WY monitoring

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Is anyone in the WY monitoring program and can give me an idea of the program as far as length of time, narcotics or on call restrictions? Considering renewing my license in WY but I have a DUI charge pending and believe they will assign me into the monitoring program. 

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If you are licensed in another state and the other state is your home state, then allow your Wyoming License to EXPIRE if the BON in Wyoming does not know about your DUI.  Obviously, if Wyoming is your home state or the only state you are licensed in, then you have no choice.  Every person is Different.  With DUI's, there is lots of variance.  Some nurses get 3 years of monitoring for a DUI in State A, and that same State (A) will give another nurse 2 years or 4 years or sometimes.....5 years.  Your DUI/alcohol background will not be treated exactly the same as another nurse with a DUI/alcohol background by the same State BON.  Lots of variance.

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Thanks, yeah I know there is variation depending on the person/case. Just trying to get an idea - I used to work in WY and there's an opening for a job where I used to work.  It may be easier for me to get that job as they know me and know my work ethic/performance versus a new place in my current state who has no history of that. I will have to do the program somewhere, but hoping to have a job too!

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Here's the problem I am not sure you are recognizing.  You might have to do Monitoring in TWO States.  If you had the DUI in your current home state, then your current home state is GOING to force you into monitoring and place your license under a monitoring agreement.  The very second this happens, you have to report this disciplinary event to EVERY state you are licensed in and those states often WILL NOT work with your current home state.  For example, Wyoming can say, we understand you are doing monitoring in your home state, but you are also licensed here, and you must also check in-call in daily and do our urine tests and attend our statewide once per week meeting via Zoom.  You see how the above can be overwhelming?  There is also ZERO chance that Wyoming wouldn't find out about you being in trouble in your home state if you were NOT to tell them.  All State Boards run the NURSY's system checks every 6 months for those that are actively licensed and there is ZERO chance of hiding it........unless you allow the license to expire in Wyoming and then they absolutely have no way of finding out and don't care, because you aren't licensed there anymore.

Trust me on this one.  Take your chances with your home state and tell the truth.  Alcohol is FAR more friendly and receptive to employers compared to Drug Diversion and Opiates.  I would allow my Wyoming license to Expire.  This way, you take Wyoming off the table and aren't under a monitoring agreement with Wyoming as well as your home state.  It's easy to think, "well, can't my home state just send my stuff to Wyoming each month and the reports of my drug tests and meetings?"  The answer to that question is NOT always yes.  It's often or sometimes, NO. Even in the case of Wyoming saying "yes," many states still have SOME requirements Unrelated to your home state such as a weekly mandatory meeting for that given state where you pay that state (Wyoming) money to attend that mandatory meeting at a weekly set time and if you miss it, you are in major trouble.  Also, if your case manager in your home state forgets to send your monthly or quarterly report over to Wyoming, then Wyoming holds YOU responsible and can then threaten to suspend or actually suspend your license.  

I'm trying to give you an idea of what it means to be licensed in more than one state when you get into trouble.  It can be a DISASTER and overwhelming.  Staying Sober is the EASY part.  Keeping up with the sheer logistics and reports and meetings and monthly payments required for both states can overwhelm someone with stress.

Just my opinion, let the Wyoming go!  Take your chances in your home state and simply tell the truth.  With alcohol, you will find a job.  All of this OUTWEIGHS the advantage of working again at the nice-former job in Wyoming.  The joy of returning to that former job in Wyoming will be OUTWEIGHED, overran with stress and anxiety by trying to maintain two monitoring programs.  I can assure you of that.  The joy that comes from getting and working a job in your home state and being in only ONE monitoring program (your home state) will FAR outweigh the grief that would come from the former job in Wyoming (maintaining two monitoring agreements).

Trust me on this.  I've been in your situation.  

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Thanks, 

I do understand, I was more deciding which state to make my home.  My WY is currently inactive, but I could re-instate before going to court. and then let CO lapse. It is due for renewal in September.  In CO the hospitals are a system or all grouped in to several management companies.  So being denied credentialing in one = several.  I last tried with a smaller group and they rescinded the job offer without even letting it go to credentialing.  It's just really frustrating as I'm sure you know.  My previous job's credentialing department revoked my privileges due to the arrest without even being to court and despite having no problems with work for over 2.5 years and having recommendations from the chief of my department. So I also have to check yes to privileges revoked on my credentialing packets due to threshold criteria but not due to care related issues or competence. 

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sch76 said:

Thanks, 

I do understand, I was more deciding which state to make my home.  My WY is currently inactive, but I could re-instate before going to court. and then let CO lapse. It is due for renewal in September.  In CO the hospitals are a system or all grouped in to several management companies.  So being denied credentialing in one = several.  I last tried with a smaller group and they rescinded the job offer without even letting it go to credentialing.  It's just really frustrating as I'm sure you know.  My previous job's credentialing department revoked my privileges due to the arrest without even being to court and despite having no problems with work for over 2.5 years and having recommendations from the chief of my department. So I also have to check yes to privileges revoked on my credentialing packets due to threshold criteria but not due to care related issues or competence. 

If your DUI was in Colorado and the BON in Colorado is aware of it, they will NOT let your license lapse.  BON's will not allow that to happen.  You will have the option to go under consent order-monitoring in Colorado and if you say no, they suspend your license.  Once you get into trouble in state A (Colorado) and the BON is aware of it, you can't let a license lapse and not only that, when you are under consent order, you have to renew it for the duration of the consent order.  If you move to Wyoming and make Colorado your home state, don't think for a second Colorado is going to say, "OK, since you moved to Wyoming and made it your home state, we are done and your license can expire and all is well here in Colorado."  It doesn't work that way, unfortunately.  You could move to Wyoming and make that your new home state, but you are still on the hook in Colorado with a consent order-monitoring.

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Colorado does not know at the moment as I have not gone to court. 

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Got it. That changes things. If you get a Wyoming license now, you will have to answer on the application about potential looming court/investigations, etc. When you select yes, there is a high likelihood (almost a given) that Wyoming will notify the Colorado Board regarding your application. This means....Colorado will find likely find out prior to your license lapping in Colorado.

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sch76 said:

Colorado does not know at the moment as I have not gone to court. 

Would be a good idea to look at the wording of the WY license application; my state specifically only asked if I had any convictions, so I did not have to address charges or pending cases on the initial app, and was able to get that granted and then enroll in the monitoring program a few months later and allow my other licenses to lapse. 

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Purplenurse123 said:

Would be a good idea to look at the wording of the WY license application; my state specifically only asked if I had any convictions, so I did not have to address charges or pending cases on the initial app, and was able to get that granted and then enroll in the monitoring program a few months later and allow my other licenses to lapse. 

True! Good point

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