Put an end to The Pennsylvania Nurse Peer Assistance Program (PNAP)
PNAP assumes a healthcare professional is guilty without an investigation.
We, the undersigned, are writing in hopes of bringing to your attention a dire misjustice that is occurring in our state as well as many others across the US. Laws enacted to protect the patient population of America are overlooking the rights of healthcare professionals to defend themselves against false accusations of drug and alcohol use by anonymous calls placed to the board of nursing. PNAP (The Pennsylvania Nurse Peer Assistance Program) is using unethical methods to entrap nurses into their program by using past infractions such as DUI's that may be 8 years old or more to force the nurse into joblessness and financial ruin by making the nurse pay for all evaluations and testing. Nurses who do enter the program are forced to call the case worker daily for three years to see if a drug screen is need. Drug screens have been ordered on some nurses 12 times a month at their own cost. Sometimes costing tens of thousands of dollars. The burden of proof is being thrown out and the simple word of the accuser is being taken without question, many times without the accused even being allowed to speak. Our wish is that these laws be revisited and indications made to to allow for criminal and civil prosecution when someone has misused these laws in a vindictive and cunning way. We also would ask that public attorneys, and judges be forced to recognize the precept that the accused is innocent until proven guilty. Often times thes nurses are the sole providers for their families are unable to afford attorney's and are rendered jobless after on phone call to the board of nursing. We ask that persons who make such accusations identify themselves. If reported accusations are unfounded then the accuser should be charged, fined and incarcerated. Furthermore such charges filed against a nurse whether innocent or guilty remain on their professional record until the day they die. We are asking that programs such as this be abolished in all states and that nurses be treated fairly and with respect.
View Comments