The ISNAP drug monitoring program is threatening to report me to the BON and Attorney General-help!

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

I self reported to IPRP or ISNAP in Indiana however the attorney general investigator gave me a warning said my fault was due to side effects of my meds and did not pursue discipline actions. Now I asked IPRP can I discontinue the program they said no but I can volunteer to quit but they will report to the attorney general and the state board of nursing what do I do?

Dear Self-Reported,

Nurses with a chemical dependency can self-report to the Indiana Professionals Recovery Program monitoring program, which is a voluntary admission as opposed to a mandatory admission.

Voluntary admissions can offer some level of confidentiality, meaning if you work the program, you may be able to avoid BON notification and discipline. Voluntary admission sounds like a really smart, pro-active thing to do for your personal wellness.

By admitting yourself, you agreed to certain conditions. I do not know what you signed when you entered the program, but I'd be very concerned about quitting the program if there's a chance I'd be reported to the attorney general and my BON.

You say the attorney general already gave you a warning without discipline, but think about what could happen if anything you've told to ISNAP in confidence, say in group meetings, 1:1 or on your questionnaire gets turned over to the attorney general and the BON.

Even if this is a big misunderstanding, don't count on the BON being on your side because of what the attorney general told you. 

If you do decide to quit, or definitely before you do, please consult a nurse attorney to protect yourself and your rights. You can contact the American Association of Nurse Attorneys for a nurse attorney referral.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth