I am told this several times a month (my employer told me to self-report and I did because it looks better) and the answer to whether or not it is in your best interest to self-report to the State Nursing Board is..... It depends of course.
A State Nursing Board complaint is not a college test, exam, or a quiz and you receive 50 points for self-reporting vs. -25 points if your employer has to file the complaint against you. You receive 30 points for knowing how to follow directions and 15 bonus points for doing what you were told also. Also you will receive 10 stars and 75 bonus credits for taking your self-report and statement to the State Nursing Board office and having it date and time stamped because you are Michael Phelps and you are going for the gold here!!
If you have been told that you need to self-report to the State Nursing Board, consider speaking with an administrative law or nurse license defense attorney before you self-report. Contact your State Nurses Association and speak with the Practice Consultant or Executive Director.
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying you should not self-report or that self-reporting is necessarily bad, but it depends on your situation. You are not a robot (are you? Did you see, I Robot?); don't mindlessly do what you told to do by your employer in something so serious because your self-report triggers the State Nursing Board disciplinary investigation. Did your employer mention this to you also?
Don't blindly assume, I am self-reporting to the State Nursing Board and I am going to receive an A+ on this exam.
Its a combination of not seeing the value in hiring an attorney for Nursing Board representation, the cost of attorney fees when most nurses don't have professional liability insurance, and not fully understanding the role of the Nursing Board. Most nurses proceed pro se in these matters and that's fine. If you don't want to hire an attorney at least do your own research and try to be objective when representing, counseling, and advising yourself before the State Nursing Board.
Posted by: latonia | July 08, 2009 at 09:52 AM
True, true, true! The employer may truly believe that it is in your best interest. When I'm contacted by a nurse with substance abuse "issues", the first words out of my mouth are, "Do you have an attorney?" The second statement is usually..."You can't afford NOT to have an attorney!" Could it be that the employer was advised by their attorney to tell you to self report in order to cover THEIR butts?
When I'm working with a nurse, it's pretty uncommon for the employer (the hospital...not the immediate supervisor) to have the impaired nurse's interest as their primary concern. Too many of them actually would like to see the nurse "busted", lose their license, and never get their license back. A sad reality.
Just because we are nurses (or a former nurse in my case) doesn't mean our colleagues or employers will have compassion for us if we develop the disease of addiction. I spoke with a CRNA student today who is entering treatment in the next week or so. I asked him if he had an attorney.
He asked me, "Why do I need an attorney? What can they do for me?" I told him, "Protect your rights under the ADA and your rights in general.
Posted by: Jack Stem | July 07, 2009 at 11:18 PM