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catsmeow1972 BSN, RN

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catsmeow1972 has 15 years experience as a BSN, RN and specializes in OR.

Fluent in sarcasm and constantly trying not to curse every 3rd **** word. Mother of cats. Likes human kids so long as they are someone else’s and I can gives them back. Deep down, actually a nice person (so I’m told). Will take your holiday shift for cash...

catsmeow1972's Latest Activity

  1. catsmeow1972

    Nurse support group.

    catsmeow1972 replied to LostinIndy's topic in Recovery

    Not quite 2 years into my contract, I got pulled out of the In-person support group and dropped into an online thing they were ‘trialing’. It was fine by me as it seemed to be the singular acknowledgment from those people that I had mental health issues and did not need to be treated like a I had SUD (but by their logic, no matter what lands a person in their gunsights, drug rehab is the an$$$$swer.) The group was mental health focused and all of us were in there for some mental health related issue of some sort. The moderator was supportive as opposed to the face-to- face groups (which were pure hell for me) where the moderators answer to any concern was “shrug, just gotta deal with it.” Ummmm, gee thanks…thought this was a support group….. I've been out for almost 2 years now and really haven’t looked back. The online thing was a rarity in my time but given the COVID stuff and all, I suspect the online groups will become more prevalent.
  2. catsmeow1972

    Florida IPN saga continues

    catsmeow1972 replied to Ipnsux's topic in Recovery

    I’ts been nearly 2 years since I’ve been out of the clutches of those horrible people. Because I was fortunate enough to be able to move (had to multiple times during that joke of a contract because I had to go where I could find work), about 6 months from before the end, I landed in a place that I reckon thought the same of IPNs antics as I do. 2+ years later, I’m still there and quite happy. A shame I had to move across the the state, 5 hours from any family to get here. I’m not on here as much anymore because it’s possible to actually have a life that is not controlled by stupid, meaningless rules that are irrelevant to actually helping anyone. It’s possible to enjoy life when you don’t have to worry about *** like not drinking to much water so you don’t flunk a piss test when drugs were never your issue to start with. It’s possible to have hobbies and a social life when you aren’t being forced into useless 12 step meetings that do nothing but unnecessarily ramp up anxiety. It’s possible to AFFORD life when you are not paying through the nose for pointless tests and you are not seen as an ATM machine for a bunch of bullying thugs like IPN and their ilk. While there are people that benefit from things such as monitoring, 12 step meetings etc and even people who should not be practicing, that bunch of crooks and their cronies in the rehab programs do way more harm than good. Regardless of what they babble about, this is a huge money making enterprise that is rife with conflicts of interest and huge doses of massively unethical behavior. The fact that the individuals who run this program and others like it can actually sleep at night, knowing how much ruin they rain down on people for the crimes of being human and being nurses, saddens me. All that being said, I made it through their gauntlet, though not unscathed. I will always be angry, sad and disgusted about the years of my career and my life that were stolen all in the name of the god of money. I’ve moved on and am in a good place now but it has been in spite of those idiots, certainly not because of them.
  3. catsmeow1972

    Blast from the past!

    catsmeow1972 replied to hppygr8ful's topic in Recovery

    The most satisfying ‘thunk’ ever was me dropping all that garbage into the trash can. I had dragged those two file boxes through several moves as I had to go where I could find employment (that’s what happens when your only nursing experience is highly specialized and you pretty much suck at every other type.) I am now a year and a half past finishing and still at the job that gave me a chance about 6 months prior to finishing. I knew I was in a good place when I asked my manager ‘do you know why I’m saddled with this thing? She said no and don’t need to. I went through a horror show of being lied to, abused, screamed at (yes, screamed at) and aside from the psych issues that got me there, a great case of PTSD. I spent time drawing disability (which getting is it’s own hellscape.) Everytime I had to do paperwork related to that that involved going through those boxes I would get upset. I would sit and read those so-called ‘evaluations’ with all the lies and straight up BS that was written to justify parting me from A LOT of money, not to mention the one evaluator that sent me a bunch of someone else’s records. I finally came to the conclusion that it was really not healthy or helpful to be reading that crap. I waved bye bye as the trash truck took it all away.***
  4. SoFloMurse

    Good morning Ms. Meow.  I have been reading a lot of your posts regarding the IPN.  You seem to be a wealth of knowledge!  I just signed up so I cannot send you any direct messages, but I would love to pick your brain and gain further insight. 

    1. catsmeow1972

      catsmeow1972, BSN, RN

      Write to 1catsmeow1972@gmail.com  Its a private email account I keep just for any IPN BS related correspondence.

    2. NuRsE ReScUe

      NuRsE ReScUe, ASN

      I emailed too

    3. Scared_mess

      Scared_mess

      Hi there I hope you don’t mind if I email you too.

  5. catsmeow1972

    Are these costs tax deductible?

    catsmeow1972 replied to rn1965's topic in Recovery

    For the majority of my contract I claimed the tests as an I reimbursed medical expense. For much of that time I actually had a low enough income (SSDI and crummy near minimum wage jobs) and/or enough medical expenses that I paid cash for that I made it to the 10% of AGI to allow me to do that. I claimed the group fees and other assorted garbage under ‘professional expenses.’ After the tax scam of 2017, I lost both those options. Fortunately I was working by that point and the extraneous costs were pretty much done.
  6. catsmeow1972

    30 Freaking Days Left give or take 10 days

    catsmeow1972 replied to New mommy 26's topic in Recovery

    I was irritable and POd as hell for the last 6 odd weeks. I had been running a Countdown calendar on my phone for years. Given that my states program is/was rife with corruption, lies, generalized BSing AND my idiot CM, when I asked what I needed to supply to shut this thing down, told me I needed to get a bunch of letters from therapist, shrink, etc, and it turned out that those weren’t even necessary....I had no way of knowing if they were going to pull some garbage that would make me have to sic my lawyer on them....again. Throughout the entire nightmare, I never missed a check in or had a dilute or nothing, yet I was still treated like garbage and nothing but a money faucet, like everyone else unfortunate enough to encounter them. I asked for help and got a royal screw job that I only survived because I had financial resources, decent family support and a mile wide stubborn streak. Even after I received a call that told me I was done, I still continued the check that ridiculous system because I didn’t trust a thing those jerks said until I actually had printed evidence in my hot little hand. I had had enough experience with those people (from thier tool ‘evaluators’ writing *** that never happened and I never said into their reports to a CM that invented policy and contract requirements that didn’t exist and were not true) that I wasn’t going to believe a damn thing until I had hard evidence of it really being over. Life is better now but I STILL have a hard time trusting anyone. That program did me no favors, except show me what liars and thieves people can be, all in the name of the almighty dollar, and they can all go drop off a cliff for all I care.
  7. catsmeow1972

    TPAPN and Peth test

    catsmeow1972 replied to TexasMel's topic in Recovery

    Or you could just not drink...... these jerks do enough to torture people without being given cause to. I get that we are human and people make mistakes, relapse etc. Those that have, for whatever reason, have enough to deal with. Those of us that fought our way through this gauntlet and those that are still in the clutches of what is frequently a massive scam operation that seems to exist for no other reason than to make money, do not need to be giving them any ‘anecdotal evidence’ to justify their pathetic excuses to make this any harder on thier victims than they already do. The majority of people just try to make it through the best they can, and adhere to the contract no matter how stupid Or inappropriate the stipulations may be. Not to sound cold but if you are scrambling for ways to intentionally do things that are verboten and you get caught (and you will) then you deserve what hell they rain down on you.
  8. catsmeow1972

    Does an attorney help against PHMP/PNAP?

    catsmeow1972 replied to Jhope41831's topic in Recovery

    “yes I received a letter from the BON to see their approved Dr for an evaluation“ Sounds a lot like a friend of mine that is trapped in this unending circle of hell in regards to Florida’s program. She went to the board to object to the abuse inflicted upon her by IPN (BS reasons and them invoking nonexistent ‘policy’ got her kicked out of IPN), they told her to get another evaluation done by an ‘approved evaluator.’ The problem with that is that they gave no guidance as to how or who. The only ‘evaluators’ that will see her are the ones that are the tools of IPN. Of course they will recomandate (I love this word, LOL) another contract. In short, she’s on the shelf unless she agrees to another contract and given that she never should have been in their clutches to begin with and those same quacks/crooks that they call ‘evaluators’ are who screwed her up to start with. This, folks is why legal counsel BEFORE you submit to any evaluation or sign anything or frankly even speak to these BS artists is SO important. Counsel may not save you from the program (especially if there is legit reasons...real addiction issues, etc.) but can maybe save you from the more unsavory aspects. My situation was a fast ride into hell until I realized what they were really after (money$$$$) and that they had zero interest in my career or my well-being. That was when I got the lawyer. I had to deal with them for the length of the contract (whole thing was a load of BS but I did sign it and unlike those people, I keep my word) but the lawyer was able to protect me from some of the sleazier attempts that they tried to invent to screw with me. He was expensive and worth every penny.
  9. catsmeow1972
    WOW! I told you it was my opinion. I respect the office of the President. I cannot and will not respect the current occupant. IN MY OPINION...he has not earned my respect. The way I am seeing it, you seem to be all huffy (pardon if I am wrong) because someone has stated an opinion that is not in line with yours. Your response is to assume that there is something wrong with them. I disagree with your view but I respect your right to have those views. Suppressing or discounting views (wether I Agree with them or not) by disparaging the holder is childish and silly behavior and exactly what I see Trump doing.
  10. catsmeow1972
    My opinion coming up, you have been warned....Trump and his behavior has normalized the name calling and insulting. I don’t care who he is, where he went to school or how much money he has, he is a boorish rude individual that seems hell bent on destroying this country. It is childish and silly behavior and we need to rise above that.
  11. catsmeow1972

    Vanity Plates?

    catsmeow1972 replied to mrcleanscrubs's topic in Nursing

    Since I got out of nursing school, mine has been my (real) initials and RN. Even though some aspects of nursing have chewed me up and spit me out, I have picked myself up and moved on. Regardless of what other people feel about the nursing profession and the commercialization and/or business of healthcare in this country, I am proud of what I accomplished. Nursing has given me a sense of accomplishment as well as a fairly comfortable lifestyle. I busted my arse and made it through and I can sleep at night knowing I made someone else’s life a little better for a bit and I thought about someone besides myself. When I get down, that stupid little plate on my car is a reminder of the things I can do that at one time I never thought possible. ...and yes it’s helped me weasel out of a well deserved speeding ticket or two.😳😳.
  12. catsmeow1972

    Why are my resumes ignored? For 2 Years?

    catsmeow1972 replied to Nurse Beth's topic in Nurse Beth

    Given the robotic, computer driven application process that many larger facilities use these days, you know darn well that human eyes do not see every application that is filed. Even if your application lands on a recruiter’s desk and makes it through the HR gauntlet to a hiring manager, there are some things that you would not think would matter but do indeed throw up flags. My example...I thought I was a perfect candidate, in terms of background and qualifications for this position (and actually I was) but what ruined it for me was the questions on wether they could contact my previous employers. I had indicated no on more than one. Keeping in mind I’ve had a long career but still, that implies I left under bad terms. The ones I had answered no to, the terms I left under, good or bad, were for safety reasons or debatable. Nonetheless, it raises the concern that I may not be able to, shall we say ‘work and play well with others.’ To begin with, the likelihood of them calling any previous nurse manager for a reference (unless you listed them as a specific reference) is low. If a prospective employer is going to check with previous jobs, generally all they are asking and all most will disclose is ‘yes they worked here and verify dates.’ I have heard that many will not even admit to Re hire status anymore. Something to do with liability, I suppose. It comes back around to this being your 6 second commercial. I would not have thought that that simple question could sink an opportunity for me. I found out about this from calling the HR department and the recruiter point blank told me that was the nurse manager’s concern. Valid point. I guess. I did appreciate the honesty.
  13. catsmeow1972

    it all just stinks

    catsmeow1972 replied to OhioRN1234's topic in Recovery

    For starters, stop beating up on yourself. It’s not your fault that these people are a bunch of tools that care about nothing except how much money they can squeeze out of a group of people that run the spectrum from making a mistake to having an illness to having been plain stupid or any mix Of the above. These programs (and I think the BONs that turf nurses with these issues to said programs are complicit) hold our licenses and livelihoods hostage for the crimes of being human. In no other profession (that I am aware of, anyway) are people punished like nurses are. I stayed in nursing because I like what I do and I decided there was no way in hell I was gonna let a bunch of crooks drive me away from that. I think I would have regretted that for the rest of my life. I spent a whole lot of time being angry. I had idiots associated with this mess give me platitudes like ‘being angry is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die” or something stupid like that. Probably the useless platitudes and slogans were just one of the things out of this crap that made me want to projectile vomit. I suppose what I’m trying to say is that your anger and sadness is perfectly justified and understandable. I’m done and have been for some time but I will never not be angry and sad over the time and opportunities that were stolen from me. I have had to learn to modulate that anger with the understanding that those fools do not represent all of nursing. Hard to see when in the midst of the cesspool of monitoring when one feels like they wear a scarlet letter, but they don’t. It gets better, I promise. Don’t let them win. You are better than that. It’s almost over.
  14. catsmeow1972

    toxic culture, materialism, and unionism

    catsmeow1972 replied to servantleader2020's topic in Nursing

    From your story, it sounds to me that the union had little to do with the issues here. The union likely was not specific to the OR. Rather this OR sounds toxic as hell. I’ve been in such situations (Some in ORs and in other settings) and it is truly a horrible thing. I’ve long said that there are some people who are so unconfident of their own skills, that the only way they know how to make themselves feel/look better Is to tear down others. I also don’t understand the point of torturing the new nurses/techs into leaving. They are the ones that will help keep me from having to work every friggin holiday for the next 10 years. As far as stuff like “prepping too wide from the incision site” Uhhh...that’s horse manure. IMO, you can’t prep too wide. Unless there’s issues like an ostomy, skin tears, lesions, etc. I prep table to table, of course being aware to not leave puddles of prep solution. This sounds like it was a horribly toxic place with horribly unhappy people. I doubt the union and your choice to not join had anything to do with it. You are much better off out of there. I would leave it behind and enjoy your current experience. Maybe Briefly feel a little sorry for those unhappy souls but know that you will not be party to continuing that horrible behavior and for that, you are already helping to break the cycle.
  15. mur3e

    I just sent you an email titled "Fellow nurse IPN help"

  16. catsmeow1972

    Postive THC random test

    catsmeow1972 replied to RN117's topic in Recovery

    While yes, what we do in our own home, in our off time is our business, until it can be proven that there is a definitive amount of time that can elapse between partaking of such a substance and being able to report to work and not be under the influence, it is best to steer completely clear. As the rehab industrial complex in conjunction with these Programs are such immense money generators that already ignore evidence based research in favor of shoving 12 step stuff down everyone like gospel truth (or water boarding, it’s debatable)...I don’t see acknowledgment of any notion of possibly ‘safe’ parameters of use of such things. So even if’s legal in a given state, it isn’t if you want to keep practicing as a nurse.