PAin12step Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I am a PA in recovery in a 12 step program, which I take very seriously. For anyone not familiar with the 12 step process, step 9 involves making amends for harms you have done in the past. I shamefully admit lying and being dishonest with regard to logging of my CME hours. While I fully intend to stop this practice and to honestly report ONLY the CME hours I actually attended, the question remains on what I should do about the dishonesty of the past. The noble thing to do would be to write to NCCPA, admitting my dishonesty and hold myself accountable to any disciplinary action. I do not know exactly what this would involve, but I expect my case would go before a review board, that I would be subject to suspension of my certification, possibly losing my certification, paying fines, being subject to auditing of my CME records in the future, et cetera. On the one hand, I am willing to do this, for after all, I was dishonest and I deserve to pay the penalty. My main concern, of course, is losing my certification, thus my state license, thus my job and thus the ability to support my family. The specific instructions of the 12 step program are to make amends for past harms, unless to do so would cause harm to others. If I were to end up losing my certification and consequently my job as a result of my amends, I would definitely cause significant harm to my wife and children. On the other hand, I do not want to cop out from my responsibility of making an honest amends. My purpose of this post is not to invite censure from others on my behavior or opinions on right from wrong (but as i have treated my profession disrespectfully, such comments are welcome). I am writing this specifically to ask if anyone has any experience or advice on what to expect from disciplinary action from NCCPA. If I am likely to have to pay fines, be audited, et cetera, I am willing to go through with confessing my dishonesty. If I am likely to lose my certification, it will take a much more complicated decision making process (i.e. discussing my amends with my wife and employer). I welcome any responses. If you comment, please include whether what you are writing is based on opinion versus actual experience with NCCPA disciplinary action. One final note for anyone who has thought about this part: As my addiction is not substance-related, I can honestly say that I have never put any patients or co-workers at risk with being under the influence of mind-altering substances. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 21, 2015 Moderator Share Posted January 21, 2015 from here going forward be 100% honest about your cme. from a personal standpoint you could make up( to yourself) the cme you previously claimed(and don't double count it for future cme) so that your cme statements would be retroactively honest. I imagine you did some cme honestly and attended a few conferences so hopefully we are taking about making up a few hundred hours of cme only. you could do this over a few years by completing free cme to make up the hours at no cost to you (except your time). it serves no purpose to lose your job, your house, and possibly your family. Just do the right thing from here on out. Best of luck. be at peace about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Paula Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 12 step programs offer grace and mercy. Put your right foot forward and walk the narrow road from now on and rely on your 12 step partners to keep you honest and accountable. Keep your Faith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoped Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 First off, Congratulations on your sobriety! Your family and your patients need you. I totally agree with EMEDPA. It will definitely cause harm to your family and to the community you serve by essentially removing your skills and abilities from medicine for at least a period of time. Lying about CME did not actually hurt anyone except you although we can all agree it's a very bad idea. This is the type of thing that could cause more harm to your sobriety than help. God Bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbrothers98 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 So steps 8 & 9 state to make a list of people you harmed, be willing to make amends to them, make amends to those people you harmed unless it will cause further harm to them or others. So you think you harmed the NCCPA? I would interpret that you were untruthful to them. But they serve as a database and standard keeper. The NCCPA is not a person but an organization. Whose database do they keep, whose standard do they bear? Ours collectively, each one of us individually. Are you taking this opportunity to apologize to all of us for failing to meet this standard? I accept your apology. I also accept the apology of all those other PAs who signed in to conferences, immediately left and hung around the pool or went sightseeing, later claimed those credits. But if anyone was harmed, it was you professionally. I dont think an apology for your prior actions that were in conflict with your professional duties directed towards yourself will cause harm, just a good dose of introspection and reflection. And you can do what E suggested and make up that lost CME as a ways to make amends. But I think you should pay for it. Feels like more of a real apology and atonement when there is skin in the game. Good luck to you. G Brothers PA-C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I concur with what everyone has said. Notice non one is holding your feet to the fire. All recommend moving forward on a new path. Your candid admission is attrition enough for me. If you have not physically, financially or mentally harmed anyone with your prior behavior then go forward my friend. Be the best family man and PA you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted January 23, 2015 Moderator Share Posted January 23, 2015 The specific instructions of the 12 step program are to make amends for past harms, unless to do so would cause harm to others. Why would you not follow the rules that you hold so important?? Clearly this would hurt the one's you love and yourself. Don't trade on addiction for another - learning moderation is part of life....... i like the idea of "making up the CME" to make it right in your own mind - people have brought up a great point, many times I have been at conferences and seen many people skip out early, I don't know what they report for CME but I would guess.... well some of them claim time they did not spend...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taotaox1 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 The other posters have it right. You dont owe amends to the NCCPA, as you did not harm them even if you lied to them. You DO owe amends to the patients you saw that would have recieved better care as a result of your increased knowledge. Make the amends by doing all your missed CME and then some. Be the best provider you can be. Telling on your self in this case would be about selfishly relieving guilt (and maybe pride and ego), not making things right.Congrats on working an honest program. Everyone screws up, but not everyone takes responsibility for those mistakes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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