Reporting to BON

Do you have information to give the BON? It doesn't sound to me like you do, since you have cut off contact with her. It sounds like her parents are telling you all of this. Have you advised them to report her to the BON?

You are well within your rights to end your friendship with her, and have no contact. But you must understand that this means you are no longer in a position to know anything about her firsthand. Thus, you are not in a position to report her to the BON. People who have actual contact with her know better than you what the situation is, if she is as bad as you think, it will come to light.

Removing contact is not for the addict. That is a misconception. Addicts do not have better success rates when their friends and family pull away and have nothing to do with them. No contact is for the friends and family who feel they need to protect themselves from the tornado that addicts create in life. You may need to pull away from her parents as well.

This is a really really tough situation to be in. I wonder if it should go into the recovery forum because I would like to hear what some of our recovering addicts have to say. I know some feel that getting reported felt like it saved their life even though they didn't feel that way at the time. I also know that there are a lot of grey areas to these situations. I don't feel you should get DCS involved, not if you have seen no signs of neglect or abuse. If she is reported and has to go through the whole process again, that will be enough hoops to jump through on it's own. But I don't think having the threat of her child taken away will be of any help. Again I am only saying that if you have no knowledge of any abuse or neglect going on.

I know in my state NP's seem to have a much easier time if they get in trouble for diverting or using. Because here the Medical Board also still has authority over NP's and so it's more complicated when it comes to disciplinary actions. The BON is in the process of changing it so the BON is the only body over them. I guess we are one of the few left. Maybe 10 states?? I think is what I read.

But I know a NP right now that I am about 99.99% positive she is using narcotics and alcohol. She was recently convicted of 2 DUI's and allegedly the BON told her to just make sure she reports those on her Lic. Renewal. She was arrested 8 years ago for stealing narcotics from work as a NP When shipments came in she paid for some of the deliveries with her own credit card and they raided her home and found them. Large quantities. She was charged with trafficking. Took a 2 year deal for first time offenders and did probation and eventually dismissed. Her only punishment from the BON was 1 year of suspension of prescribing controlled substances and she had to see one of the approved addictionologist. She bragged that the $550 she paid to see him was worth it. That it was 15 mins and he stated she wasn't an addict.

That was it. No years of drug screenings, no treatment, no meetings. Nothing and the BON in my state is known as one of the hardest on it's nurses. Had she been only an RN her punishment would have been a lot more severe and now she is in trouble again, but not with the BON. It's crazy to me because I have talked with another nurse that was caught with an unprescribed benzos in her system, she recently lost a child and her mom had been given her xanax (wrong yes) and she has spent over 10 thousand dollars so far on all the requirements and she will be jumping through hoops and doing all this for 3-5 years.

Of course you need to report this NP to the BON.

Evidence of relapse:

1. The NP admitted to the OP that they were using again.

2. The NP's parents told the OP that the NP was using again at a much higher rate than before.

3. The NPT told OP that s/he would get help but has not.

4. The NP has committed multiple crimes to support her habit (breaking into the NP's parent's home, stealing from the NP's parents, stealing from the NP's friends)

5. S/he has signs of addiction (unable to hold a steady job, stealing, calling 10 times in a 30 minute period trying to get money from OP)

If this were an airline pilot, you would report them without a second thought.

If this were a school bus driver, you would report them without a second thought.

Why do you hesitate because this is a NP? Doesn't an impaired NP put people's lives in danger?

Do the right thing. Don't wait for someone else to do it. Don't wait for the NP to kill a patient or themselves.

Get the NP to self report (make sure the do), or you report them.

Of course you need to report this NP to the BON.

Evidence of relapse:

1. The NP admitted to the OP that they were using again.

2. The NP's parents told the OP that the NP was using again at a much higher rate than before.

3. The NPT told OP that s/he would get help but has not.

4. The NP has committed multiple crimes to support her habit (breaking into the NP's parent's home, stealing from the NP's parents, stealing from the NP's friends)

5. S/he has signs of addiction (unable to hold a steady job, stealing, calling 10 times in a 30 minute period trying to get money from OP)

If this were an airline pilot, you would report them without a second thought.

If this were a school bus driver, you would report them without a second thought.

Why do you hesitate because this is a NP? Doesn't an impaired NP put people's lives in danger?

Do the right thing. Don't wait for someone else to do it. Don't wait for the NP to kill a patient or themselves.

Get the NP to self report (make sure the do), or you report them.

I took them as being hesitant more because of their history and friendship (which would make it a hard situation for most), not so much because they were an NP.

I would be more on the lines of confronting them and giving them the option of self reporting first.

You have more than enough evidence to report this to the board, and IMO you would be doing the people she is in contact with a great disservice if you don't. In reporting, I always refer to Joe Friday's old line from Dragnet, "Just the facts, ma'am." Tell them exactly what you said in your opening post: Your personal observations indicate evidence of substance abuse (you can describe what they have been), she has admitted renewed substance abuse to you, she has told you that she will not seek treatment on her own, her parents have shared their observations, and you know of her past history of the same behavior. The board has investigators to sort fact from hearsay.

Thank you all for your objective perspectives and understanding. I'm going to speak with another friend of mine who also knows the situation and hasn't completely cut off contact with this person. Just to discuss thoughts/options; maybe ask this mutual friend to tell her that there's a possibility someone will report her to the BON because of her behavior, and then if she's not willing to self-report at that point, take as much information I have and make the report myself. Once again thank you all. Sorry it took me so long to reply.