PNAP

Nurses Recovery

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Hello. I am just wondering if there are other individuals who have successfully completed, or are currently in, PNAP program and have a career as a nurse? I just entered the PNAP program and am doing everything possible to completely recover and be a better husband, father and nurse. There are many articles listing negative reviews about PNAP and just curious if there are any updated comments anyone has on them. Thank you.

21 hours ago, Lust4life said:

Ohhh I had an attorney too....paid him thousands and he didn't/couldn't do *** and knew it before taking my money. Then when the criminal charges came up he wanted another few thousand to help me there. Said he could get felony down to a misdemeanor....that could've saved my career and livelihood. But I already paid him all I had for " the administrative part". I wasn't working. I got the felony. Screwed for life. 

What's good, man? I'm sorry about your experience. It's not unheard of. As the moderator stated on a previous response, I can't make specific recommendations about lawyers. I personally fought for change for quite a while. I reached out early on in the pandemic to relax the rules on PNAP so we could help out during this disaster. The response from the local politicians was basically "no way." I had a person high up in the UPMC organization fighting for us, but no luck. I can say it's the most I felt like we were sub-human since all this PNAP stuff started. I reached out for support from other nurses, and they were either apathetic or afraid, so the only support I got was from nurses who lost their licenses. As a result, I gave up. 

The lesson for me was to avoid getting in trouble again. The rest is worthless. I am still waiting for the PSNA ambassador program to start back up, if it hasn't already. I hope to use that as a vehicle for change. Besides that, I'm moving on. I wish you the best getting your license back next year. I'm sure your story is rich in issues related to the disturbances to your family and your quality of living. It changes us. I suggest to everyone to do whatever it takes to protect your license. If you are dealing with addiction issues, go get help. Don't end up in the system. If you're in the system, do your best to get out. Being a couple years removed, I can say it doesn't feel like it ever happened. What it has done is leave a deep desire to advocate for myself, since no one else will, and my family and I will be the ones who suffer if I fall on my face.

Good luck to everyone reading through this and desperate to get their lives back. Don't give up.

All the best,

TL

Tommy Lee, MBA, BSN, RN

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Specializes in Previously was an RN.

PNAP is a horrible punitive program where they act like you are worth less than nothing. There is no “good side” of PNAP. I was treated horribly despite being 100% clean and in compliance the entire time I was in the program. The PNAP doctor almost killed me because he said I couldn’t take my medication and not taking it stopped my heart twice and I ended up in the ICU. And being unable to work for months despite meeting their requirements while having to pay their exorbitant fees got me evicted, homeless, and have horrible credit to this day. And then they screwed me over when I left the program by putting a false statement on my background check stating I was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol while working with patients as a nurse. This is not true, they refuse to remove it, and it would cost me thousands of dollars to remove it. So yeah. I have absolutely nothing good to say about PNAP. They did not help my recovery at all, if anything they made me want to use constantly or kill myself. I’m doing a million times better in my recovery now that I’m not in PNAP.  I may work a low paying job and live in not the greatest place but I’m happy, clean, and have no desire to go back to using. I couldn’t say that then. Unless PNAP is changed, I feel there will be a lot more failures. I saw multiple people fail out in the time I was in the program and a lot of it had to do with the way people were treated and how much it cost. But I don’t see things changing so I see many more people leaving nursing at a time when nursing is already struggling to fill the positions it has. 

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2 hours ago, Juujuubee said:

PNAP is a horrible punitive program where they act like you are worth less than nothing. There is no “good side” of PNAP. I was treated horribly despite being 100% clean and in compliance the entire time I was in the program. The PNAP doctor almost killed me because he said I couldn’t take my medication and not taking it stopped my heart twice and I ended up in the ICU. And being unable to work for months despite meeting their requirements while having to pay their exorbitant fees got me evicted, homeless, and have horrible credit to this day. And then they screwed me over when I left the program by putting a false statement on my background check stating I was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol while working with patients as a nurse. This is not true, they refuse to remove it, and it would cost me thousands of dollars to remove it. So yeah. I have absolutely nothing good to say about PNAP. They did not help my recovery at all, if anything they made me want to use constantly or kill myself. I’m doing a million times better in my recovery now that I’m not in PNAP.  I may work a low paying job and live in not the greatest place but I’m happy, clean, and have no desire to go back to using. I couldn’t say that then. Unless PNAP is changed, I feel there will be a lot more failures. I saw multiple people fail out in the time I was in the program and a lot of it had to do with the way people were treated and how much it cost. But I don’t see things changing so I see many more people leaving nursing at a time when nursing is already struggling to fill the positions it has. 

They don't want anyone who ever had a substance problem to work as a nurse again, imo. Even if you do not go with the money making program of pnap, and you get sober with years of recovery and petition for reinstatement of your license, they STILL find a way to screw you and try to get you in the program. The court cases I read online make me not want to even try petitioning. Anytime I've ever felt hopeful about reentry to nursing, it was quickly shot down. The last ten years, except for my recovery, have been very hard financially....emotionally....physically. Trying to make a living wage impossible. I have so many skills and much experience, but find it difficult to make a living and get out of poverty. Having 6 years sober, yet being denied for an exciting opportunity as a Claims Examiner was my most recent upset. Trying to figure out why I wasn't hired, I then remembered about the OIG exclusion list.....another road block to making a living and not being homeless. Sometimes I think about ending my life because my mistake has cost me immeasurably, and relentlessly. I'm punished for my past addiction and indiscretion, many times over. No one cares. They don't teach that in nursing schools! LOL ❤️ Wish they did. Maybe I wouldn't have been so damn naive and stupid. On bright side, I may be homeless but at least I'm sober and present for every minute of it. 

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Juujuubee, who was it that was so horrible to you at PNAP? My experience was not like that AT ALL so I can assure you there is a "good side" of PNAP. Maybe there is a bad egg, though, I guess I can't speak to that. It is frankly hard to believe that someone told you that you are worthless and that you were treated so horribly.

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Lust4life said:

They don't want anyone who ever had a substance problem to work as a nurse again, imo. Even if you do not go with the money making program of pnap, and you get sober with years of recovery and petition for reinstatement of your license, they STILL find a way to screw you and try to get you in the program. The court cases I read online make me not want to even try petitioning. Anytime I've ever felt hopeful about reentry to nursing, it was quickly shot down. The last ten years, except for my recovery, have been very hard financially....emotionally....physically. Trying to make a living wage impossible. I have so many skills and much experience, but find it difficult to make a living and get out of poverty. Having 6 years sober, yet being denied for an exciting opportunity as a Claims Examiner was my most recent upset. Trying to figure out why I wasn't hired, I then remembered about the OIG exclusion list.....another road block to making a living and not being homeless. Sometimes I think about ending my life because my mistake has cost me immeasurably, and relentlessly. I'm punished for my past addiction and indiscretion, many times over. No one cares. They don't teach that in nursing schools! LOL ❤️ Wish they did. Maybe I wouldn't have been so damn naive and stupid. On bright side, I may be homeless but at least I'm sober and present for every minute of it. 

I relate very much to your experience. Are you still active on this forum? I am thinking no one out there is going through this but me. 

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Overcomer,

don't give up. It's obnoxious, but "graduating " is worth it. I'm a few years removed from the program myself and besides a little delay in my goals, everything is back to normal. I've won awards at my new job and I'm now in management. Finally, in NP school and I've been an adjunct professor on and off. 
 

I've talked to many still in the program and it looks like some things have been loosened up, especially depending on your advisor (I can remember their exact title). One person was in NP school, allowed to do the med room, and allowed to work charge. I don't know anyone with that freedom 5 years ago. 
 

Keep working hard and get out. Go live your life and do all the things you hope to do now. Don't let this hiccup ruin your hard work, even if it obnoxious right now. Out of the blue it ends, and just goes away. You're almost there, so make this the next thing you tackle. There's so much more to do once this is over. I wish you the best and I will be rooting for you! Keep up updated when you finally finish, please.

TL

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facemuscles said:

Overcomer,

don't give up. It's obnoxious, but "graduating " is worth it. I'm a few years removed from the program myself and besides a little delay in my goals, everything is back to normal. I've won awards at my new job and I'm now in management. Finally, in NP school and I've been an adjunct professor on and off. 
 

I've talked to many still in the program and it looks like some things have been loosened up, especially depending on your advisor (I can remember their exact title). One person was in NP school, allowed to do the med room, and allowed to work charge. I don't know anyone with that freedom 5 years ago. 
 

Keep working hard and get out. Go live your life and do all the things you hope to do now. Don't let this hiccup ruin your hard work, even if it obnoxious right now. Out of the blue it ends, and just goes away. You're almost there, so make this the next thing you tackle. There's so much more to do once this is over. I wish you the best and I will be rooting for you! Keep up updated when you finally finish, please.

TL

TL,

Your message gave me so much hope! I really mean that. I know that the years will pass anyways and now is the youngest I will ever be. It makes sense to not give up and keep at it. I know if God is for me, who can be against me. I know I am not the sum of my mistakes. I can get past this and maybe think about further education or even something else after it's all over said and done with...who knows. I am definitely in it to win it! I think it's the case manager, what you were referring to. They can have a lot of say, in how hard they make it for you. I keep telling myself the worst has already happened, now I am close to applying for reinstatement, Lord-willing, next year, and then see what happens with admittance to the Peer program.  Thanks for your reply.  

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