Greetings! Have reached out a lot lately. Thank God I found this site. For 2 + years I have suffered alone (except for my recovery people, but they are not nurses). If you read my topic of a few days ago I decided to voluntarily surrender a CA license as they wanted to give me 3 years of probation. CA said that in 2 years I can re-apply for licensure (with the 3 years of probation....no thanks). My CA license was expired and they still did an investigation and "accusation" and came after me one year+ after the event. I am almost finished with 24 months probational practice here in OR working successfully; doing well. My crime in OR in 2013 was 3 glasses of wine while on-call never saw a pt. nor performed pt care in OR. No conviction. 100% dismissed under a first offender program.
Another high stress hurtle the past week: . Now I am reading that many BONs will turn you into the OIG Exclusion List and the National Practiced Data Bank if you have voluntarily surrendered. Note: there is a difference between revoked and surrender. I chose to surrender. I thought they only turn you in if you are revoked or suspended, not a surrender as an alternative to suggested probation.
So scared!!! If they report me to the OIG I am SOL!!!! Can't work anywhere as a nurse or for that matter a cleaning lady in any health care facility in the US.
I read the most informative thread here on Allnurses about OIG.
Are they going to report me? I also had an active WI license at the time this horrible event happened (oh have I suffered....so many sad stories here....and hope too) which I surrendered as I just could not face the trauma of fighting. I self-checked the OIG Data Bank and I am not on it.......yet. I ordered a self-check on the NPDB for $4.95.
Will we ever be forgiven or will this hell keep torturing us forever? Our names stay on all sites until 50 years after our deaths....bas****s!
Did not get an attorney throughout all this because I was homeless when I started to work again 19 months ago. Maybe I should have. I AM NOT A CRIMINAL!!!! Sob.
When will this nightmare stop? Man, we really get a chance to work the program now don't we?
Hi there! Thanks for replying! I'm on probation in CA so mine is public as well. if you're on the NPDB, are you able to work? I am not on the OIG list (yet...hopefully never!) I guess I'm confused on the DB and list. So you can be on the DB and not on the list? I guess that's a better deal? Thnx for the reply! I have a great job that's waiting for me once my order is lifted- I'm currently waiting for my settlement to extend probathon. (I tested positive for alcohol and the BRN wanted to revoke my probation, but my lawyer says I should be settling for extension- which I'm so pleased to hear!) just hope I can work if I'm on that data base...
Yes, you can work. The important thing with the database is to make sure that their report remains accurate. When you get stipulations removed, successfully complete a program etc , they should update it so that it reflects what is happening with your disciplinary actions. It stays forever as a means to protect all agencies from us (I know this sounds scary now, but after a while it's just whatever). And I did get a job, so it's all good.
Oh I see! So unlike the OIG list, which prohibits you from working at most places that serve Medicaid/Medicare, the data base is more of like an FYI for the public? That's kinda what I'm gathering from you. It doesn't prevent you from working AT ALL. My report says probation for "criminal conviction" which was my DUI in 2010. I guess that's accurate?? DUI is considered criminal I can't thank you enough for your response, I've been worried sick all night trying to find any answers. I have a lawyer who I bombarded with emails last night lol. I'm currently fighting a case to keep me on probation because I tested positive for alcohol in May. Was a major slip up! According to my lawyer, CA BRN is willing to settle instead of a hearing and it looks like I can keep my license and stay on probation! But then I got that Data base letter yesterday and that freaked me out. I don't remember receiving a letter when I first got into probation 2 years ago! So idk why the BRN decided to place me on it now? However the report says it was filed in 2"13. I really don't know. Thanks again for your tremendous information. I'm hoping I don't show up on the OIG list (so far not yet...) I'm glad you aren't on that either. I wonder if I will ever be on it?? Any idea if that happens? Thanks again!
Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.
^^^The NPDB is not open to the public. The NPDB - Who Can Query and Report to the NPDB is the list of which entities can report and query to the NPDB. There have been attempts over the years to open up the NPDB for public query, but so far that has not happened.
Oh ok, so only hospitals, health plans, only certain people/places have access... It's terrible that even after you're off probation, you are still on it forever
Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.
Yes. It does seem like overkill, doesn't it? If a professional manages to recover and maintain that, if their license has ever been disciplined it is as if that difficult period in their life remains as a specter.
Our country seems to have some ambiguity about people that have, for whatever reason, made mistakes or otherwise ended up on those databases. To some, anyone that is on that is forever suspect, for others not so much. There are privacy and confidentiality concerns.
That said, these databases were created because there was a need to communicate information between regulatory agencies such as Boards of Nursing, healthcare facilities, etc about providers to prevent things like traveling from state to state in active addiction and practicing, or a doctor with multiple malpractice suits against them from jumping around to different parts of the country and continuing to harm patients.
What is problematic is the fact that the information can be used to stigmatize professionals. One cannot just "move on" with their life as far as the NPDB and NURSYS are concerned. Regulatory agencies can do whatever they want, and so can potential employers. I would like to see aa clause on both databases where notations are removed from view after a period of time.
Well said!!! I complete agree with you! Is Nursys also a "forever" data base? So what I'm gathering, is only OIG is the one thing you don't want to be on right? That's the one that prevents you from working- the DB and Nursys are kinda just like FYI to agencies....right?? Yikes I hope I stay off OIG! Thank you!!
Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.
The OIG is the one that will prevent you from working in a facility or entity that accepts Federal or State Medicare or Medicaid funds. NURSYS and NPDB are, as far as I know, permanent. Agencies are required to update the NPDB with changes to the status of a licensee. Not sure about NURSYS.
That's still terrible to be on those data banks permanently but as long as I can work then I guess I can learn to live with it. I'll be checking OIG often just in case!! I've read that some don't even know they are on it after years??? Not sure how! It's all so scary
Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.
Usually one will receive a letter from the OIG letting them know about a pending Exclusion and giving them a time period in which to respond.
I agree on the scary part. Scary because it seems as if one can be blacklisted on a permanent basis as with the NPDB and NURSYS with no possibility of getting removed even after a length of time. That kind of power is iffy and it should have external oversight.
So should the regulatory agencies involved, but that's another topic...
Right?! It's like this black cloud follows you even after the "storm" passes and you're completed with probation. It's so terrible. I haven't received any notice from OIG, not that I can remember anyway! I'm sure I would remember. I was placed on probation upon passing my NCLEX in 2014, so idk if I even paid attention. I just wanted to take my NCLEX because I didn't want to lose the content in my brain. I signed my life away agreeing to probation so I could finally test and be an RN! So at that time, everything was "just do it so you can test!" Ahhh but I don't think I did get a notice... I mean if I did I should be on the website already right? It's been 3 years! I did however get the NPDB Letter yesterday which is strange since I've already been on probation. But like I said i can't remember anything about 2014 lol maybe I got it then too! Ahhhh what a mess
Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.
LOL yes. It's quite an odyssey.
I think you would have known if you'd been placed on the OIG list by now, and if you're not there on the website, you didn't miss a letter from them.
As to the NPDB now putting you on their list, I'd attribute that to the slow reporting by the State in which you're licensed. Most BON are notorious for being slow. It was a few years after everything happened, that my State decided to do what they did against my license, and a few years for them to report it.
I can't thank you enough for your response, I've been worried sick all night trying to find any answers. I have a lawyer who I bombarded with emails last night lol. I'm currently fighting a case to keep me on probation because I tested positive for alcohol in May. Was a major slip up! According to my lawyer, CA BRN is willing to settle instead of a hearing and it looks like I can keep my license and stay on probation! But then I got that Data base letter yesterday and that freaked me out. I don't remember receiving a letter when I first got into probation 2 years ago! So idk why the BRN decided to place me on it now? However the report says it was filed in 2"13. I really don't know. Thanks again for your tremendous information. I'm hoping I don't show up on the OIG list (so far not yet...) I'm glad you aren't on that either. I wonder if I will ever be on it?? Any idea if that happens? Thanks again!
DaisyRN2003
40 Posts
Hi there! Thanks for replying! I'm on probation in CA so mine is public as well.
if you're on the NPDB, are you able to work? I am not on the OIG list (yet...hopefully never!) I guess I'm confused on the DB and list. So you can be on the DB and not on the list? I guess that's a better deal? Thnx for the reply! I have a great job that's waiting for me once my order is lifted- I'm currently waiting for my settlement to extend probathon. (I tested positive for alcohol and the BRN wanted to revoke my probation, but my lawyer says I should be settling for extension- which I'm so pleased to hear!) just hope I can work if I'm on that data base...