Professional Health Monitoring Programs

Nurses Recovery

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Ok I just graduated from Nursing school last month ( May) and I knew once i applied I would have to disclose all my troubles that I had ( underage drinking, disorderly conduct, falsify info) I told the board about everything and sent in the necessary papers and a personal letter of explanation, and also had my professor write me some references. So the wait was on to see what the board was going to do.

Today I get a letter saying that I have to contact the Professional Health Monitoring Program and get a drug and alcohol evaluation, and if they find I am not impaired I may be permitted to sit for boards, If they find I am impaired then I still may be licensed but I must sign up for a monitoring agreement.

Now I was wondering if anyone had any experience about this Professional Health Monitoring Programs(PHMP). What should I expect.

I have not touched alcohol in years and you better believe after being given this chance to prove this to the board that i will continue to abstain from ETOH.

I am very happy that I am getting this chance, I could have just been denied with all my childish immature troubles, but it is true if you are honest and show that you changed BON's are going to listen and give you a chance.

But again my question was has anyone had any experience with PHMP?

the organization you signed the agreeement with should have that info for you. i received a booklet that lists specifically all meds that should absolutely be avoided, those that can be safely taken, those that can be taken with the supervision by an addictionologist, ... there are very few meds i can take- basically ibuprofen, tylenol, claritin. they even recommend avoiding hand sanitizer, which is interesting if you go back to work!! anyway- they should have that info for you. good luck!!

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Specializes in icu,ccu,sicu,crna.

To MI HPRP members, There is a good addictionist in East Lansing and Carson City. I would suggest you make a change right away. I did and boy am I glad. The Mi HPRP is strict, expensive and time consuming so you may as well see someone who respects you and will try to help you in your recovery - not contribute to it. peace

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yeah seeing someone good and not just in it more the money can make all the difference. you might have to change providers a few times to find the right one.

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sometimes too, they seem decent at first and you won't know till it's too late that they're there for themselves only and not you.

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I agree totaly. I went thru a heart breaking situation in 1998, lost my home, job and spouse. I couldn't handle it and no one to talk to. Now I am still dealing with Boards again, from this one time drug problem. Once you go thru any addiction reprimand sucessfully anything you do from that point on is treated as a "nursing felony." It has been 12 years since my drug problem ended. A hospital turned me in for a drug error and now I am back to square one for one more year with board monitoring. It seems like all they want is your license once you had a problem.

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A mental health assessment is very non stressful. Be sure and go to one that you pay for. And yes Boards is there to protect the public and not to help you. They will also watch anything that is ever reported on you and act agressively. Sorry but true.

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I would appreciate if you're aware of a fair addictionist, and therapist. HPRP is really destroying everything I worked for, and I never even had a drug problem. Just email me if you don't wanna publicly post. If anyone needs a lawyer I know several.

Thanks,

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What do you mean a mental health assessment exactly.

The therapist and addictionist I saw already said I don't have a problem, but HPRP made me be monitored anyway based on weak arguments. I can't go into details becuase they can figure out who I am and I don't want retaliation. Maybe when my case is over in who knows how many years.

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Anyone who feels like they do not have a problem with drugs or alcohol needs to get a lawyer asap if you are dealing with the board. In my state I was applying for my inital licesnse had a dui years before, at the time i was pregnant and the evaluator stated that i needed treatment. This seemed crazy to me, This incident was before nursing school and I was two months pregnant and not using anything. So I got a lawyer, and fought the whole entering the VRP and PHMP it took about a year. But the board agreed with me just because years ago I made a bad choice doesn't mean I should be punished for it for years. I found out I never even met any of the requriements for alcohol abuse, they use the dsm four and the sassi, and that the evaluators own kids had problems with the law one had a drug possession charge and the other had id theft. Anyway if you feel you are being railroaded than get a lawyer. I successfully passed my boards first shot 265 questions after a year out of nursing school and a baby.

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i am in the same situation as all of u. i has a dui 5 years ago. i got evaluatd and they said i did not need tx. but they are tring to make me do self monitoring anyways. i need a good lawyer in indiana

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