Can I be rehired?

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I used to work a a hospital where I was considered fairly good at my job and had worked there before and then got rehired after travel nursing for a while. Some big changes started happening in my unit and I guess I was not the most supportive, but I suddenly came back with a positive urine drug screen for opiates, specifically one that I am allergic to. Anyway, I was fired from that job, though I was told by the CNO that my performance was not in question and there was no questions about me diverting drugs.

Immediately after, I had a clean hair follicle drug screen and have had three urine drug screens since that have all been clean. I have been traveling and have been asked to extend my contract, but my family needs me to be near them, so I would like to get a job nearby. The problem is, the only hospitals around my family are ones owned by the same company.

Should I even bother applying?

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I think you owe it to yourself to at least apply. Even if you don't get the job there are always other options

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.

Why do you want to go back to a place that may have set you up for a positive drug screen??

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Why do you want to go back to a place that may have set you up for a positive drug screen??

They can't set u up or you should sue them

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.
They can't set u up or you should sue them

That's why this is confusing. If OP really did test positive for opiates, then I don't think they would hire her back. So if they said she tested positive to a drug she is known to allergic to and then fired her but she didn't take it from what I am gathering, why in the world would she want to go back??

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I don't want to sue, I'm not really interested in giving them that much energy. that being said, Im not looking to go back to the same hospital. The company that owns the hospital is national and, unfortunately, own the hospitals near my family. I just wonder if an ineligible for rehire is system wide, or only applies to the hospital that fired you?

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Specializes in critical care.

OP, I don't know much about this, but if it is in no way possible to alter your hair for a follicle test, I think it would be a good idea to talk to HR before applying. Let them know you've had a negative follicle test.

If it was morphine you tested positive for, morphine isn't the only med that will show up as morphine. If you took an opiate within 1-4 days of testing (1-7 if chronic usage), look up the metabolites of that opiate.

Then, if it was, in fact, prescribed to you, get verification from your prescriber, pharmacy or present the bottle.

If you didn't take any opiates, you can fight it, but that probably won't get you hired. But, you CAN clear your name, which is pretty important, too.

I hope this resolves favorably for you!

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Specializes in critical care.
That's why this is confusing. If OP really did test positive for opiates, then I don't think they would hire her back. So if they said she tested positive to a drug she is known to allergic to and then fired her but she didn't take it from what I am gathering, why in the world would she want to go back??

Not everyone is so lucky to have multiple options for employment. If I relied on public transport, I would have literally one option for hospital-based employment.

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.
Not everyone is so lucky to have multiple options for employment. If I relied on public transport, I would have literally one option for hospital-based employment.

If they did this to her once, who is to say they wouldn't do it again? She is lucky she didn't get an action against her license. I get we all gotta work to pay bills but she needs her license to do that. Testing positive if she did not take anything is a huge deal and I wouldn't think it would be wise to return and risk that again. But to each their own I suppose. This could come back to haunt OP and her future career. OP that's the only reason why I would seek legal counsel.

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.

Also, isn't there a sort of self report clause in some BON states? For example, even if OP's job did not report her for this, she is held responsible to report it to the BON herself....

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Also, isn't there a sort of self report clause in some BON states? For example, even if OP's job did not report her for this, she is held responsible to report it to the BON herself....

Possibly. But taking out a gun and shooting yourself in the foot isn't the course of action a reasonable person would take.

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.
Possibly. But taking out a gun and shooting yourself in the foot isn't the course of action a reasonable person would take.

Right but from what I have read on here that if this clause does exist and the BON finds out you didnt inform them, the consequences are harsher than if you self reported. I say this to point out a reason why OP needs to get this expunged from her record with her clean hair follicle test and a legal representative.

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