for those in the so-called recovery industry who sure amke a lot of money off of other people's misery. I feel that I am one of the few people who actually received benefit from being in a monitoring program. When I self reported in 2003 I was broken in every way that counted. I was the victim of physical (Not sexual) abuse as a child and spent most of my childhood and early teens in a sort of stolkholm syndrome, dependent on my abusers and trusting no one when it came to folks I should trust, I neary drank myself to death and when that didn't work I tried to kill myself by more conventional means and couldn't even do that right. I self reported used the structure and oversight of the program to get well and never looked back. Back then the whole 5 year program cost about 60K. Today I have a good life with people who care about me and who I care about in return. While it was deffinately a road less traveled it took me to where I am now. I managed to keep my liscense intact the who time due to fact that I was agarden viriety drunk. I never worked under the influence and never disverted or lied about what my life had become. The programs were less scandalous/profit motivated then than they are now.

What catches people up is the idea that the person in recovery needs to conduct all their affairs with scrupulous honesty. So when we renew that liscence and it asks if we have been in treatment we (in the interest of honesty) answer yes and walk right into Hell with our eyes wide open.

I like to think that this has been all for the good but only time will tell.

Hppy

 

  

Thanks for sharing. You have an interesting story and it is not in vain because a lot of people can learn from it. Sounds like you had a hard upbringing as a child. Glad you overcame and are now doing well. Kudos. 

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Specializes in Pediatric.
On 12/30/2020 at 8:17 AM, hppygr8ful said:

Your medical history is private and your own. Go to rehab, Don't tell them you are a nurse, get better and go back to work. The board may have to know at some point but for now I applaud your courage in seeking help. 

Peace and Namaste

Hppy

 

Thank you for your response. I am so glad you were able to get better even though it sounds like you’ve been to hell and back! It is hard, like you said because you want to get clean and honesty is a huge part of that. But I am not going to disclose anything..it’s not fair. And I guess I’ll see what happens! Hope you have a blessed New Year!!

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Specializes in Critical Care.
On 12/31/2020 at 9:24 AM, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

In my state every psych facility screens each patient on whether they are a health care provider or not. If you are they automatically notify your governing board of your admission to rehab or psychiatric unit. This practice somehow is legal...

WOW!  I’m in Texas and as far as I know, this is not the case down here.  What state are you speaking of?

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Specializes in Primary Care, Military.
14 hours ago, SNB1014 said:

WOW!  I’m in Texas and as far as I know, this is not the case down here.  What state are you speaking of?

Virginia currently does this. Even if you're admitted for something such as severe depression/suicidal ideation and it's due to situational circumstances. They report everyone. 

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Hi MsLuckyWon!

I don’t actually know how to directly reply to someone’s post so I apologize for that. I’m not new to AllNurses, just new to having an account so I can join in and ask questions. 
 

I’m also in Ohio, and in a couple months I’ll be applying for my RN NCLEX, but I have to have a lawyer and go through the ringer because of a mistake in my past. 
 

My question is did you have a nurse lawyer when the BON gave you the consent agreement for 5 years? 

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@Squirrelcatcat841

Hey, thanks for responding. I'm waiting to get my consent agreement from the board... is it worth getting a lawyer? are they able to change the agreement?

 

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@MsLuckyWon

Thank you for your speedy response! These are questions/answers I would give so much to know ?. I have no doubt I’ll be hit with a consent agreement, and it seems the Ohio BON hands out 5 years like candy.

I have a lawyer lined up that I’ve spoken to once, but those are questions I want to ask him before shelling out his $1,500 fee to even begin the process because I could end up in the same consent situation without him and spare my money.

I’m hiring a lawyer because so many here advise this. Have you considered contacting one and asking if they could change or reduce your agreement?

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
32 minutes ago, Squirrelcatcat841 said:

@MsLuckyWon

Thank you for your speedy response! These are questions/answers I would give so much to know ?. I have no doubt I’ll be hit with a consent agreement, and it seems the Ohio BON hands out 5 years like candy.

I have a lawyer lined up that I’ve spoken to once, but those are questions I want to ask him before shelling out his $1,500 fee to even begin the process because I could end up in the same consent situation without him and spare my money.

I’m hiring a lawyer because so many here advise this. Have you considered contacting one and asking if they could change or reduce your agreement?

Always, always, always have a lawer review your contract before you sign. Once signed it becomes difficult if not impossible to change any part of the agreement.

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I've considered getting a lawyer but it seems (in my situation) like a waste of money. They know the details of my hospital/detox stay and got all the information I disclosed about my history of drug and alcohol use. I work for Cleveland Clinic and my case manager says that the consent agreement will most likely coincide with the Clinics regulations...as he's seen in the past. 5 years of probation with random drug and alcohol screenings, 2 AA meetings a week, and support groups for health professionals. I just finished 6 weeks of IOP and I'm in after care for 6 months (3 hours once a week). My case manager said there's a small chance ill see suspension but since I didn't risk patients health, that's probably not going to happen. And honestly, I'm looking to change professions now. I simply cannot accept that my life outside of work is controlled by the nursing board. On my day off I woke up to a text that I had to drop urine that day...then off to an AA meeting before aftercare started. I've had enough. They do not help people with substance abuse issues, but only penalize/discipline us. Life is too short. Thanks for listening LOL. 

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@hppygr8ful

This is a vague question but can lawyers suggest reducing the amount of years for a consent agreement? Are these requests ever successful?

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

I didn't use a lawyer but I had a friend who did (She was abusing opiodes and nothing else. She was able to get the stipulation to avoid alcohol taken out of her aggreement. There was also a gentleman who had a severe allergic reaction to alcohol and was able to get that stipulation dropped. 

Problem is the contracts are witten in such a way so that if any part of the contract becomes invalid the rest of the contract still stands. With the new DSM V DX of substance use disorder many nurses might not even have to be in contracts of this kind.

Hppy

 

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Specializes in Critical Care.
1 hour ago, hppygr8ful said:

With the new DSM V DX of substance use disorder many nurses might not even have to be in contracts of this kind.

What are you referring to when you say “contracts of this kind”?  How do you anticipate this dx changing how contracts are stipulated?

TPAPN has recently *tried* pretty hard to move in the direction of the medical model of SUD treatment and adjusting testing frequency/ contract stipulations based upon the severity of your SUD.  Compared to the previous cookie cutter, sanctimonious contracts given out only a couple  years ago- this is a great improvement.

Ironically, my saga started in 2015.  I had an admin violation that restarted my contract- not a relapse.  I am now pregnant.  I am as sober as sober can be.  For years.  I now have to go get a SUD assessment by a psychiatrist/psychologist/LCDC where I would not meet a single criteria for SUD...for a few years now.  No cravings for substances, no medications required etc.  however, I STILL will be placed into some SUD track and be required to attend AA/NA (which are very triggering to my mental health due to the black and white thinking), drug and booze testing...and for what?!?!

 

You can get a DUI and not be an alcoholic.  You can be an alcoholic and drink at home until you black out and pass out.  
 

What about occupations that aren’t traditionally considered “safety sensitive”??? I don’t want an actively altered accountant advising me on retirement or electrician on day 3 of an uppers binge working in my newborns nursery.  
 

sorry, it was a rant.  It’s just all BS.  I understand the rationale behind keeping close eyes on HCP with known SUD, but HIPAA shouldn’t be thrown out the window bc of my license.  That is just a great way for me to lie straight to an assessors face, not feel guilty and give the “right” answers out of fear and shame.

 

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