Trying to understand

It really depends on what you did to get yourself into whatever situation you're in right now. People who try to go before the Board are those who think that they can win, prove that whatever they're charged with is false or they don't deserve discipline for whatever reason. They think they can talk their way out of it. Most are wrong, I would guess, but I don't know that for sure. And yes, most times the Board will just tell you to sign up for monitoring as your discipline, but since you had to be forced by the Board to do that, then it's a discipline that shows up on your license. If you report yourself to the monitoring program, then it stays off your record. So if you think you are actually guilty of what you're accused of, then yes, the main difference between signing up for monitoring yourself versus going before the Board who will just make you sign up anyway, is whether or not it shows up publicly as a mark on your license.

An Assistant counsel for TN BON is who contacted me and offered the program prior to setting a board hearing. I have the option to consent to the program or have a hearing. I'm scared out of my mind and afraid to loose the best paying job I've had in 12 years and financial stability. Too embarrassed to explain to them the situation. Guess it's time to put my big girl panties on.

An Assistant counsel for TN BON is who contacted me and offered the program prior to setting a board hearing. I have the option to consent to the program or have a hearing. I'm scared out of my mind and afraid to loose the best paying job I've had in 12 years and financial stability. Too embarrassed to explain to them the situation. Guess it's time to put my big girl panties on.

Please consider retaining a lawyer. An experienced lawyer will look at all the variables and will let you know what's possible.

My horror show was that I self reported (I thought I was asking for help) and when the board got wind of it, their counsel ignored the fact that information had been presented stating this and I was offered a settlement agreement to enter the program that I was already in???? I ask the program what I should do and was told "to just sign it." Great advice there. All it got me was a fat fine and public discipline. Oh and a few days of a suspension due to a "clerical mistake." The person at the DOH's response "oops, our bad."

So I'm never a risk to anyone except possibly myself at the time and I think I'm reaching out for help and due to carelessness and ignorance I am denied the supposed confidentiality that they crow about to encourage self reporting. There are people that are real risks to both themselves and patients that get that confidentiality so that they may have an opportunity to get themselves together (hence ‘alternative to discipline.') I just got crucified.

I wish the DOH counsel had given a ****. I might not be so angry and bitter, nor would I carry this scarlet letter for the rest of my career.

I was reported to the Board but self reported to monitoring as soon as I was notified of the investigation (like, the day of). Thankfully, I was granted a full stay of discipline so long as I finish my five years...my license will stay clean. I have no marks currently, nothing public.

If I screw up in monitoring....instant public discipline, my stay would be revoked. For me, it would probably be a suspended or revoked, if I had to hazard a guess.

As much as I hate being here, I know that I would have ended up here regardless...if I wanted to keep my license. I took the route that gave me the best chance of keeping my discipline private. Thankfully, it worked out that way for me.

I thought I was taking that route. I self reported long before the board even knew of my existence. When my mess came before the board I begged the program to tell the board that I was already in and compliant and had been for some 18 months. I begged them to say something but they couldn't be bothered to speak up for me. Advocacy, my orifice.

Here in Pennsylvania if you self report and do what they tell you to do for the period of time you are sentenced to the asinine stay in Nazi Monitoring Land you are considered to be part of the "Voluntary" program. The big (only) perk to this program is that you are not supposed to have any negative marks on your nursing license when you complete it. If you do not self report and do not immediately accept the terms and conditions of the offer to enter into monitoring you are placed in the "disciplinary" program. If you are in the disciplinary program there is a record of all your transgressions readily available for public viewing on the internet FOREVER. This includes the original complaint against you which may be filled with factual inaccuracies lodged against you by whoever. I've seen ex-husbands and disgruntled individuals force people into these programs based on nothing more than seemingly made up innuendo and rumors. Those baseless allegations are plastered on the internet for prospective employers and just any old nosey nurse to read. If you feel that you can somehow prove you are completely innocent then it might be worth a shot to make you case to the board. However, in your case I find a happy outcome unlikely. In most courts you a clothed with a presumption of innocence. The side making the allegations must prove that you committed whatever the sin they are alleging against you. Not so in nursing. You walk in under the presumption of guilt. You have to prove that you are innocent. I can't disprove the allegation that I kill the neighbors cats but I don't. Its a ridiculous standard and completely wrong but that's what you are up against in my opinion. In addition you refused a pee test. I'm sorry to say that from what I've seen this is a slam dunk & you lose. I'm very sorry that this happened to you. In my opinion these programs have no redeeming qualities and they destroy rather than restore lives but that's what you are facing as I see it.

An Assistant counsel for TN BON is who contacted me and offered the program prior to setting a board hearing. I have the option to consent to the program or have a hearing. I'm scared out of my mind and afraid to loose the best paying job I've had in 12 years and financial stability. Too embarrassed to explain to them the situation. Guess it's time to put my big girl panties on.

Whatever happened with your case? What did you end up deciding to do?