WV restore/reported to BON

PixieRN1 · Oct 3, 2017

I'm in Pennsylvania and PNAP claims a 91% success rate. I think this is because we enter three year monitoring programs. I couldn't imagine doing this the five years. I'm sure you have a strong burnout rate where people simply throw in the towel. I have a strong suspicion that this 91% means eventually completes the program. Nurses get extended all the time for very nebulous reasons (dilute urine is not evidence of drug or alcohol use its just evidence of dilute urine / forgetting to check in / your boss or counselor writing some nit-picky nonsense about you that has nothing to do with substance abuse...). I'm pretty sure that if you measured the long term sobriety of these ex-PNAP members you would find the standard 40-60% annual relapse rate as with most chronic disease. Three years of not using or drinking because of flat out extortion does not equal sobriety.

Honestly, I can't even let myself think about the fact that it is five years. It's too overwhelming, too much room for me to make a simple mistake that would land me in the 34%. I'm not even talking about using...what if I forget a form or miss an appointment and it's the end of the month and I can't make it in time? The list of my worries is endless.

A five year program is financially excruciating to bear. I couldn't have made it the first 6 months financially without help from family and friends who really didn't have to help. Something as simple as groceries being dropped off on my door step. I can see why people drop out, who desperately want to stay, if nothing from a financial perspective.

I'm not saying that what I did was without consequences or repercussions, but as it stands, my particular program is very difficult to complete. I know change needs to happen, but for the life of me I can't suggest a realistic solution.

And as you suggested, the actual percent is probably even lower. I mean, dang. 34%. I mean, a year later, I am still mandated to attend weekly IOP meetings...yes, IOP. My insurance stopped paying for it a long time ago because they say it's not needed. And the powers that be won't even drop me down by one session a month. And I am mandated to have bimonthly individual counseling, monthly psychiatry, bimonthly Cadeusus, 3 times a week AA, and I'm a year out. I'm tested 4-5 times a month. And I've not stumbled in the Monitoring program. Not once. They just won't drop the IOP down. And no, I wasn't diverting or working impaired. I was abusing (although seriously abusing) an antidepressant.

I guess I don't have a point, I'm just venting because the IOP is a monthly cost of two car payments. So even knocking one off would help.

Thanks for listening.

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Oct 3, 2017

I believe that people who choose to be sober and maintained their sobriety on their own accord would have a great sobriety rate. However, lets take the 34% success rate of the 5 year VA program and subtract the 15% from that. The remainder is something like 19% & doubt if its that high once the external motivation of losing your livelihood leaves the equation. Sobriety is a personal choice. You can force people to do what they need to do but once you take away the coercion they do what they want to do. I don't doubt that I'm an alcoholic but forcing me to go to treatment and meetings for years has precluded those avenues for future use. I follow all the rules of my program to the letter but honestly I do it out of pure spite. I simply won't let the people who run this win

allnurses Guide · Oct 4, 2017

Speaking as a legit alcoholic who needed a program like this because I was drinking on the job-- I think it can be too easy to rely on the extensive drug testing and draconian rules as a crutch to keep you sober. But, paradoxically, I'm not certain that I could have sobered up without that sort of structure?

Preaching to the choir - I truly believe I would still be drinking or dead today if not for my monitoring contract - It saved my life. I was angry and resentful for the first 2 years but 3, 4,5, was when I truly got sober. By the grace of God and my good friends in AA as well as some of the best employers and co-workers in the world. I will celebrate 15 years on October 22.

Hppy

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2017

While I know that there are folks that have benefited immensely from these programs and that may have been the original intention, it does by no means justify the wholesale abuse and damage that is heaped upon others unnecessarily. I can only describe it maybe as the inverse of tossing the baby out with the bath water, if that makes any sense.

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Oct 4, 2017

This is the essence of the problem. I got a DUI on an off night. I was never impaired at work (God knows PNAP & every counselor through this process tried to prove / convince me I was). I'm being treated the exact same as if I stole oxy's for some dying cancer patient so I could feed my habit or showed up to work drunk or even hung over. This stuff casts too wide of a net and then when you have the temerity to simply tell the truth about your perspective about the "treatment" & "help" you are sentenced to the therapist tells your BON that you have a bad attitude. Am I supposed to actually lie to my counselor? I'm not doing it. You can feed me garbage but you can't make me say thank you for it

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2017

I believe that people who choose to be sober and maintained their sobriety on their own accord would have a great sobriety rate. However, lets take the 34% success rate of the 5 year VA program and subtract the 15% from that.

But that's not backed up by statistics. 1/3 of addicts make it to a year of sobriety and it takes something like ten attempts before a year of sobriety is achieved. Addicts, in general, need options beyond meetings and psychotherapy but the mainstream recovery community has been criminally slow to embrace change.

You have a justifiable anger towards these monitoring programs. I think sweeping changes need to be made, too. But I wouldn't attribute your self-destructive attitudes towards recovery as something common to everyone. I know plenty of people in recovery who started out with liver failure or a failing marriage or sobriety via the penal system. But a little introspection and soul searching goes a long way in finding an internal reason to stay sober. I, myself, didn't really embrace wanting to get sober for the first six or seven months of my monitoring program -- until it slowly started to dawn on me that while I was not farting unicorns and rainbows like AA promises, things really were generally better or at least more stable.

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Oct 4, 2017

I'm sorry. I don't think I have a self-destructive attitude about anything. Despite being stuck in this non-sense program my life is going well. I graduate from NP School next semester, my personal life and relationships are fine and my job is going well. However, all of this is despite the over-reaching effect of this monitoring program. Truthfully, on every level my life was better when I was drinking. I regret my DUI but I've paid my debt to society via the criminal justice system so I'm not about the bow my head to or explain it anybody anymore. I will continue to deal with all the obstacles this program puts in front of me but being grateful for given the choice of losing my livelihood or putting up with this garbage is never, ever going to happen

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Oct 4, 2017

The only thing that's going poorly is my credit & finances. I went from the ER to an Administrative position at my Hospital. On paper this was actually a promotion but in reality it was a huge pay cut (no OT or shift diffs). Combine that with funding all this "treatment" and DAUs I'm bankrupt

Kris Neil · Jun 22, 2019

Has anyone ever gotten out of one of these programs, whether it be by good standing over a length of time, a lawyer, etc. ?? Or has anyone gotten there contract time reduced? Thanks

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2019

Not that I know of. I tried myself. Once they’ve got you in the pen, the cash cow isn’t getting out of that gate. Even my lawyer said to not hold my breath, it was a long shot...

Kris Neil · Jun 22, 2019

I did just read from their policy that you are eligible for a contract modification at 3 years. It also stated that they can not dictate medical treatment and that it is up to your medical provider... however they (WV Restore) have told me that I am not allowed to receive medical treatment despite my physician recommending it.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2019

I’m not in WV but most of these programs run more or less the same. I’m going to guess that what they describe as a contract modification is rather fuzzy. Here it’s called ‘transitional monitoring.’ All it does is let you work OT or another job, etc. Of course nothing that involves less time or money handed over to these people.

As far as them contradicting their own policy, again quoting my own experience....get used to it. That’s what they do. You could probably have those treatments, just be prepared to not work for the duraration even if you physically could and pony up for ‘re-evaluation’ just to go back...and have that time clock run at their pleasure and not your employer. I’ve lost count of the various things my personal physician has wanted me to do because it’s not worth the hoop jumping.

My advice is read those policies and procedures, follow them to a T, but don’t be surprised when they don’t or when they are changed on a what seems to be a whim. Those rules are there for you to adhere to, not them. Welcome to Monitoringstan. Where nothing makes sense and you’ll drive yourself batty trying to understand it.