What's the benefit of self reporting to tpapn?

odaat · Aug 23, 2015

You are very fortunate in that it worked out this way. I self reported and did all I was told to and had been in the program for nearly 18 months when the board got a hold of me. I got no letter or even any acknowledgement to my repeated efforts to inform them of my voluntary participation. I had even sent them a letter asking for a stay contingent on continued monitoring compliance. That was ignored too. They just suspended my license like I had never had any contact with the AD program ever. The program representatives said nothing to them at the meeting. They claim they advocate for impaired nurses? I call horse manure on that one. Now I have to fix this one, and for once, I didn't do anything wrong! Oh and yes, it is splattered all over the internet for any and everyone to see. See my long rant below for a few more details.

Wow I'm really sorry it's going like that for you! Sometimes (a lot of time) i feel like I stay clean and mentally stable in spite of their "help", definitely not because of it. The only good thing it's done for me is the

accountability. I really hope you get your situation sorted out soon and that they do not cost you your employment!

Biosphere · Aug 23, 2015

Sounds like a nightmare and I am sorry that you have had to endure all of this heartache. I can't deny that you have made some vald points. I can also relate to some of the issues you have presented to the forum.

Intialty I had some of the same feelings in this regard but eventually I realized the truth. Regardless of my feelings, facts , or opinions in the matter in general, I realized it was best to not fight the BON if in fact you are at least a tiny bit accountable in your own actions.

For even if you are correct and you know some things to be a fact, challenging the board as such will almost always be detrimental to you. In other words, even if you are 99 percent correct, even if you win some victories , it will in the end have destroyed your career. Not withstanding the fact if you are innocent , never did anything wrong , and never taken a drug in your life or made any mistakes then I can promise that you have nothing to worry about and it will all come out in the end. However if any of that is in fact untrue , attorney or not , you will not win against the BON. All the proof you need can be found within this very forum and blogs .

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2015

I never said I was innocent. I still did something stupid. As far as why does not change that it was stupid. I get that. I never have fought the AD program. I have never even tried to tell the board they were wrong. This is not about winning or losing. All I wanted was for them to bother to look at the fact that I was already doing what they were offering a "settlement agreement" for. I long ago came to terms with having to deal with this thing for the next five years. I don't like it but I can't do anything about it other than bide my time. They threaten to suspend my license until I start with the program. I did that a long time ago because I saw it coming and it was the right thing to do. I hired the attorney, not to challenge the board but to speak for me because I did not think I could without crying and that would have been very unhelpful. Nobody listened to me when I tried to communicate the obvious, I thought maybe someone that spoke their language (lawyer-ese) would get them to see the obvious. When I try to prove to them that I have already done so, I am ignored. After all of this and then some, I still get spanked with a suspension. Bad clerical timing or not, it is just more damage to a situation that already feels like the Titanic. That is what has my knickers in a knot!

odaat · Aug 23, 2015

So are they asking you to re-start the program and not get credit for the time you've already done? Agree with above, what a nightmare! But its a credit to you that you're persevering through this and not just throwing in the towel because many people do just that, because the ridiculousness just finally gets to them. Hang in there!

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2015

No, not restart. Just suspended pending entering the program. They are ignoring the fact that I already have. I don't even see why it has gone this far to begin with. I really think they are just rubber stamping stuff without reading it. This is the outfit that is over nursing? Makes one feel real comfortable, doesn't it. Throwing in the towel and telling them where to put their license is not much of an option, because after 10+ years in nursing I can't get a job doing anything else. Nobody comprehends why a person would want to leave a "great" profession like this.

Biosphere · Aug 23, 2015

I understand everything quite perfectly but to the OP that asked the question in the first place, I rest my case. I was simply warning others what happens as a result. As I mentioned I think you have very valid points and I can relate. However if you simply self report, consent to the agreement it will be better for your career in the long run. (speaking generally ) Not picking on you because I feel your pain , but your case specifically proves my very point. The only reason I chose a different route because I had read some of these very blogs and nightmare stories.

One statement I read convinced me . " Even if you are innocent you will still lose."

Not saying I agree or disagree but I know a lone wolf like myself would be better off in joining the pack and resolve the true issues along the way at my discretion. As a result I survived.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2015

You are correct and I do apologize for my long winded rant. It is a sad but true statement that one could be innocent and still lose. It just hurts to own my screw ups, be willing to do what i have to do and not have it matter one bit.I remember being told to just "fly under the radar" and get through it. I look forward to the day I can tell the board and the program to take their contract and put it.....well you get the idea. I just hope I and my career are not irreparably damaged, but I fear that it already is. :-(

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2015

I understand everything quite perfectly but to the OP that asked the question in the first place, I rest my case. I was simply warning others what happens as a result. As I mentioned I think you have very valid points and I can relate. However if you simply self report, consent to the agreement it will be better for your career in the long run. (speaking generally ) Not picking on you because I feel your pain , but your case specifically proves my very point. The only reason I chose a different route because I had read some of these very blogs and nightmare stories.
One statement I read convinced me . " Even if you are innocent you will still lose."
Not saying I agree or disagree but I know a lone wolf like myself would be better off in joining the pack and resolve the true issues along the way at my discretion. As a result I survived.

?? I don't think her (really frustrating, sad) story proves your point at all. She self-reported, did what she was told, and was still denied the "luxury" of confidentiality that self-reporting sometimes brings because the BON sucks.

Biosphere · Aug 23, 2015

She self reported and fought the board so that's an oversimplification of my comments. I'm not sure you understand and maybe I didn't provide clarity. I meant self report and stand down regardless of the situation. I don't agree , disgree , saying its right or whatever, I'm simply stating what has happen time after time to a lot of nurses in the same situation. It's a reality. Even if you are 100 percent correct doesn't mean they won't vote your license void. You living in a fantasy land if you don't believe what can can and will happen. The truth is in the pudding.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Aug 24, 2015

She self reported and fought the board so that's an oversimplification of my comments. I'm not sure you understand and maybe I didn't provide clarity. I meant self report and stand down regardless of the situation. I don't agree , disgree , saying its right or whatever, I'm simply stating what has happen time after time to a lot of nurses in the same situation. It's a reality. Even if you are 100 percent correct doesn't mean they won't vote your license void. You living in a fantasy land if you don't believe what can can and will happen. The truth is in the pudding.

As I said before, I did not fight the board. I took their settlement agreement which stated "suspended until program participation is confirmed." I DID THAT! They don't seem to comprehend that anyone would be proactive enough to start the process themselves. As seen above, self reporting is supposed to give you some chance at confidentiality. Yeah right!

Biosphere · Aug 24, 2015

I'm not sure I quite follow you.

Suspended till participation confirmed ?

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Aug 24, 2015

They suspended it because the program never told them I was set up with them already. After many! phone calls, voice mails and me possibly nearly needing bail money (that's a joke) it appears to have been repaired. For the moment I will keep my job. At least until the next time somebody doesn't do their job. Forgive me for not trusting anything about this whole process, but after the 3-ring circus that it has been, who would?