Please help

willow14 · Jul 22, 2015

Hi and welcome to the site! You will find many who can relate with your story here, even if they're not from Texas, which I'm not, either.

Do you know if your previous employer reported you to the BON? Did you have to do a drug screen when they suspected something was going on? Just curious.

For me, I self reported to my BON and asked to be placed into my state's Professional Assistance Program, which is an alternative to discipline program. I'm only 10 months in of a 5 year program, with stipulations: 48 random UAs a year, no access to controlled substances, no permission to work in homecare or pool nursing, etc.....Yes, it's difficult and HARD, but going through this whole process and my monitoring program has taught me A LOT & has been very humbling.

I can't speak to ho we you should proceed with your current job exactly, but honesty is the best policy....it might be best for you to tell them up front--since the BON has already referred you to TPAPN, but that is up to you. Perhaps others can provide more direction on this.

My concern is, how are you staying sober/clean? Do you for sure admit that you had a problem? Are you going to NA/AA? I would suggest that you do seek help, if you do or did have problem. I understand that fear has driven you "not to use for 2 months", but getting down to "why" you used in the first place is going to be beneficial to your sobriety. I apologize for sounding preachy, I don't mean to come across that way :).

I'm sorry I can't offer more guidance, but I wish you luck and hope you keep coming back to this site to share and learn from others here. :)

verybadkitty · Jul 22, 2015

You should go ahead and self-report to TPAPN, since the board is already referring you it will definitely happen. Self-reporting may speed the process up. I don't know about what/when to tell your current employer, but I highly recommend getting in touch with a TPAPN advocate. If you PM me I will ask my advocate if she minds me giving you her number. She has been a tremendous resource to me! I am also in TPAPN in the DFW area, although I am in the mid-cities area.

NurseMGQ · Jul 22, 2015

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post!

A bit of a background is that I had my appendix taken out last August ('14) and it spiraled from there. The 'weird' thing is that I never ingested hydrocodone during work, but of course that's difficult to contest since I tested positive for norco on the drug screen they performed after pharmacy flagged me (I took some at home two nights before the test).

I stay clean because I never had withdrawals, I would steal the hydrocodone from the Pyxis and take prn at home. After being sent home (after my drug urine and escort off hospital property) I threw everything out and never thought of touching it ever since. I'm terrified. I don't even feel like a REAL nurse anymore, as if I've lost a big chunk of who I am, even though I'm worst a different place now. My HR director at the old place said they had an obligation to report my incident to the board, but the reply I got today was in regards to the letter I sent. There was no mention of suspicion reported from anyone else.

You're not sounding "preachy" at all, you have 100% more experience than I do an I really appreciate your input. My issue has been to be extremely hard on myself since the initial event (when I was caught in May) and having my kids literally keeps me going.

Thanks again!

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2015

If I were in your position, I would:

Start going to NA/AA and documenting this. If you have the money, see a therapist and keep documentation of your appointments with that as well. TPAPN is going to recommend treatment and you might be able to head off a more expensive recommendation like residential with proof of ongoing treatment on your own. "I learned my lesson and have been clean for two months!" isn't going to cut it, unfortunately.

Figure out whether your job is stipulation-friendly, although this is probably a lot easier said then done without pre-emptively alerting the wrong person. If not, start looking at job opportunities that will be.

Start saving money. You usually can't work during the period where you are being evaluated and initially treated.

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jul 22, 2015

You have been given sound advice , Tx.BON peer assistance program

is what you have been referred to.......most cases, a nurse who sucessfully completes the program, does not have formal displinary marks on their lic. That being said there are stipulations, that may seem daunting.....but you can work through them.....

as as mental health evaluation for addiction,

12 step meeting requirements

random urine drug screens

quarterly reports from nursing supervisor

narcotic key restriction for a certain amount of months

work site requirements no nights, critical care, home health etc (for a period of time

routine communication with your case mgr.

you must keep sobriety for most, and jump through all the hoops, it is worth it!

dialysis and LTC facilities are most stipulation friendly.

you can do this, you must do this, it gets better.

best wishes

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jul 22, 2015

There is life after stipulations and displinary actions, especially if you make recovery your priority

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jul 22, 2015

I was able to return to critical care, and DON in several LTCs....

look into MDS coordinator in L t c......guidelines can be found at DAD.com

nursing homes needs this M DS assessment done to get paid.

it is normally a M-F, 8a-4p...job, no melds to be given, the DON is you supervisor for quarterly reports....very conducive to working off stipulations...was my ticket to freedom...and my recovery matured.... Keep your head up, focus on the next right thing

sally

FHL18 · Jul 27, 2015

Hi there! I am also in TPAPN and in the DFW area. I just self-reported about a month ago for also diverting from my previous employer, but never got busted there. I agree with what everyone else has said. You may not have used for 2 months because you had the crap scared out of you, but you need to jump into recovery and quickly. I would find out if your job is TPAPN friendly. Like others said, there is a whole list of stipulations for your job that are required by TPAPN. No narcotic access for 6 months, usually no nights or weekends, no float pool, among other things. Many, many places are not TPAPN friendly. Not to discourage you but this is something I had to get used to. I have never been interviewed for a nursing job that I was not offered, so I have had to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for the rejection that is coming. And it isn't their fault, they are just uneducated on addiction as I also used to be. But your work will find out sooner or later, and probably sooner rather than later if you've already been reported to TPAPN. You should be getting a packet in the mail this week I bet from TPAPN telling you who your caseworker is and what not. My recommendation to you would be to call them back immediately and enroll. If you decline TPAPN you will get sent back to the boards and will be at the mercy of what they decide, and whatever they decide will stay on your license forever. If you successfully complete TPAPN (it's a 3 year contract) it will go away after you complete it. I also want to prepare you that they will ask you to go to some form of treatment as well. I have been to inpatient treatment twice and outpatient once and at the time I reported to TPAPN a month ago I had 3 months clean, and they still made me do 6 more weeks of out patient treatment. From what I understand it is mandatory for pretty much everyone. They see it as even though I was back working a strong program of recovery, I still relapsed, even though it was a couple weeks. So I get treatment again like everyone else. And what sucks in my situation is my insurance wouldn't pay for treatment because I was at 3 months clean, so I got to pay like 2k out of pocket. But...I'm at a place of surrender with the whole thing and you will have to find that place too. Surrender to this process, and start looking for other jobs now that are TPAPN friendly. Start going to AA/NA meetings. Find a sponsor, and start working the steps. All of this will be required for you in TPAPN anyway, however, you need this for your recovery first and foremost. I started out my addiction with hydrocodone, and swore I would never do anything else. Well this last relapse was me, clean needles I stole from work and vials of opiates I took home as wasted from my patients. The disease of addiction is progressive and fatal, and it will take you down roads you never thought you would go. Trust me on this. It does get worse. So get a hold of this thing now. You will be ok and you can get through this. We are here for you, and I am in north DFW but if you ever wanna meet up for coffee one day let me know and I'll be glad to meet up and talk more. Sorry to ramble, but hope this helps. I needed all the help and info I could get when I first started out in recovery. = ) Feel free to pm me too with any questions or anything I can help you with.

ajg1117 · Jul 30, 2015

Good Morning,

My husband is an RN with a Board Order with very light stipulations. He has mostly psych experience, but no one will hire him, or even respond to his applications because of the board order. Can you recommend a hospital that might consider him for employment? Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. My email address is [email protected]

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jul 31, 2015

Un fortunately LTC and dialysis are most stipulation friendly