Persephone Paige

And they have no governing body, nothing to prevent them from doing whatever they want.

^ I hear you. It would be different if I'd used IV drugs, but I never did. Not only did I never steal them, but I never bought them and shot up either. I've never shot anything up, ever! I was a doctor shopper and I paid my dues to society. I didn't even work in clinical when I was using. I was a case manager! If anyone is reading this and you haven't yet signed the contract, don't! Get an attorney! A signed contract for IPN makes it legal for them to do anything to you (including referral after referral, discrimination against legitimate disabilities) and say anything they want to and about you. Attorney BEFORE you sign anything!

If I ever do get out, I don't know how I will ever write a letter about the 'good' they've done for me. 1. Forced a diagnosis of high functioning ASD then refused to allow me to hunt for a job better suited to my gifts. So, they'll force me right back into the same type of job I was in previously. 2. Forced an evaluation on me in which the MD stated on my permanent medical record, that I stole drugs and shot them up. I never did. How do you thank someone for something like that? This is what I know: you can treat people like that in this world. But make no mistake, it always comes back on you. I would hate to be in their shoes when karma makes her rounds.

No, but I wasn't very interested in Vistaril either, so.

It really does help to go to Voc Rehab. They can help offset many of the costs associated with the monitoring programs. And I'm meeting with a job person (whatever that is) Monday. I was diagnosed with ASD of the Asperger's type and if IPN does this again, Voc Rehab can watch all their work go up in smoke too.

Still no notices showing up in my inbox. In case anyone stops by, my advice at this time is to descend on Vocational Rehabilitation. Tell them you are with IPN and that some have already begun seeking their help and they will see more. Fill out their forms and apply for their services... The right people will not start noticing us until clean/sober nurses with perhaps other comorbid diagnosis (for myself it's Autism/ADHD/Asperger's) start hitting them up for money and services to try and survive and get out of IPN.

I just checked, no messages. Maybe it's because I haven't been on in a while... try a test.

Hi everyone, I'm sorry, I haven't gotten these notices. And I don't have any notices in my inbox. It's been a while, I'll check again and get back ASAP.

Bump

State the facts (without emotion), state your part in it and what you have done to change your life. Make no excuses... It can actually be a very brief letter.

Do you even have to answer 'yes' anymore, if you've done your time? Or do you have a mark on your license?

On Affinity, 'no-result' for me has just meant that they haven't posted the results yet. Sometimes they lose specimens (it's happened to my friend more than once) and refund the $$, or fail to store properly.

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This is going to be another unpopular comment, but we're not allowed to be impaired physically, either. We are not allowed to be impaired from chemotherapy, we are not allowed to be impaired from Bipolar or Anxiety, we are not allowed to be impaired from narcotics. Nurses not in a monitoring contract have no clue what is actually meant by "impaired." If someone with MS comes to work in a 'flare' they can be pulled from the floor for being 'impaired' and referred. We have rights, we can't (or shouldn't) be fired. But, the rights of the patient supersede our right to work if a disability is interfering or has the potential to interfere with patient care and safety. Then, get ready to have to prove you are safe after being referred. Monitoring programs include physical, mental and chemical impairment.

Hmmm, that may be different then. Maybe your narc restriction will be over! I sure hope so.

They will probably send the urine off for levels testing (how high and how recently you used/drank). If they are recent enough and high enough you could be given the option to self-report to your state monitoring program or be turned over to the BON. Regardless, contact an attorney experienced in BON cases in advance. Do not wait...

I had to shake my head when I heard this one. We aren't in jail anyway, but they use the fear of unemployment.

Nothing counts until your are actually in a monitoring program, but it looks good that you have obtained employment where there are no narcs. My guess is 'yes' to the narc restriction, since diverting was an issue.

Keep the questions coming, it never hurts to ask: Recent example: If you have had lie detector tests as a part of your evaluations, after false accusations, contact me through PM. Don't let these nuts ask you to prove a negative with junk science. They need to use real science and the results will reflect the truth.

The longer you live, the more you learn that if a cop has grounds to stop you, they don't bother to discriminate between stopped at a red light while texting and actively driving while texting. I was once in Drug Court with a woman who had epilepsy and needed her medication to remain seizure free. She was going through a divorce and lost her insurance. Her friend was prescribed the same medication for Bipolar, not seizures. She didn't take the medication and she encouraged the woman who had lost her insurance to take the prescription to the pharmacy and fill it under her name and insurance, ONCE. Only the Bipolar lady didn't clarify the ONCE... So, the seizure lady did that, was grateful and seizure free. When the medication ran out, she refilled it. The Bipolar friend has a *** fit, calls the cops and the seizure lady gets arrested and thrown into Drug Court with the drug addicts. If it fits the category of 'illegal,' they don't care. Glad you got into your program and are doing well!

Bump

What I don't think you understand is that the powers that be don't discriminate between appeared impaired and was impaired. If she appeared impaired to the person who reported her and she tests positive for a narcotic, for all intents and purposes, she's impaired. If the drug test supports the report, they have no way to retroactively do a field sobriety test, they will ere on the side of safety. Forget compassion, you are dealing with a corporate world. They look at the bottom line. The amount a patient/patient family could sue for outweighs the puny noise makings of a nurse with a history of migraines. When you start thinking like the wolf of Wall Street, then you'll understand where we factor in to this.... we don't.

No good deed goes unpunished... I would drop an anonymous note in the mailbox of the head pharmacist, as someone suggested. Make sure the complaint can't be traced back to you. You would be surprised the things that long term coworkers are willing to overlook, no matter how wrong. And keep yourself safe with documentation...

Are you still keeping your license active? I was so overwhelmed with everything going on that I did not keep renewing. Basically because I received a 2 year suspension as a punishment and I really just didn't know what to do. I thought if it was suspended and if I had to apply to have it unsuspended, then why renew? I was upset, just didn't bother to clarify. It became null and void too, along with suspension, because of that. The best way to describe the current system is, "the mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine." I think they act quickly with folks who attempt to work, but if you drop of the radar they get there when they get there. I am only on the NPDB. If you go to the OIG website, you can look yourself up. Also know that you can apply to have your name removed, I've know several nurses who have had to do it.

Maybe it was mentioned and I didn't see it, but what about the women who use pregnancy to get what they want from a man? The ones who deliberately stop taking birth control and don't tell their lovers? The ones who poke holes in condoms? It's been going on since the beginning of time. Very often neither sex has any respect for the wishes of the other. But, it doesn't support the dialog that women are the victims of everything. Some women are victims, and I support those women. I do not blindly support women who fail to utilize their power when it counts most: prevention.