Group One background checks in Texas

U.S.A. Texas

Published

I have been put into group one, which is a reporting agency that allows other healthcare facilitys to see why I was terminated. I was not given a chance to resign before termination. My question is, can I request to have it changed? Is this a type of discrimination? all this is making me want to get out of healthcare all together, seems like i will allways have a disadvantage being a guy and all.

No, they are only used by hospitals in the DFW area.

I've asked around and have yet to meet anyone in the Houston area who has even heard of them.

On this BB, I've asked nurses from San Antonio, Corpus, Amarillo, etc. and no one yet has reported use of Group One in these areas.

But...I've been hearing that they have plans to spread their practice, perhaps even to other states so even those of you in GA may not ev entually be able to escape it.

I have recently been on GroupOne's website and they have expanded to other areas in Texas, are now in louisiana, and are planning on moving into other states.

http://www.gp1.com

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Group One can and is destroying peoples careers. I called them last week to get the low-down. Whatever is on your record will never leave. You do have the right to dispute what is reported, but you are not given notice that you have been reported. You usually find out when you've been offered a job and they do a "consumer report". If you dispute your report and the hospital agrees that your side is correct, they will fix it. If they stand by what they reported, the comments stay, but they will attach your comments to it. You can get a copy of your report for $9 or $10 if you have not been denied employment. If you have been, it is free if requested within a certain number of days, the guy thought 60. I went to work for a hospital in Ft. Worth and since it had been several years since I had worked in a hospital, they agreed to mentor me for up to 12 weeks to reorient me to the setting. The first day on the floor I was told that there was going to be a shortage of nurses the next day and would have to take a full load. These were total care, all diabetics. Plus I had not worked in a hospital that used computerized charting. I told the nurse manager that I was not ready for a full load and would not do it. She told me that if I did not return the next day she would report me to Group One and I would never work in a hospital again. Well, I didn't even know what Group One was, and really didn't even care. I felt that I did what was in the best interest of the hospital, patients, and my license. A couple years later I had applied for a job with Cook Children's Home Health. I had several years of previous pedi private duty experience. After trying to screw me on the pay, they finally made me a great offer - $24/hr for LVN - but after they pulled the Group One, they didn't care why I quit on the second day. It is their policy that if you have ever been reported, they will not hire you. TWU has a 13 mo BSN program if you have a bachelors degree in anything. I had planned to go through their program after I graduate in the fall (Spanish/History degree), but they too use Group One for the nursing programs. Amazes me that there's such a nursing shortage, and they so eagerly destroy nursing careers over nothing. I have never been fired from a job and get very good recommendations; but I can't work in a hospital! That's all changing too though, because Staffing Agencies, Home Health Agencies, Nursing Homes and Universities are now using Group One. I have just applied to CareNow and have an interview with them next week. In their online aplication, they too must have consent to perform a "consumer report" - so we'll see - they are not listed as one of the Group One members. I could understand if you had done something illegal, dangerous or completely inappropiate, but from what I've gathered from some of the other threads, nurses are being reported just because a nurse manager doesn't like them. So, Group One is definitely something to fear if plan on staying in nursing. That's why I'm getting out. I have a husband who is in remission with stage IV non-hodgkin's lymphoma and needs a liver transplant because of the chemo, so I just wanted the knowledge so that I am able to better take care of him. But now, even that has become a challenge!

I am in the Pacific Northwest, and we don't have Group One here. But I have a question for those of you in Texas- if yo are applying for a job. You know that the "consumer report" will be done (AKA Group ONE check), so before signing the permit for this "comsumer check", has anyone ever talked to an Employment Lawyer, about this whole thing? Like if you didn't sign it, or crossed it out on the application? It seems to me that there has been too much leeway given to this company, and the hospitals that use it. And the fact that a complaint on your record, for what ever reason, never goes away. Have you talked to your Congressman, or has anyone talked to the press, or even CNN, to see if you can get anyone interseted in bringing this out to the public? And put heat on them? Make some noise. Nurses are notoriorsly bad about making noise about their situations, and letting hospitals, or whoever, "beat them up" about things.

I am glad that my husband never got stationed in Texas- they would have had to call out the National Guard because of me. JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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tell me what is so wrong w tx. i have about 18 mos left of school and we are OPEN to move anywhere after school, as long as i have a job. Let me know , i am curious. I want to prepare myself or bypass a problem all together.

:rolleyes: Just read this entire thread from page one and you can make up your own mind. I have practiced in many parts of this country....Texas and Florida are the worst.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Yes group one is a problem, but it isnt a problem for everyone. You can get things off your record, but you have to go about it using the proper channels, those provided by the fair credit reporting act.

Group One doesnt mean you can never make anyone mad, or that you can never stand up for yourself.

Don't let them keep you from working where you want to unless you are a criminal or have been fired for endagering patiets - and yes there are two sides to every story - the fair credit reporting act allows for that too.

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcra.htm

There are some other web sites that also have information, DO NOT pay anyone money to repair your credit - those operations are mostly bogus and make the problem worse.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

And...

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3898/is_200208/ai_n9117808

which states that the reporting creditor (employer) can be sued for reporting false information

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

And....

http://www.consumerlaw.com/credit.html

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Specializes in floor to ICU.
I personally don't think there is a problem in Texas. I have lived here all my life and have never nursed any where else. I love it!

I'm with you. I've lived in Texas all my life and have been a nurse here for almost 16 years. I've never heard of Group One.

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I'm with you. I've lived in Texas all my life and have been a nurse here for almost 16 years. I've never heard of Group One.

Because it hasn't affected your area yet!

You've never heard of Group One and haven't been personally affected by it, so therefore there must be no problem anywhere in TX?

Look beyond your own hometown and hospital. It's happening!

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I personally don't think there is a problem in Texas. I have lived here all my life and have never nursed any where else. I love it!

That's an insane statement.

Have you worked in DFW?

There is a big wide world of Texas that exists outside of Austin and it's nature granola girls, artists, musicians, and alternative lifestyle people. Maybe you should venture out some time.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I'm with you. I've lived in Texas all my life and have been a nurse here for almost 16 years. I've never heard of Group One.
It is destroying the careers of nurses who live and work in North Texas. :rolleyes:
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Specializes in ICU.
That's an insane statement.

Have you worked in DFW?

There is a big wide world of Texas that exists outside of Austin and it's nature granola girls, artists, musicians, and alternative lifestyle people. Maybe you should venture out some time.

UMMMMM, I have worked in several parts of Texas, have never had dealings with Group One and have actually only been in Austin 6 years. FYI for others that may be reading your post, Austin is not all "nature granola girls, artists, musicians, and alternative lifestyle people". I personally do not fit into any of these categories and neither do most of my friends and co-workers. The area of Texas that Group One effects is small in comparison to the rest of the state as a whole. Maybe people need to venture outside of the DFW area.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

RN34TX lives in the Texas Gulf Coast region, as evidenced by the location that was typed below her screen name. She's apparently ventured outside the DFW area; in fact, she doesn't even live near DFW.

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