IPN

WHY A NEURO EVAL in addition to the standard SUD eval? An additional Neuro Eval is NOT NORMAL. It's not common unless you have some kind of mental health history. Do you have a mental health history. Why ANOTHER Neuro Eval in 14 days? What reason did the case manager give for a 2nd Neuro Eval?

Do you have to leave nursing? Meaning, could you get a job outside of nursing such as Uber or Door Dash for a few months while doing the monitoring program? If you are not drug impaired, then ask your case manager WHY you can't work? Is it based on the mental health part of the equation? It sounds to me, just by reading, and having very little info about your story or background, that there is something in your history or possibly present regarding a mental health history. 

For example. What about a straightforward question to your case manager such as..

1. Since I wasn't impaired and my drug tests were negative at the Neuro eval, under what evidence or guidelines are you telling me I can't work? Why? What did I do wrong so I can improve?

2. Why are you sending me for a 2nd Neuro eval when that is not common and just did one 14 days later? 

The 2 questions above need answered. Understand this........it's still possible to be a nurse by temporarily NOT working as a nurse and working outside of your profession temporarily. You can still do a monitoring program while working in another job, and then when the case manager says you can work again as a nurse (2 or 3 or 6 months), then start applying for nursing jobs. My point is....once you remove yourself from monitoring, it's pretty much over for your nursing career in the overwhelming majority of cases. It's very very difficult to come back. It may be worth trying to stick it out in the monitoring program for 3 months, even while working somewhere outside of nursing, and then make the decision on whether to continue or leave.

Never make a MAJOR decision immediately after an emotional event IF...IF...you can help it. For example, when divorced or death of a family member, etc....you never want to make a major financial purchase or decision until a lot of time has passed because that decision is likely to largely be based on emotion and not pure objectivity. You just suffered a major setback and emotional blow, and I would consider holding off on leaving nursing and continuing monitoring for 3 months, then re-evaluate. In the mean time, trying your best to land another job to have some kind of income. If 3 months go buy and you feel no progress is made eith your case manager or situation and you feel nursing and the monitoring program is not worth it, then leave nursing. If you feel the opposite and 3 months goes by and your case manager says you can go back to work, you may feel different and want to stick it out.

Beat wishes to you. Hang in there. If you can't get the 2 questions above answered by your case manager, consider going above him or her. Every case manager has a boss. Every State has someone that is Chief or in Charge of the monitoring program that supervises the case managers. If your case manager is avoiding your questions or purposely vague, go above them, and go directly to the Monitoring Program Chief.

Hi thanks for your feedback. In florida if you got in trouble with weed, opiods, alcohol, heroin ect you have to do a neuro evaluation before returning to work.I have no mental issues they just require everyone to do the neuro. What they are wanting me to do is another regular evaluation not neuro. Also I asked my case manager all those questions and she just tells me because per ipn procedure. I have said the same things why? I didn't do anything, I even tild her so anyone can just come up to you at any given moment even if they don't like me an say I was impaired? IDK what else to do. I said I would have to leave my profession because I can't come up with 2000 dollars in 14 days. So she said if it doesn't happen in 14 days I would be kicked out of IPN and they would report me to DOH. I am as confused as you are. Drug test came in today but since last Friday when all this happen I told her I was going to be negative and I guess no one believed me. And belive me if I could keep the monitoring program as it was I would stay but sending me to do a neuro in 14 days is ridiculous. I asked her if I could wait a month or two so I can save the money up, no 14 days.

I suggest you consult with an attorney before speaking to anyone else. 

Lacolo, It sounds like you are getting completely hosed by your case manager. Many of them, sadly, don't care and are pieces of shi$ with ZERO empathy. I wish you the best. Please remind me not to ever get in trouble in Florida! Good grief. The hurdles they are putting you through are ridiculous. I would still try and reach out to the Supervisor (The Director) of the Florida monitoring program and explain your situation. I would call him or her directly. I would also do the following and this is important if you can't speak with an attorney. 2 weeks is a short time and it's hard to even get an appointment with an attorney in a short 2 week timeframe, much less come up with the retainer fee. 

Write a letter explaining your sobriety and seriousness with recovery and how your drug tests have been all negative and that you don't yet have the money to come up with in 2 weeks time and send this via email to the Director of the Program. Explain what your case manager told you in the letter. Why would I do this? Because, IF......IF.....they kick you out of the program and you come up with the money in 1, or 2 or 4 months, your chances of being able to get back in and the BON NOT Revoking your license are reasonable because you have explained the situation and your commitment to recovery BEFORE the Florida IPN program kicked you out. You are not writing the letter AFTER the fact, but BEFORE the event. This could serve you very well in the future IF you are removed from the program and you want to come back in 3 or 6 months. The chances of getting your license back from the Florida BON and gaining re-entry into the program go much higher, because somebody setting at the BON will see your issue for removal from IPN wasn't about a positive drug test or true non compliance, but it was financially related. Thats a BIG deal regarding coming back into the program and getting your license back compared to failed drug tests or a bunch of missed check ins.  Getting this on PAPER and in the hands of the monitoring program BEFORE you are kicked out of the IPN is a Big Deal, especially if you get an attorney a month or 2 or 6 months down the road. That attorney will have MUCH to work with because the attorney has proof that the monitoring program Clearly Knew your issues were financial and not true Non-Compliance. Even though they will say it's Non Compliance, it's actually not.

talk to an attorney now !! Sounds like a personal agenda. Did you see the neuro evaluation report? You have a right to see it. 

Good luck

I would call the places they tell you to go to for the re evaluation and make an appointment-most places can't get you in for a month or more-that will give you time to save the money. I had to do the same thing and when I told IPN there was no availability for appointments right away they were fine with it

Yes guys thanks for your comments. I ended up making an appointment. I asked for it to be a month away so I could pay with my taxes also it wasn't 2000 dollars as I was expecting he is charging me 800. It is still a lot but a bit more manageable. Thank you all for your advice. 

I wish you the best of luck.

Lacolo said:

Yes guys thanks for your comments. I ended up making an appointment. I asked for it to be a month away so I could pay with my taxes also it wasn't 2000 dollars as I was expecting he is charging me 800. It is still a lot but a bit more manageable. Thank you all for your advice. 

Hey, Lacolo. I'm in IPN right now too. I'm so sorry you're going through this. Someone in my group is going through a similar situation and it's been so hard to hear about. It seems like they can just send us for an eval at the drop of a hat and it honestly makes me fearful to work again. I hope the report your evaluator writes puts all of this to bed. Please let me know how it went.