In 2013, while enrolled in a methadone maintenance program, the nurse self-reported her opioid abuse to ISNAP. The DOJ opened an investigation after receiving a complaint from a nurse alleging she was denied participation in ISNAP because of her use of prescription medication for OUD.Īccording to the detailed findings released by the DOJ, after the complainant became a licensed registered nurse in Indiana in 2011, she tried several treatment methods to curb a previously developed dependency on prescription opioids, including total abstinence, therapy, and methadone, though none were successful long-term.
Katherine Feley, DNP, RN, chief executive officer of the Indiana State Nurses Association, told Medscape Medical News that “expanding nurse assistance program eligibility will enable additional nurses to access necessary support for their health and their profession, instead of having to choose between the two.” The state’s professional organization for nurses said the DOJ’s suggested remediation efforts will help nurses struggling with OUD.
ISNAP INDIANA LICENSE
Nurses seeking recovery must typically enroll in ISNAP and complete the 1-year program to maintain an active nursing license or have one reinstated. ISNAP rehabilitates and monitors nurses with substance abuse disorders, and the nursing board contracts with vendors to administer the program.
Specifically, the board “violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by prohibiting nurses who take medication to treat OUD from participating in the Indiana State Nursing Assistance Program. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) says the Indiana State Nursing Board discriminates against nurses with opioid use disorder (OUD), according to findings of a recently released investigation.
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