If you are going into treatment for drug use, and have been diverting drugs from your job, you should never disclose this to your treatment provider. You will be admitting to a crime. Although it is necessary for you to disclose to the treatment provider what substances you have been using, where you obtained the drugs from is not important for purposes of treatment. Any admissions you make about drug diversion could be used against you.
If your job is aware that you diverted drugs, they are required by law to report you to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for possible criminal prosecution.
If you are in rehab, once you disclose that you are a registered nurse, the rehab facility will usually ask you to contact the Pennsylvania Nursing Assistance Program (PNAP) or the Professional Health Monitoring Program (PHMP) of the State of Pennsylvania. You should not contact either of these entities before speaking with an attorney who practices healthcare law. I have been involved in many situations where a nurse contacts PNAP or PHMP while in treatment and the RN signs up for the Voluntary Recovery Program (VRP) without knowing or understanding the ramifications of it. If you are going into treatment for drug or alcoholism, it is best to contact me prior to going into treatment so that I can advise you of your rights.
