Be careful in monitoring with urine and blood tests like peth!

Nurses Recovery

Published

I have a friend who is in a 5 year monitoring program with 3 Urine etg per month and probably around 2-3 peth a year.  She's in a very tough state with a strict monitoring program.  She's already past her 2 year mark I believe.  

Anyway, she apparently drank 6-7 drinks on a long weekend, and then had a random peth right on the Monday.  She already had a peth just recently.  The peth came back very low positive, at 24.  Below 20 is reported abstinence.  

Now, they are making her go to a 96 hour evaluation to determine the next steps.  She is saying she ate beef burgundy as to why she has a positive peth.  But I think she knows also that the 96 hour evaluation is just a "show" and that they will recommend rehab again.  If that happens, she would need to put her job on hold, or more likely lose her current job.  

Don't try to mess around here folks!  Because if your program has random peth tests, you can't beat that.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

This friend knowingly and purposefully drank alcohol while on a strict monitoring plan. This was not an "oops" it was a deliberate choice. Now she has to pay the consequences for that choice whatever they may be. Hopefully she accepts responsibility for that choice and gets the help it sounds to me like she needs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.
Nursing33LAPC said:

Yes I agree, I don't think it was an innocent mistake. The whole story is odd to me.

7 drinks.. that's Russian roulette! 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Nursing33LAPC said:

Yes I agree, I don't think it was an innocent mistake. The whole story is odd to me.

The story is not odd.  Actually, it's quite common.  5 years is a long time for monitoring, and if someone gets "comfortable" with it, they may try to drink socially again.  If you don't have a SUD, then 5 years is a long time to go and just forget about drinking with family and friends or at random events.  But I know, you have to get it through your brain that alcohol is not important for social events and it can wait 5 years.

The way these monitoring agencies, boards and evaluations you get at these facilities are all CYA, and always recommend the worst treatment.  Not every single person has an SUD diagnosis that has to come through here.  

But yes, drinking while pretty much in the middle of your 5 years is extremely risky still.  Many places add years if you get caught or some states actually make you START THE ENTIRE 5 YEARS OVER!   wow, I would die!

I posted the story as a warning to people in monitoring on here.  Let's all get through this.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.
Universe93B said:

The story is not odd.  Actually, it's quite common.  5 years is a long time for monitoring, and if someone gets "comfortable" with it, they may try to drink socially again.  If you don't have a SUD, then 5 years is a long time to go and just forget about drinking with family and friends or at random events.  But I know, you have to get it through your brain that alcohol is not important for social events and it can wait 5 years.

The way these monitoring agencies, boards and evaluations you get at these facilities are all CYA, and always recommend the worst treatment.  Not every single person has an SUD diagnosis that has to come through here.  

But yes, drinking while pretty much in the middle of your 5 years is extremely risky still.  Many places add years if you get caught or some states actually make you START THE ENTIRE 5 YEARS OVER!   wow, I would die!

I posted the story as a warning to people in monitoring on here.  Let's all get through this.

Yes I know someone that had to start over again or they either add time like a year or two. Yes the mind has to be reprogramed again that you can't participate in drinking while at these occasions and parties. I don't know what I would do it I was sentenced to 5 years as I don't have a SUD. My board does 2 years in certain circumstances and that's what I got. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Universe93B said:

The story is not odd.  Actually, it's quite common.  5 years is a long time for monitoring, and if someone gets "comfortable" with it, they may try to drink socially again.  If you don't have a SUD, then 5 years is a long time to go and just forget about drinking with family and friends or at random events.  But I know, you have to get it through your brain that alcohol is not important for social events and it can wait 5 years.

The way these monitoring agencies, boards and evaluations you get at these facilities are all CYA, and always recommend the worst treatment.  Not every single person has an SUD diagnosis that has to come through here.  

But yes, drinking while pretty much in the middle of your 5 years is extremely risky still.  Many places add years if you get caught or some states actually make you START THE ENTIRE 5 YEARS OVER!   wow, I would die!

I posted the story as a warning to people in monitoring on here.  Let's all get through this.

Agree. I think the person thought they could enjoy alcohol as they weren't expecting to test for awhile. I know my state adds extra tests the last month of the program but assume they could add more or different tests at any time so I'm following their rules to finish on time. I couldn't and wouldn't do an extra 5 years.  

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, BH, LTC, Rehab, Detox.
Healer555 said:

Agree. I think the person thought they could enjoy alcohol as they weren't expecting to test for awhile. I know my state adds extra tests the last month of the program but assume they could add more or different tests at any time so I'm following their rules to finish on time. I couldn't and wouldn't do an extra 5 years.  

Lord what state is it that does five year programs!? You don't have to say, I know things are private on here etc. just curious. Maybe my state has that option but I didn't hear about it being a possibility. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
PsychRNXXX said:

Lord what state is it that does five year programs!? You don't have to say, I know things are private on here etc. just curious. Maybe my state has that option but I didn't hear about it being a possibility. 

Most states are 5 years  where are you?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, BH, LTC, Rehab, Detox.
Healer555 said:

Most states are 5 years  where are you?

NC. Is there a "name" for the program specifically? Is it if you have a SUD diagnosis? 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.
PsychRNXXX said:

Lord what state is it that does five year programs!? You don't have to say, I know things are private on here etc. just curious. Maybe my state has that option but I didn't hear about it being a possibility. 

Most states have 5 year let's say either your in just monitoring or a nurse recovery program. Monitoring is usually 2-3 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
PsychRNXXX said:

NC. Is there a "name" for the program specifically? Is it if you have a SUD diagnosis? 

It's if they diagnosed you with a SUD. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, BH, LTC, Rehab, Detox.
Healer555 said:

It's if they diagnosed you with a SUD. 

Oh. Yea no not that diagnosis. Just monitoring I guess. But you can be done in 12 months if you already had a job and they allowed you to continue there. But 12-24 months realistically - like I just got employed so it's a year from now that I would be done. -After meeting all "conditions".  But the consent order from BON started 1/23/24. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.
PsychRNXXX said:

Oh. Yea no not that diagnosis. Just monitoring I guess. But you can be done in 12 months if you already had a job and they allowed you to continue there. But 12-24 months realistically - like I just got employed so it's a year from now that I would be done. -After meeting all "conditions".  But the consent order from BON started 1/23/24. 

Every state is different keep that in mind. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment