Is there a JOB i can get after being reported to GROUP ONE in TX..black listed :(

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I was blacklisted by group one in the DFW area. I indeed did mess up..I gave meds to a patient without scanning thier arm band. I just plain forgot to do it. We had a no tolerance policy for that and I did it. I had had the patient for 3 nights in a row, and it with everything going on, i brought the meds in and just forgot to scan the meds. I didnt realize i had even done it until later the charge nurse noticed that my meds "had not been given" and when she asked me I said "yes i gave them at 2100"..she stated that they were still showing up on the mar as unscanned. I said, "oh my gosh i forgot to scan them" . She said no biggy just manually enter them as given. So i did. A week later I was called in the office and terminated for breaking policy. I was guilty i had no defense other than human error (brain fart).

I felt so despondent. I cried for 2 weeks because I loved that job. But i had been putting in applications and got 3 phone interviews that went very well. 2 i never heard back from and one i went in for the face to face and thought it went very well. She did ask me why i left my other job and i was honest with her. She said "things like that are teaching tools, you learn from your mistakes and humans make them" she acted like it was something they could look over. A week later i got a call from HR and they said due to GROUP ONE i wasnt eligible for hire at the hospital. I didnt even know what group one was. I've been a nurse for 10 yrs and have always recieved good reviews, liked by peers etc, no real attendance issues, and have only held 2 jobs in 10 yrs....good work history. I had NEVER been written up for any reason, ever.

So here I am, a year later, still unemployed. I have applied for probably 100 jobs and been turned down by them all. Home health, pretty much every hospital in DFW area, Doctors offices etc. I did interview with a doctors office and ALMOST got the job but the nurse that was leaving changed her mind, i do not think he used group one, but most do, or are affiliated with a hospital group that does.

My question is this, what can i do??? where can i go??? I am raising a grandbaby, my son is 17 and wants to go to college, and i have a 10 yr old son. i have spent all my retirement trying to hold on to my home, my daughter abandoned her baby and is living a life i wish she wasnt but I couldnt send my granddaughter away. My husband is a paramedic working 50 hours a week and maybe brings home 3,000 per month after insurance and taxes. But with our mortgage, his car payment, and bills...we are short every month. for a family of 5, its not enough. We can not sell our home, we have tried, its worth less then we owe due to the economy. We have also maxed out our credit cards. We even thought about leasing our home out and renting an apartment, but would only save about 400 per month and then we'd have god knows what happening in our home ruining our carpet and hardwoods..the risk wasnt worth it. We dont have cell phones, or cable. We do what we can but its impossible.

Basically I almost feel suicidal. I feel so worthless. My life is ruined. My son can not go to college on his own, and he has dreams i cant fullfill. I was making 70,000 per year and now NOTHING. We had money saved, and felt comfortable to be able to send him to college after Jr college was complete.

Is there ANYWHERE i can get a decent paying job??? What or who DOESN'T utilize group one??? Any place? If i send one more application i'm going to scream, not that i dont scream and cry every day. I spent so long in school, graduated with a 3.6 with honors and all for NOTHING. I guess my only hope now is Walmart. :( I'm so depressed (already on antidepressents that we can't afford)

Also...how long does this stay on my record??? does it fall of in 7 yrs? I can't really wait that long, i have to get my son into school, and believe it or not, he doesnt qualify for financial aid because we still make too much money...especially if i get any kind of job at all...which even if its walmart i have to get one and fast.

Please for the love of GOD SOMEONE HELP ME :( :( :( :( :(

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Specializes in Rehab, critical care.

Wow, that's all I can say. You have gone through a lot, and have a lot on your shoulders. I have never heard of "group one" before. But, let me just say: what you did, to me, was barely a mistake. You forgot to scan the armband once, big deal. You gave the meds to the correct patient, right? This was a first time offense, and I understand the purpose of the scanners, help prevent med errors. You manually verified the patient's armband, right? You performed your 5 rights, etc?

We use scanners/computers, as well, but there are times when I don't scan the armband, and that's when it's inappropriate to do so, i.e. critical med needs to be overrode in our system, don't have time to wait for pharmacy to scan it in, which is why a zero tolerance policy would never work since everyone would be fired lol. That's the exception, rather than the rule, that I have to do that, but I always just use my eyes to verify it's correct.

All that I can say is that I'm sorry you're going through all of this. You took responsibility for your error, you're human, and like I said, you gave the meds to the correct patient anyway. And you've had great reviews for 10 years, 10 years! Wow. You are doing everything you can right now.

Is there any way that you can move to another state and just transfer your license? If you explain your situation to any reasonable employer, they will empathize with you. That is ridiculous...you could have gotten a warning or something first. I know you said you have a home that you can't sell, but if you really can't sell it, you could lease it before you moved. Your husband is a paramedic, so he should be able to find work elsewhere. Find a job in an area of a state that's hiring, and make sure your husband can find something, too, then move...start applying now! I know you have a family, which makes things more difficult to move, but your 10 year old and 17 year old will adapt, and it will probably be less stressful than what you're doing now.

If you've spent a year of looking for work, and haven't found any, it's time for a change. Consider it a new adventure! You have 10 yrs of nursing experience, good reviews....take that with you to a new state and new life! :).

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

Many of the D/FW-area facilities owned by Kindred do not use Group One for background checks. Instead, they use a company called Kroll. Also, many nursing homes and LTC facilities in the area do not use Group One.

If your heart is still set on the hospital setting, I know for a fact that Weatherford Regional no longer uses Group One for background checks.

I wish you the best of luck and hope that you land gainful employment as soon as possible!

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I really just can't move. I have an elderly mother who is in her 80s, a son about to graduate in the next year from college who has his whole life wanted to go to A and M university in college station tx, and all my family is here. I also do not have custody of my Grandbaby and doubt I would get that from her mom...so I'd have to leave her. I just can not do that. I am stuck here.

Weatherford, i'm not sure how far that is from the Denton area, as that is where i am close too.

Does anyone know OF ANY OTHER PLACES OR JOBS I CAN GET WITH MY ADN? HOw does one get an insurance job, or does anyone know of school nurse positions that take adns? I just don't have time or energy to go back for my bsn, especially in the light of my group one status, i feel im wasting my time :(

I have never been more scared in my life that I'll end up flipping burgers for 7.00 per hour at age 50. I have another friend who got a job at a prison, but there have never been another opening...they take nurses with police records that is why its hard to get on there, lots of applications.

i wonder which schools take adn's in this area.

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Many of the D/FW-area facilities owned by Kindred do not use Group One for background checks. Instead, they use a company called Kroll. Also, many nursing homes and LTC facilities in the area do not use Group One.

If your heart is still set on the hospital setting, I know for a fact that Weatherford Regional no longer uses Group One for background checks.

I wish you the best of luck and hope that you land gainful employment as soon as possible!

Kindred is on there list...did they stop using group one?? I heard they were one of thier top users??
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I have heard of cases where nurses fight Group One for things like you described and won. You might be able to get a lawyer to do it probono (sp?). Search the boards I swear I've about fighting them on the website.

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Wow...this is really unfortunate, I am so sorry :(, hope you stay strong!!

I would say apply for a work from job, I know Medassurant is reputed auditing company that pays very good, some travelling only local and most of teh work is season, so dont expect 40hrs/week, but still enough until you keep looking at places described above. go to medassurant.com, and apply/talk to their HR. It being a national company, I am pretty sure they dont use Group one.

Good luck and God speed!

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I read your story and I feel really bad for you. That hospital must be terrible. What about travelling nursing? they paid great, pay all your expenses and you could save money to pay for your house and son. It is a sacrifice, but due to the circumstances is worth the try.

Good luck!!

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I'm sorry for your situation, we're all just human. Maybe there is some kind of continuing education clss you could take that would look beneficial on your resume? It seems our society places a high value on rehabbing yourself (even if it's just for simple human error). I would look for options that would make me "look good on paper". I'm sure there is something you can do, and I hope you find what works for you. *hugs*

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Kindred is on there list...did they stop using group one?? I heard they were one of thier top users??

The Kindred Hospital in Dallas uses Group One, whereas the Kindred Hospitals in Fort Worth and Arlington use Kroll. Also, Kindred owns three LTC facilities in the D/FW area that need RNs: Lone Star (located in Grapevine), Ridgmar Plaza (located in Fort Worth), and Mansfield Plaza (located in Mansfield).

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Is this legal to be blacklisted?! This makes me so angry!! I feel for you-this is so unfair, what should or could we all do about this blacklisting!? I think we should all be afraid of this crap!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Somehow it gets reported under the laws that exist for credit reporting. Thus making it legal and near to impossible to correct/fight.

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