Drug test randomness???

Nurses Recovery

Published

And now for today's complaint...

Just curious, how much do these programs gouge us all for pee tests and how often? Just sort of an informal poll. Here in the lovely sunshine state we get hit for $55 a shot, minimum, more if they feel like running some dumb additional testing for no obvious reason. I've gotten slammed this calendar year alone for 20 so far! 4 of them were within 1 weeks time. Supposedly you can be "randomly selected" 24-27 times per year. At the so-called maximum, I will see another 7 this year. With 1/4 of the year left, maybe they'll leave me alone, for a little while.

Like many of us that are unemployed, this really hits us hard in the wallet. After a little number crunching, I've determined that this year this stupid thing will cost me almost $4000. (That includes these tests, the support group and $950 on an uncalled for joke of an additional evaluation.) At that rate, I'm paying more for this farce than I did for nursing school?? Makes me want to scream.

That is all.

Specializes in Med Surg.

Not encouraging information out there about the "randomness" of drug screens or the costs associated wirh these programs. I am in TnPap and signed my agreement mid July. I have had 11 tests since then.

In Tennessee under Affinity, UDS are $70, Peth are $130+$45 collection fee, and hair are $250+$35 collection fee. Of these, I have had 1 Peth, 1 hair, and 9 UDS. That is $1085 on drug screens alone in less than 90 days.

In TN we are required to be in a Birchwood support group that costs $300 a quarter. So I have paid $600 since July because you pay in advance.

With my initial eval of $575, the $1000 for IOP, the twice a week mandatory therapist visits (have to have 30 sessions), and the random screens ; I am all in at about $4000 for less than 3 months. My contract is through July 2020. At this rate, drug screens alone will cost around $12,000 over 3 years??

I make $10.50 an hour at my non-nursing job, and I grateful to have this job; don't get me wrong, but seriously?! Even with a nursing job this would ludicrous!

I am not by any means saying that my behavior was excusable or that I am not appreciative of being able to have a program that will allow me to work as an RN someday. I take 100% of the responsibility for my actions and my recovery.

However, accountability aside, this seems over the top excessive to me. I have 2 instances where I have had a UDS and then 2 days later had a Peth or a Hair test?!

FYI all of my screens have been negative so no reason that I can see for additional screens so close together?

Thanks for rhe venue to speak, sometimes it helps just to vent a little. Peace.

WOW!!! All that testing clustered like that & all negatives. I'm sorry that's somebody simply stealing money from somebody that cannot afford to pay. Simple extortion.

How often do they do hair tests?

Specializes in Med Surg.

Thanks for the support. I know that I "voluntarily" signed up for this, but I sure wish I had more information from others or forums that could have given me a clear heads up as to what I was getting myself into.

I want to be a good nurse, a healthy nurse, and an employed nurse but the stress of the monitoring program logistically and financially is emotionally overwhelming some days.

Thanks again for listening, and for the format!

Specializes in OR.

Having testing more appropriately targeted to the reason a person is in this boat would make entirely too much sense. I can see more frequent picks right at the beginning or in the face of relapses, missed check ins etc. One might think that after so many years of perfect compliance they might back off on the frequency But that would not generate as much money and we all know that is one of the driving forces behind a lot of this.

I have *heard* that the further along you are, the less frequent the testing gets but nobody will actually confirm that. Of course not, why would they, it'd dent the control factor.....

I totally agree about the profit motive!!! I think home etg and drug tests at wally world cost $20 why does it cost us $100. Some of this is crazy an additional $20 for someone to watch you pee? Really?!?!?!

Specializes in Med Surg.

Funny you should mention that...I was at my TnPap mandated support group this morning and I mentioned my testing concerns yadda yadda.

I was told by at least 3 RNs that are in my group and have been around a while that there are 26 tests a year. Two hair, 4 blood, 20 urine. They are "random" as to the when of the test, but not the number per year. If that is true or even partly true, then this is voluntary insanity.

Again, super grateful that I still have a license, even a probationary one. It is just hard not to see this a punitive system, out to make $$.

Peace.

Specializes in Med Surg.

In Tn, at least twice a year. At a cost of $295 each. I have been told by RNs that have been in for a few years and are very compliant that the # of tests a year remains the same; hair 2 yearly, blood 4 yearly, and urine 20 yearly= 26 a year.

I have been tested once or twice every two weeks for 3 months. Some of them within 2 days of each other. That has been a UDS then 2 days later a blood or hair. Just this week, Monday I had a PeTh blood test, then today a UDS. So in 2 days I spent $245 on screens. Not alot to some, but to this $10.50/hour wage earner it is a literal fortune. And ALL are negative, no ambiguity on any test.

Again, grateful and thankful for the opportunity to keep my license and to be clean/sober and working on honest recovery. Just seems like there would be a more fiscally responsible way to allow those in recovery to "recover" their lives.

Peace.

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