Here’s where I stand with my license.

Since beginning bupe PNAP, the nurses with substance use disorders advocacy org, has said they will not advocate for a nurse who takes bupe, insisting it is an “addictive drug.” Nevermind the difference between dependence and addiction.

Now I will petition to the board directly for reinstatement. Here is the list of items I need to petition.

I am required to undergo an evaluation in order to determine whether I am safe for clinical practice.

If I am reinstated, I will be sent back to PNAP where I’ll have to undergo another evaluation by one of their approved evaluators to determine if they feel I actually need buprenorphine or if they feel I should taper off in order to safely practice.

If they approve, then I’ll be sent for neurocognitive testing to again determine if I am safe to practice. If, by some miracle, it is determined I am safe to practice,

I will again be sent from PNAP to the Professional Health Monitoring Program for continued monitoring for the set duration of time.

There are so many issues and concerns about this blatantly discriminatory process.

First, PNAP has already admitted several times their bias and discriminatory view of buprenorphine.

Second, the evaluations need to be done by professionals they choose and have a working relationship with.

Third, the eval to determine whether I need the medication or not is from a third party who knows nothing about me other than what they’ve told them.

They all already have insisted several times that people need to be tapered off bupe as quickly as possible; an attitude in direct conflict with @ASAMorg recommendations.

I don’t see how it is in the best interest of a patient who has a working relationship with their prescribing physician to have them evaluated by another physician who is highly suspected of having an anti-medication bias.

This is a blatant violation of patient rights and outright discriminatory. Moreover, what they are saying is, I need to decide between my recovery and my license. In choosing my license, I dramatically increase the risk I will die in the first year.

This is not consistent with the heart and ethics of nursing.

Looking at the ping pong game of hoops I need to endure, I have little confidence I will be approved at any stage of this game.

It kills me that my case manager has the tag line, “I was made to make a difference” in her signature.

@LeoBeletsky @DrSarahWakeman @JMPerroneMD @dorazepam @Jason_RN @maiasz @AnIcarus @mllangan1 @chestmedicine @RepDean @GovernorTomWolf @SecretaryLevine @mynameisrachel

@ZachWritesStuff @HiJAction