What happens when you decide not to move forward with IPN's recommendations?

[MFTinRN]

Hey guys, I haven't posted in some time. Short version: I got caught diverting and had a positive urine screen. Admitted diversion and entered IPN. I saw my facilitator and complied with their recommendations for treatment. I have a history of PTSD, major depression with anxiety and panic disorder, for which became the major focus of my therapy. And I needed that, I have to say getting caught was the best thing that could have happened for me. I agreed to 3 months in rehab once I reached the recommended 30 days because I was making major progress with my PTSD. IPN is getting weekly updates from my therapy team. I am on medications which IPN has been aware of throughout the entirety of my progress. I go see my facilitator while still at my treatment facility prior to my discharge. My facilitators office tells me I am positive for alcohol, which is absolutely impossible and I had a negative test immediately upon returning to my treatment facility. My facilitator determines he is pleased with my progress but wants me to go to one of his facilities to be taken off of all of my medications, including antidepressants, under his care, since I originally chose to go to a facility outside the ones recommended by IPN specifically. IPN approved the facility after telling me I was not limited to the ones on the list they provided me. My insurance covered my entire 90 day treatment and is now refusing to cover more treatment (understandably). I have been home, not practicing, and clean since November. IPN has given me several opportunities to comply with my facilitators recommendations to repeat 6 weeks of treatment at one of 3 facilities "recommended" by my facilitator. I, however, have come to resent this process, sadly, and realize how much happier I am now that I'm not practicing. Sad because at one point I was incredibly passionate about this career. But at this point in time I am choosing to nurture my mental health and do what makes me happy. So my question is, what happens when I tell IPN I am voluntarily forfeiting my license? What are the reprocucsions from the DOH and BON? Can they legally come after you if I'm willingly giving up my license? I have no desire to fight for it, as sad as that sounds. I'm just wondering what to expect. Has anyone else walked away? Thanks everyone! I appreciate your advice. You were all very helpful when I was terrified after awaiting my "sentence". I have just lost all the desire to fight when I know that even if I do exactly as they ask (again) it may not be enough and then I will be punished for choosing to pursue what therapy suits me best at a facility that isn't affiliated.

[gnurse2089]

I can't tell you specifically what'll happen in your case but I can tell you my experience. I got put on probation with the CA BRN for a 3 year term for a DUI, I went through a year, had a positive alcohol test, initially tried to fight it because I know I hadn't drank but regardless the BRN suspended me from work, 7 months later and still no word from the board when my hearing would be to return back to work, it hit me I wasn't an alcoholic like the board was making me out to be and I didn't need to be going through all this just to make a living.

I surrendered my license in October of last year. Prior to surrendering it, I found a job as a case manager for a non profit regional center that provides services to the developmentally disabled community. It was a pay cut, but still on par with what most people with their bachelors are making (~50k a year), great benefits, and the job is rewarding and flexible in a way I never imagined. It could be because all my nursing experience was in SNFs but, a lot of my job as a nurse was slowly watching older people decline while trying to delay the progress as much as possible. Now I feel like my job is to take this disadvantaged group and help them thrive and it's great. I love it so much I'll be starting an online Masters in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management program in the fall.

I say all this to say, what happens is you walk away from it, with the knowledge that if you ever want to practice again, you can be sure the board will give you hell for it. Also knowing that there's the possibility of ending up on exclusion lists (though 8 months later, I haven't heard a peep). Know that all of that is a possibility, but you also can't live in fear of what MIGHT happen.

So it's a big choice to make, but if it is the one you make, you go on and be a great, productive member of society and leave it all in the past. There are a ton of great people out there who aren't nurses, and now you'd just be one of them

[MFTinRN]

I forgot to mention, as someone above had asked, the supposed failed alcohol test was a non-issue when my treatment facility was able to provide documentation of a negative test upon immediately returning to the facility after my evaluation. I requested and paid for a blood test in addition to the breathalyzer that the facility required immediately upon returning to the property. All results were provided to IPN and I never heard another word about it.

[MFTinRN]

You make some excellent points. Simply because I would not be nursing any more doesn't mean I wouldn't be a worth-while, productive member of society. I struggled with that a lot while deciding what path to take. I had convinced myself I would be purposeless if I was no longer a nurse. And then as I began working in my new job (working with animals, something I've always been passionate about) I realized that I did have a service I could provide and I could be a contributing member of a team where I make a difference. It isn't nursing, but it matters and I feel like I'm able to make a difference in some way and that's given me the purpose I was so afraid to lose when I decided to walk away from nursing.

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

MFT, I say all the time that any nurse facing this nonsense must be totally committed to saving their career for whatever reason and it has to be worth it. In my opinion these programs aren't here to help you. They are here to punish and rape financially. Unless you are willing to put up with senseless nonsense like being forced off meds you need and be subjected to the often religious rants of 12 step lunatics for years at a time (and this is really only a small, small part of the hideousness) don't do this. If you can reasonably support yourself and find happiness in another field do it!!! Nursing's loss but truthfully so what? These programs are an indictment of nursing at large where judgment and condemnation are part of the price of doing business for any perceivable weakness or difference from the herd.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

Diverting?diverting what?

Your post makes me feel sad,your despair comes right though.But being true to yourself is good,and if you feel better walking away from this thorny situation,so be it.

Best wishes.

[Dixie Darlin]

Not sure where to begin. I have to enter the IPN program. I'm a CNA at a hospital. Well I got a random at work and was positive for pot. I had went to a party the weekend before and got a little tipsy and my ambition went out the window. I smoked the joint. I smoked a month prior to that because my ex-husband and I tried working things out but it didn't work. He just up and left being a shock to all of us. So I smoked to help me chill out after not getting off the couch for a week. I suffer from depression and anxiety. Im on Xanax. I take Tramadol 50 mg PRN for chronic neck pain which then gives me migraines. Im so scared. Im reading all these horror stories. I had planned to go to school in May but have to wait till I can return back to work. I have no prior drug history. I hardly ever smoke and I dont do any drugs. (I dont consider pot a drug with it being legalized) I went and had a full evaluation done yesterday. The evaluator said He was going to give me a favorable eval. But he wanted to wait till he got the forensics back. Im so nervous. I want to be a nurse so bad. Im not giving up. I understand its going to be a long expensive journey and im preparing myself mentally. Soon as I get back on the floor I will be better financially. How long did it take y'all to get back to work? That's what I want to know the most and where does school fall in with all this

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

At the risk of sounding incredibly negative, depending on who these people sent you to (and from the language of "favorable but wanted to wait until the forensics came back" I have a suspicion who) the very terminology of "favorable" only means favorable for thier own bank accounts. The standard route for this kind of thing is to shove you through some kind of inpatient rehab then some kind of outpatient program. THEN you get a contract and can go back to work. If by some chance you don't get completely ******* you may just wind up in an IOP which is pretty much a couple of months of group therapy that may or may not be useful. I can tell you that the Xanax and Tramadol are no-no's in this thing. In as much as we are medical professionals, we have to get permission to take anything stronger than an aspirin. Understandable to a point but also somewhat overreaching as a blanket standard in my opinion.

I have seen people do this nightmare while in school and do okay. It's not easy but it can be done. Somewhere in here you will wind up in some individual therapy probably mandated in the contract. From what you post, that sounds like it may not be a bad thing. There will also be some means of med management that does not include benzos like Xanax for the anxiety etc.

I personally don't consider pot a drug either but the fact is BONs everywhere along with anywhere that does drug testing for its employees does and if we want to work in those industries, it's a drug and it's a no-no.

I am a loud voice of disgust towards IPN and other programs like it around here but only in thier current form of punitive, money sucking, devoid of ethics, kangaroo courts with severe conflicts of interest. Yeah I know, tell ya how I really feel. Properly managed and run, these programs can help the impaired nurse.

As far as school, this program also require a weekly ‘nurse support group' which is basically a weekly BS session with a monthly price tag attached (like everything else.) I knew a guy in one of my groups that was a CNA working his way through LPN school. About the time he finished LPN school, he'd gotten into an RN program and finished his contract. I am not sure where he was going to school so it is possible.

You probably are going to need to put school off for a term but that may not be a bad thing. Give you time to get things together personally. You already know this is expensive and if you are wanting to be a nurse bad enough then it's necessary. The good news is that if you do this successfully, you will start your nursing career with a squeaky clean license and go forward from here.

Take a deep breath. You can do this......

[b.g805]

i was wondering if anyone has actually successfully completed the RN probation program successfully? also about where are the drug testings and meetings with probation officer or probation assigned to the nursing staff in the central coast?

Thanks

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

Define “central coast?” As in in Florida or another state. If you are referring to Florida, yeah people do get to the end. Eventually. I know of a few. None without a few bumps, at least....if you stand up for your self and don’t take the BS when you know you didn’t do anything wrong, you get there eventually.

The key (as with most of these programs) is to follow the rules, no matter how stupid, inane and useless. Play their little games, have your paperwork in on time and keep the contact to a minimum. If you have the ability, keeping knowledge of a good lawyer on the back burner is handy. If recovery is your gig, find what works for you (12 step or what have you) but don’t expect any support from them. You won’t get it.

[b.g805]

Actually I was referring to the central coast in California, but your information is still useful. It's just so over whelming deciding which route to go. Don't need rehab but they insist on taking it, that's thousands of dollars and time I dont have.

[gnurse2089]

4 hours ago, b.g805 said:

Actually I was referring to the central coast in California, but your information is still useful. It's just so over whelming deciding which route to go. Don't need rehab but they insist on taking it, that's thousands of dollars and time I dont have.

Hi b.g805,

I haven’t posted in a long while but I live on the Central Coast and can give you some info, would probably be easier to do it via e-mail or something. Are you able to private message on here?

I was in the probation program for a year for a DUI before I decided to surrender my license. Been doing pretty damn well since then lol, but it’s definitely a big choice to make. Would be happy to help with any info I can provide

[b.g805]

I did attempt to send you a private message but there needs to be at least 15 post of anything to have privileges to message in private. I dont want to post my name, number nor email for the world to see.