New to Recovery program and not good news

Nurses Recovery

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So I'm new into the program, maybe two to three weeks, I've had one drugs test 2 weeks ago on a Thursday before Presidents' Day. We had drinks on New Years. Then my husband and I had A weekend getaway with the kids this past weekend, we had an amazing dinner, hotel and wine. We had a few. It's been a hard year for all of us. Between my medical issues and my husband and becoming disconnected we needed this. I'm sure I'll have a drug test tomorrow and I'm sure if I get Tested for the longer etho use it will show up, so what happens now in the state of SC. I've not even met with the investigator yet and was made to go into this program without a diagnosis. I hate That I made the mistake but it finally wasn't lingering over me and I was Able to relax with my husband which we haven't done in years. What will happen to me?? Any and all advised would be appreciated. Thank you

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
I will resolve today not to make that mistake again. Also they are wanting me to come off medications I've been on for 20 years. Does anyone know how long I have To ween off that med?

if you don't mind my asking what are these meds they want you to stop taking? It's a given that you won't be able to take any narcotic pain relievers, benzo's or sleepers. Still if you've been taking them for years you may need a medically supervised detox to come off them safely. There's a whole slew of things they won't want you to take including things like Benadryl which has a high potential for abuse.

If you don't want to say that's ok. When I first started I was drinking 2 fifths of vodka a week, taking Vicodin, Ambien and Wellbutrin . The only one they let me keep taking was Wellbutrin.

When I od'd they put me through an ultra rapid detox. essentially pumping tons of IV fluids and banana bags into me for like two days.

Hppy

Benzo withdraw is particularly dangerous. Consider a medically supervised detox if necessary. I wish you well!!!

I just read everything everyone has said.. and WOW I can NOT have said it better myself, and really you guys have all put this is a better perspective for me. I know what I signed. You are 100% correct.. I kicked, I screamed, and cried. I still cry. But you are right. I signed it, I agreed to it. and really, I have 3 years ( I am in AZ) it could obviously be worse. I really don't get when I am supposed to submit these quarterly reports. I've been late once, and I immediately sent them over. Now, each month on the 1st I just submit a report. Takes me 5 mins. But I do that because I am early or on time and the devils get what they want. The questions are frickin stupid, and I just write what they want, which is "I am learning" and" yes I eat gourmet meals". I mean, don't ask me stupid questions. I hope we all get through this, and I've clearly made my mistakes. I just hope my stuff comes out okay. I wish us all luck.

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Benzo withdraw is particularly dangerous. Consider a medically supervised detox if necessary. I wish you well!!!

This x 1000. DO NOT ATTEMPT to discontinue benzo use on your own, especially if you've been on high doses and/or taking benzos for years. Consult with your PCP or even better, someone who specializes in addictions/detox. You may need a long-term taper to come off of them safely.

Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
Oh, I agree wholeheartedly. I have to check in monthly by phone on a certain date, but it's been three solid months since my case manager has called me back. The playing field is not even. I have to hold up my end, but deadlines don't exist for them and they have a wide latitude to make discretionary decisions. It's taken them 4 months to respond to my IOP therapist' s request and determination to finally step down my number of required meetings with them. Four months. So I had to keep going to these expensive group meetings weekly for four months longer than my therapist requested until they got sick of me emailing and calling daily and finally gave me approval to step down to once monthly.

Ergo, I have no control over what they do. I control what I do. So that's all I can do; grit my teeth, follow my contract, and blow steam out of my ears regarding the fact that I have to follow the rules explicititely while they get to make their own rules up as they go.

I realize to you this is inconvenience, but to the board, who exists to protect patients, not nurses, these expenses and time commitments are part of the restitution you owe the profession. I know that sounds harsh, it should. The board did nothing wrong, and are probably staffed way too short to be giving immediate answers as the opioid crisis accelerates. Sometimes seeing it from the other side expands our vision.

Absolutely. I agree. It's their job to protect the public and I'm 100% ok with that. I will pay my dues and everything will be peaches :)

Specializes in OR.
I realize to you this is inconvenience, but to the board, who exists to protect patients, not nurses, these expenses and time commitments are part of the restitution you owe the profession. I know that sounds harsh, it should. The board did nothing wrong, and are probably staffed way too short to be giving immediate answers as the opioid crisis accelerates. Sometimes seeing it from the other side expands our vision.

I'm actually going to disagree with this because some of us do not "owe restitution to the profession" as you say because some of us did not do anything wrong and have nothing to do with "the acceleration of the opioid crisis." That, in my opinion is a deflectionary cop out. In many cases, it is not even the BON that we are wanting answers from. It is the case managers of the private programs that the BON farmed us out to.

Many of these programs claim to assist in recovery and in reality function in a punitive and bordering on abusive manner.

Sorry, my vision is not expanded by considering that it might be okay to be punished by a faceless organization that seems to exist primarily for the purpose of monetary enrichment for a few individuals, for the crime of having a mental illness and having reached out to my own for help.

I got metaphorically kicked in the head and you believe I owe the profession restitution? That kind of thinking is why I am sorry I asked for help.:unsure:

I agree With you as well. These programs are stricitly for monitoring and no help if you truly need help. I feel For those that are in need of help but don't have that support. The whole program is a money skeem to me. Since they have nothing on me they're going to monitor me for a year or however many.

Yeah I think that if we are going to go with the whole protecting the profession and the public line of logic it should have to be shown that the nurses actions actually did impact their practice. If a nurses gets a DUI away from work but was never shown to have been impaired at work how does that impact the profession? If a nurse smoked some weed on an off day or used leftover pills from an old dental procedure to combat acute back pain but was never impaired at work what does that have to do with patient safety? If a nurse went to rehab 10 years before becoming a nurse and has been clean since why is she being punished? However, to Cat's point the most bizarre example of these programs pure wanton disregard for even common sense if a nurse has a mental health issue that does not involve substance abuse in any way why is she sent to rehab and 12 step meetings? Honestly the only rationale I can see in many of these cases is not protecting the public or helping nurses it's enriching the rehab industry with its single digit success rate. From what I've seen if it wasn't for sentencing alternatives to avoid overcrowding in jails and employment issues these programs would die the death that so many of them deserve

Specializes in Med/Surg, Women's Health, LTC.
Yeah I think that if we are going to go with the whole protecting the profession and the public line of logic it should have to be shown that the nurses actions actually did impact their practice. If a nurses gets a DUI away from work but was never shown to have been impaired at work how does that impact the profession? If a nurse smoked some weed on an off day or used leftover pills from an old dental procedure to combat acute back pain but was never impaired at work what does that have to do with patient safety? If a nurse went to rehab 10 years before becoming a nurse and has been clean since why is she being punished?

I know the BON must protect the public and I am thankful they even let us serve a sentence, so we may keep or regain our licenses.

But.....

I couldn't agree with this any more! I, myself, have 13 years clean and sober. Yet, I know there is a possibility that I will be asked to either go to rehab or IOP or treatment of some sort.

I do still attend meetings, suited to my non-Christian beliefs, and I have a sponsor. I have submitted enough documentation to require re-foresting due to the trees I have killed. Unfortunately, I am still waiting, and waiting and waiting for an answer to if I will even be "gifted" this monitoring program.

Meanwhile, I am trying to save money and prepare myself for some lengthy "evaluation" process. Because everyone knows, even at 13 years sober, a drunk cannot be trusted to tell the truth.

Ugh, my frustration is showing!

I am now stepping of my soapbox!

I realize to you this is inconvenience, but to the board, who exists to protect patients, not nurses, these expenses and time commitments are part of the restitution you owe the profession. I know that sounds harsh, it should. The board did nothing wrong, and are probably staffed way too short to be giving immediate answers as the opioid crisis accelerates. Sometimes seeing it from the other side expands our vision.

I wasn't working as a nurse at all when I had my issue. I had voluntarily stopped working as a nurse prior to my medical MD turning me in. He felt it would get me clean. And I wasn't abusing a controlled substance, let alone an opioid. I'm not getting into precise details.

Some hospitals have a policy that if you have some sort of license with the DHP, if you are a patient with them and they know about it, they turn you in to the Board, regardless of your work status. So no, I don't owe restitution or reparations to anyone. I got clean and then much later returned to work as a monitored nurse.

This program affects nurses with many issues. Many don't involve patient care. Many don't involve substance addiction. Mental health, single events of substance use/abuse, physical health, CEU non compliance, the list is endless.

The point the others have made is that most everybody gets the same program, regardless of the severity of the issue.

I did have a problem, I needed help, but I resent it when someone says that I owe my profession "restitution" or reparations, when I wasn't even a practicing nurse when I was reported as a patient...And hadn't been for a while.

I'm new to posting on this Board, but I've been lurking for a while. It seems so much B.S. and a clear HIPPA violation for anyone in the "Medical Profession" to report a nurse (or any other health professional) to their respective state board for any medical issues! It seems that this is a clear violation of what HIPPA was enacted for! I can't wrap my mind around a provider reporting some one regardless of what the transgression was with the exceptions of the patient being a danger to themselves or others WITH A STATED INTENT TO HARM....but I suppose that is how these creeps get away with HIPPA violations, yet Medical information is supposed to be PROTECTED! If I was, for instance, a mental health provider I could in no way report a patient to law enforcement solely on the fact that my patient was acting inappropriately or abusing any substance what so ever! They would have to constitute a clear and present danger to themselves or the public at large; ie. have a gun anda stated intent to use it . But from what I've researched, many health professionals in monitoring do NOT present a hazard to the public at large for the most part, and really need support or some type of counseling...YET...Doctors reporting patients to the board???? Such BALONEY!!!! AND the boards taking action? Even worse BS. In my case and many other cases, a report to the board because of a "concerned citizen" despite what and we are made to pay dearly.

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