Done in Ohio!

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I have longed to make this post. Coming here to read threads every now and again helped me not feel alone during this process. As of today I am DONE with 4 years of monitoring in Ohio and it feels so so good. For those of you just starting or are half way thru or whatever, just keep pushing on. This is not forever and it will NEVER define you. Not ever. I'm wondering how long it takes to not panic when I think I've forgotten to check in when I don't have to anymore or what it's like to plan a trip and not have to worry about making sure I'm not too far from a testing center. I am thinking of all of you and sending all the positive mojo, you got this. 

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Congrats..I'm waiting for my sentence to end. Less than a year but feels longer 

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I'm in Ohio and new to the monitoring process. How often did you typically get urine tested? Blood tested? Did you ever have to give a hair sample? Also, does the BON actually contact the employer regarding receiving the consent agreement?

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Thanks and Congrats. How did it end for you? For example, when your 4 years were up and you could prove sobriety to the exact day at the 4 year mark, how long after that did you have to check in? Did it end that day? Did you have to wait until receiving something in the mail? How long did it take to get the official word from your monitoring program/BON from that exact 4 year mark that you no longer need to check in?

Mine took 1 day. When my 5 years to the exact day that I entered monitoring was up, I spoke with my case manager that exact day and emailed the BON compliance manager that exact day. I got a response 1 day later (had to check in for 1 more day after the 5 year exact mark) and the BON compliance manager and my case manager (which I ccd both of them in the same email) told me I didn't need to check in anymore. 2 weeks later, I received my official letter from the BON and my monitoring program completion certificate, but did NOT have to check in for those 2 weeks. 

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Real important for nurses who are near completion. Make double sure you get your case manager to include the number of drug tests taken during your monitoring program, it's length of time of your program, and if you can, have them write, "proven sobriety and no relapses for 3 or 4 or 5 years, etc." This is important if you ever move to another state and make it your new home state. That state may want the above info. It will speed up your application if you have it, even though your license is fully restored in the state you are moving from, the new state will still ask these questions. Additionally, if you go on for graduate school, the School may want it. If you apply for an APRN license and then you need , the ensurer will want it. If you apply for an APRN, your national acrediting organization will want it.

Don't settle for the BON, case manager writing a generic and lazy azz statement such as, "Nurse Smith completed the monitoring program and was compliant."  That's lazy. Have them put the length of your program, no relapses (if it applied) and the number of drug tests taken. 

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Shonda01 said:

I'm in Ohio and new to the monitoring process. How often did you typically get urine tested? Blood tested? Did you ever have to give a hair sample? Also, does the BON actually contact the employer regarding receiving the consent agreement?

Hi there,

My very first test was a blood test and I never had another one in the whole 4 years. I never had a hair test. Besides that first blood test it was always urine. There is always at least 1 test every calendar month, some months there was 2 and on a rare occasion 3 (literally probably twice that happened). But sometimes I would test at the beginning of one month and then well into the second month, so sometimes I would go 5-6 weeks without having to test. Your employer will be fully aware you are in the program because they have to send a form every single month (excessive in my mind, I think quarterly would be just fine, especially a year or two in. Let me know if you have other questions. I'm happy to demystify it for you. 

SheelaDavis said:

Thanks and Congrats. How did it end for you? For example, when your 4 years were up and you could prove sobriety to the exact day at the 4 year mark, how long after that did you have to check in? Did it end that day? Did you have to wait until receiving something in the mail? How long did it take to get the official word from your monitoring program/BON from that exact 4 year mark that you no longer need to check in?

Mine took 1 day. When my 5 years to the exact day that I entered monitoring was up, I spoke with my case manager that exact day and emailed the BON compliance manager that exact day. I got a response 1 day later (had to check in for 1 more day after the 5 year exact mark) and the BON compliance manager and my case manager (which I ccd both of them in the same email) told me I didn't need to check in anymore. 2 weeks later, I received my official letter from the BON and my monitoring program completion certificate, but did NOT have to check in for those 2 weeks. 

 

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I had my exit meeting and got the official letter about 5 days letter. The day I got the letter emailed was the last day I had to check it. They just shut off your account so I couldn't log in anymore. 

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