Reported to BON for diversion

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Just looking for some advice and/or insight from other nurses who have dealt with their states BON for suspicion or accusations of drug diversion. In my scenario, I was questioned by hospital administrators for diverting opiates. I did take accountability for the situation and was honest during my interview. I was fired which was expected, and was told I would be reported to the BON.  This occured 2 weeks ago and I have since spoken to nurse lawyers but have not heard from BON yet. I was thinking of reaching out to our states peer nurse monitoring program but I've seen other responses from people to wait for a lawyer first before talking with anyone from there. So just not sure what to do or what road to take next

Specializes in Neuro.
Volusianurse said:

I'm in Florida as well dealing with a similar issue. If you get this message today or tomorrow would you PLEASE message me so I could ask you a few things 

 

I'm not allowed to PM you as I just registered 

Heyy, it won't let me message you either, apparently I'm not allowed to message yet too LOL wanna email me?

[email protected]

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Specializes in Intensive Care, Oncology Hematology.

Definitely agree with everyone here.

 

1. Retain attorney who deals with BON, mine was an. RN MSN with a JD in New England.

2. The attorney set me up with remediation courses from the NCSBN.  A voluntary monitoring program.

It took months for the board to notify me that I was reported.  Months later for them to audit my charting.  A whole 2 years later to decide "what to do with me"

3.  Best thing my lawyer said was get another job immediately but just not your dream job.  If you make a good impression they may keep you when all is said and done.

So sorry for you.  I know the devastating effect this experience has.  I cried for years.  I still cry when I think about it.  Thank god I made it through and so will you!!

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Where I am at you get a letter in the mail saying you are being investigated. Then a few weeks later they offer you to joining the monitoring program or being investigated ( we have one week to decide if we would like to go monitoring route or investigation route). If you are found out to needing treatment for substance abuse through their investigation then you are ineligible to join monitoring. I've found out through other nurses is my support group that if this happens you will be on probation versus monitoring. 
I know my states BON has the info on both programs on the website. Maybe you can check. 

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In Maryland, they like to see nurses take accountability and self report immediately. Then the nurse will have to go before the board and explain their situation and answer all their questions. I've heard that it's always better if you've already started some kind of recovery program. in Maryland, the program is for five years and they monitor closely with drug tests and talk to your counselor at rehab. Slowly they allow the nurse to request their privileges getting their privileges back. Within a few months, my friend was back to work and allowed to return to nights. Then, by one year, she was able to access the PYXIS and give narcs again. She even went back to work at the same facility where she was caught diverting. Every so often she has to make her way out to Baltimore and sit down with the committee at the BON that monitors the recovery program. She said that she was told that unless there was extenuating circumstances, they rarely take a license away, especially with the first offense. In fact, she had two relapses during the five years they monitored her, and neither resulted in removal of her license, or even her medication privileges to dispense narcotics. Once the five years was over, she was discharged from the program with the BON and doesn't  have to disclose anything about the incident or her addiction anymore. She had to tell potential employers during the interview that she was being monitored in the program during the 5 years. Her license is now clean and unencumbered since the five years had ended. She was never contacted by the DEA and she said they didn't even mention law enforcement. She reached out to the Board of Nursing to self-report pretty quickly and will talk openly about that time in a positive way but wish you were scared shitless when it first happened, as you are. Good luck and I hope that everything works out for you. Sometimes people forget that nurses are human, too. It's a shame, because addiction is disease and with any other disease, the patient's privacy is protected. However, with addiction, they are allowed to violate your HIPAA rights and expose your disease...not only within the facility, but to the BON, and the DEA. One day at a time and remember that the program was created to rehab you, not to punish you:)❤️

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I have a lawyer whom made a lot of money from me. I have to find a BON agent (case mgr) approved MD to do an exam then report to the BON if any monitoring needs done. The issue is. I have to do this before I can work AND the agent denies everyone I send for review. He suggested a place that charges 4500 up to 9000 paid in full 4 weeks prior. The issue went nack to the BON who added APRN to the order. Now I just need to find one. I had a medical emergency at work during my med pass. It's along story but basically the nee Director of nurses became dramatic and made me "dtep away from the cart". I told her I needed to sign out the medication I had just given prior to this but she was adamant that I was not touching anything. Of course I became angry and words were exchanged. Gast forward. She reported me to the BON claiming diversion. Of the medication that she wouldn't let me sign for. The investigator had written in his report that I was involved in a prior diversion investigation.  I discovered the diversion. I didn't cause it. But it made me look bad. Now I have to prove I don't have a problem. Sometimes I feel like it would have been easier and less expensive to just do the mionitoring. I know it will work itself out once I comply with their demandsbut right now. It's tough times

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Specializes in Nurse.

Does anyone know how long it takes to PM someone? I recently registered & it says I'm not allowed. Thanks!! 

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Smit5292 said:

Does anyone know how long it takes to PM someone? I recently registered & it says I'm not allowed. Thanks!! 

It's based on post count; I believe you need to have 15 substantive posts.

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Specializes in Nurse.

Thank you!!

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