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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

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

Definitely not the same attorney. We should all be aware by now that PNAP is not going to give us helpful info. I still have your email. I'll hit you up when I get home later.

Thank you for asking for an update. Since the legislature has to go through the Senate, I was working with two senators to make the changes I laid out in my proposal. They agreed that there were issues and that things needed changed. Currently, they are figuring out the zoning for the issue. I just got an update a couple days ago. It's a long standing issue, so the idea now is to be patient. I'm working with a lawyer who helped write PNAP to take care of the PNAP participants on a case-by-case basis. He is very understanding, is willing to work with is financially, and know the PNAP contract as well as anyone. Several nurses have worked with him with success. As I have repeatedly said, my goal is not to dismantle PNAP since some of us really need help. There are a number of issues that prevent recovering or recovered nurses from being able to practice that are completely unassociated with drug or alcohol use, or poor behavior. That is unfair and should not exist. These "catch-22's" and other traps need to be removed so a true therapeutic environment can exist. If anyone wants to get in touch with the lawyer we've been using (myself and other pnap nurses) leave me a message and I'll get you in touch with him and his team. Good luck to everyone! Tommy Lee RN, BSN

Email sent your way. Thank you for reaching out! Tommy Lee, RN, BSN

This had not be posed to me before. I will add it to the information I have to present in a few weeks. I appreciate you pointing this out. This is exactly why I'm trying to get in touch with nurses, because there are so many issues like this self-incrimination nonsense that makes it where the net of so-called addiction/alcoholism can be spread over a group of people with no current issues. Are we all to be punished? Especially when some of our habits are general experimentation in our teens? Or it could be from a difficult time in our lives that we moved past and have no real consistent record of abuse. The information they request is misleading. I will address it. Thank you for your perspective, Tommy Lee Porter II, RN, BSN

I'm new to allnurses and I dont know too well how to post on here. I think someone sent me a private message and I dont know how to respond. Is there a way that I direct message you? I'll send you the proposal I sent the state government. So far, the initial proposal went well. It moved on to some specific politicians that agreed with it and I had to write a paragraph to send to other possible supporters because they seem to avoid reading anything long. I'm waiting until they finish the state budget to have a face-to-face with them to try to move forward with making real changes. My other concern is that PNAP will try to yank my license. They have a vested interest in continuing most of the stuff I want to revise, so they might try to come after me. My goal to get on the radio and make this a big issue at some point. That way I can let the public know that that is a likely scenario. So, as I stated, if you can explain how I send info directly, I'll get it to you tonight. I'm back in school for an unrelated nursing degree so I can transition my career if things don't work out, so I'll be on my computer most of the evening writing a paper. Thank you for your question and I'm sorry if I missed anyone else. I signed up for Allnurses when I wrote my first post. Trying to figure it out. TL

Good day, This is my first post on here. My wife gave me a link to this thread. I am currently working with some lawmakers to try to get PNAP reformed. The program is a one-size-fits-all, forces us to leave our jobs without the ability (usually) to get back into a comparable position, and it has a high rate of recidivism. The idea that forgetting to check a urinalysis is treated the same as a relapse is crazy. There should be a way to get test as soon as a person realizes they have missed. I suggested having the day a person is select, and the next day, to be able to get the test. We have lives. If anyone wants to help me, feel free to get in contact. The state is doing their budget currently and they will be reviewing our case right afterward. Right now, the proposal is with the Auditor General. He thinks we have a shot. We need more voices though. Honestly, right now I'm working on my own. I know about 30 PNAP nurses, but everyone is apathetic. They agree with change, but aren't willing to make a move. We are Cash For Nurses. Good luck in the program, Tommy Lee RN, BSN