Kentucky Board KARE

When I was finally done with monitoring and I didn't have to check in anymore I had such anxiety over that too. I kept having nightmares I was forgetting to check in or would randomly panic in the day because I thought I forgot. Nothing about this process was helpful for me. I don't know what the answer is and I have no solutions to offer to change the process. I just know it was the worst time of my life. I feel like I have a mild form of PTSD from how it all went down, start to finish. I wish I could have been one of those "just control what you can control" people but alas, I am not LOL 

I never check mine because I will be notified of the outcome if it's positive. What can I do if I know the results by checking myself on a Monday afternoon and seeing positive versus my program manager calling me the next day (Tuesday) and me and him having the conversation about positive? Nothing is the answer. There's nothing I can do by knowing the results and the conversation with the program will occur anyway. Recovery specialists have told me to stay away from looking at results because it only brings anxiety and anxiety is the reason I'm doing it. Anxiety adds MORE stress to an already stressful program.

You only speak facts. However, if I check it myself and it is Negative, I get peace of mind. No one said it's rational LOL I just felt like I was on pins and needles until I saw it. Once I had a doctor sign off for me to have NyQuil when I had Covid. I had a prescription positive from that which is legal and fine but every time I saw that up there on my results I wanted to puke. AND once (I must have brain dumped this for my own protection) results never were posted. I got a scolding because she said it's my job to know if I tested and nothing is posted. It was the one time I wasn't checking it obsessively because I was super busy. I had my paperwork saying I had taken it so I wasn't in trouble. She did say I needed to be the one making sure things were in how they should be in. There was no winning. 

Roughly 50 percent of states do NOT allow nurses to see results. You can see where you checked in and if you were selected, but you are blocked from seeing your results. Why do they do this? Because of the anxiety and stress that it can bring upon a nurse who already has a severely stressful 3 to 5 situation. It's not a nurses job to "make sure their results are innthe system." That's not in anyone's consent order. That's why we pay the monthly ridiculous fee for the testing agency like Affinity or Recovery Trek.

Mscoolmug said:

You only speak facts. However, if I check it myself and it is Negative, I get peace of mind. No one said it's rational LOL I just felt like I was on pins and needles until I saw it. Once I had a doctor sign off for me to have NyQuil when I had Covid. I had a prescription positive from that which is legal and fine but every time I saw that up there on my results I wanted to puke. AND once (I must have brain dumped this for my own protection) results never were posted. I got a scolding because she said it's my job to know if I tested and nothing is posted. It was the one time I wasn't checking it obsessively because I was super busy. I had my paperwork saying I had taken it so I wasn't in trouble. She did say I needed to be the one making sure things were in how they should be in. There was no winning. 

The case managers don't want to do their jobs. Lazy people 

Healer555 said:

The case managers don't want to do their jobs. Lazy people 

Not the case managers job. It's the testing agency/contracted company by the BON such as Affinity/Recovery Trek. It's their job to enter the test results into the system which is why we pay them the stupid monthly fee. I had this happen to me once. I of course have my paper copy of my test submission/chaon of custody and my case manager calls me and asked "if I tested." Before he had the full sentence out, I texted him a copy of my chain of custody form. He asked me why the result wasn't in the system and got a little smart asked.  I told him, "it's my job to remain sober, check-in daily, and test when I'm selected, and to pay a monthly fee to the testing agency to enter the results." I told him that nowhere in my consent order am I responsible for ensuring the testing agency puts the results in and not only that, I could file suit against the testing agency for negligence of duty. That ended the whole thing right there and never again did he mention to me anything about test results getting into the system. He knew that is was his job for checking with the testing company as to why they didn't put the results in. I made it clear my job is to only supply the urine on that given day. 

That is the perfect response. 

JB C said:

Not the case managers job. It's the testing agency/contracted company by the BON such as Affinity/Recovery Trek. It's their job to enter the test results into the system which is why we pay them the stupid monthly fee. I had this happen to me once. I of course have my paper copy of my test submission/chaon of custody and my case manager calls me and asked "if I tested." Before he had the full sentence out, I texted him a copy of my chain of custody form. He asked me why the result wasn't in the system and got a little smart asked.  I told him, "it's my job to remain sober, check-in daily, and test when I'm selected, and to pay a monthly fee to the testing agency to enter the results." I told him that nowhere in my consent order am I responsible for ensuring the testing agency puts the results in and not only that, I could file suit against the testing agency for negligence of duty. That ended the whole thing right there and never again did he mention to me anything about test results getting into the system. He knew that is was his job for checking with the testing company as to why they didn't put the results in. I made it clear my job is to only supply the urine on that given day. 

Mine is so lazy and not the brightest bulb to say the least 

In my state we ARE responsible for doing many things not listed in the monitoring agreement  

That really sucks because there's no holding them accountable. The system really is set up for an abuse of power.  I was lucky, honestly. Mine really did make herself available for questions, guiding me in the process, even told me that she read my paperwork and she didn't understand how I ended up with this consequence but "it's not my call" and kept it moving. She did get me released 4 days before my end date. I definitely could have had it much worse. 

MojoNurse said:

Has anyone noticed a delay in results being posted on Affinity right now? I tested Friday morning (10/4), and nothing is posted yet. It would usually at least say "received at lab - no result" by now. I know I'm okay, but damn this anxiety LOL!

OK so I did a test on 10/7 and got results today on  10/10 it depends if it was urine or blood test.. this one was urine. 

Healer555 said:

Mine is so lazy and not the brightest bulb to say the least 

In my state we ARE responsible for doing many things not listed in the monitoring agreement  

Then you should consider a court of law. You can't be made legally responsible for things that are not in writing. For example, every monitoring agreement will say you have to check in daily. You got to test on that day if selected. I've never read any of them that says "you are responsible for ensuring your results are placed in the system." They can't simply 'say by words' and make it true. If your case manager told you that you were responsible for ensuring your results are in the system, that is actually FALSE and borderline ILLEGAL if it's not in your monitoring agreement and you can take action. Any BON consent order or monitoring agreement has nurses sign their rights over saying they will not file suit. But, that relates to what is IN WRITING that you have already agreed to. It's not related to things your case manager simply makes up on the spot.

JB C said:

Then you should consider a court law. You can't be made legally responsible for things that are not in writing. For example every monitoring agreement will say you have to check in daily. You got to test on that day if selected. I've never read any of them that says "you are responsible for ensuring your results are placed innthe system.' They can't simply 'say by words' and make it true. If your case manager told you that you were responsible for ensuring your results are in the system that is actually FALSE and borderline ILLEGAL if it's not in your monitoring agreement and you can take action. Any BON consent order or monitoring agreement has nurses sign their rights over saying they will not file suit. But, that relates to what is IN WRITING that you have already agreed to. It's. Ot related to things your case manager simply makes up on the spot.

It does not work like that.  I and others don't have a SUD yet here we are in a monitoring agreement for a SUD we don't have.  A judge will not be able to help. The monitoring agencies police themselves.  What about the nurses in CA ready to finish and they were told they had to pass narcotics for 6 months before they finished?