Kentucky Board KARE

On 6/26/2019 at 3:29 AM, tkcardiacrn said:

I have a meeting with the KBN next week. I am sick over the KARE “draft” they sent me. I have been a nurse for 21 years and never had anything bad on my record. I’ve worked on the same unit for 20 years and am the unit “go to” for every possible patient worry or concern a less experienced nurse my have. I cannot believe what the “KARE” program is expecting of me. I was arrested for my first (& ONLY) DUI last year and have been living in a nightmare ever since. Rapists get off easier than what I have been through. I want to give my career up. I’m anxious and depressed. Giving up isn’t an options though. I have three children and a mortgage. My husband, who is also a nurse, doesn’t drink alcohol (has never approved of alcohol or drugs of any kind), is also APPALLED at what the KBN is putting me through. This is an absolute nightmare!!

tkcardiacrn-

How are you doing now? I’ve read your posts & I remember the feelings of panic & hopelessness back when I started in October 2014. How did your meeting with KARE go? Did you get the full 5 years? Or is it a lesser term with a DUI? Please update...

14 hours ago, KyBeagle said:

Just checked my countdown app....I have 50 days left in KARE, y’all!!!

Below is a breakdown of my KARE “math”.

I have “checked in” to Affinity 1773 times; I’ve missed 3 “check ins” spread throughout almost 5 years (all on Saturdays- luckily, I wasn’t selected to test those days); and, hopefully, I should just have 50 Affinity “check ins” remaining! I just submitted August’s KARE monthly self-report,....so just ONE more remaining to be faxed!

In almost 5 years, I’ve spent $6354 on UDS & collection fees (thus far)— And spent the last 5 years depositing all our family’s tax return refunds into my Affinity account.

Most importantly, I’ve been sober from narcotics for 1857 days.

I’m pumped, y’all! I think about the feelings of being overwhelmed & hopeless 5 years ago. But taking it just one day at a time & having a positive attitude (I needed KARE), has brought me to a point where I can SEE the end!

Not celebrating JUST yet, though. I always have the fear of a incidental etg from something that I wasn’t aware contained alcohol. Alcohol wasn’t my issue, but I always try to be vigilant about not exposing myself to some obscure source. In 50 days, I’ll be able to BREATHE again & not have to scour a menu ensuring no alcohol! I can apply hairspray, bug spray, use Pam spray when cooking, etc. I can apply hand sanitizer at work without having to ensure my hands are below my waist. Shew...the little things people take for granted!

I will revel in the freedom of a sober lifestyle!

KARE has definitely been “doable”, one day at a time. I was also blessed with a supportive KARE Case Manager. For those new to the KARE program, you CAN do this!

Thank you I really needed this!! I’m only one week into the program and feeling very overwhelmed and depressed when I think about the next 5 years. Like you said though, one day at a time and I believe I can get through this, I HAVE to.

Has anyone been tested after signing the agreement but before their initial meeting with their case manager?

Were any of you board ordered into monitoring?

4 hours ago, rnsam92 said:

Has anyone been tested after signing the agreement but before their initial meeting with their case manager?

Yes. There was a 3 week lapse between meeting with the KARE director & signing my agreement 10/21/14) then meeting my assigned CM (11/17/14). Affinity selected me to test twice before I met my CM. In fact, I was “selected” to test within 1-2 days after activating my Affinity account! I’m sure that they wanted a “baseline” UDS upon entering the program.

4 hours ago, mississippiRN71 said:

Were any of you board ordered into monitoring?

I was not. I self-reported to the board (after rightfully being terminated by my employer) & voluntarily enrolled in the confidential monitoring program. My employer offered to wait 1-2 days before reporting me to the KY BON so that I could self-report & avoid the (very public) disciplinary route.

I took advantage of the offer so I wouldn’t have a permanent mark on my license.

10 hours ago, rnsam92 said:

Thank you I really needed this!! I’m only one week into the program and feeling very overwhelmed and depressed when I think about the next 5 years. Like you said though, one day at a time and I believe I can get through this, I HAVE to.

Whenever you get the required # of posts (I think it’s 15), feel free to PM me! I would be happy to answer any questions! I look back & wish that I had a “seasoned” KY peer to talk to when I entered the program. Don’t look at it as 5 years...just one day at a time. You CAN do this, rnsam92!!! ?

16 hours ago, mississippiRN71 said:

Were any of you board ordered into monitoring?

Nope. KARE is completely voluntary and I believe a much better choice than a formal disciplinary action. A formal action like a probationary period requires monitoring like UDS and such so you might as well enter the program in my opinion.

Is there any way to see your drug screen results?

Hi everyone. My goodness how I wish I had known of this thread nearly 5 years ago. I’m in the final month of my contract with KARE. It’s a very exciting and nervous time for me. So happy to finally be near the end. Also, so scared that even the smallest of things will go wrong as I wait for these days to tick down. I was curious if anyone else here has been selected for Saturday or Sunday drug screens. Not one in my 5 years had I been until recently. Now it seems all of my selections are Saturday or Sunday. Thanks and good luck to everyone ?

6 hours ago, Happynurse25 said:

Hi everyone. My goodness how I wish I had known of this thread nearly 5 years ago. I’m in the final month of my contract with KARE. It’s a very exciting and nervous time for me. So happy to finally be near the end. Also, so scared that even the smallest of things will go wrong as I wait for these days to tick down. I was curious if anyone else here has been selected for Saturday or Sunday drug screens. Not one in my 5 years had I been until recently. Now it seems all of my selections are Saturday or Sunday. Thanks and good luck to everyone ?

Yikes! No, I haven’t been selected on Sat/Sun in the past. Not that it would be a problem as far as my UDS results would go. However, I do work some weekends & have a tendency not to set my alarm as early as I do during the week. In fact, testing on the weekend that I work would be a disaster. I don’t have any open weekend testing sites in my county. Just traveling to an out-of-county testing site would cut AT LEAST 2 hours out of my work day- probably more with counting the time with waiting to test.

Hmmm... I’m glad to know this. I know it’s always been a possibility (but assumed it was rare). However, you’re the first person in KY that I’ve heard this happening to. I’ll definitely need to work on a contingency plan!

I’m almost at the end of my contract (Oct 21). Once difference I’ve noticed is the frequency. In the beginning I was tested 2X/month- then 1-2X/month. However, I recently had a run of selections & was chosen 3X/month. That was new. I had 5 tests in 6 weeks. Everything resulted as normal. I assumed that it had something to do with increasing frequency at the end of my contract but maybe Affinity is changing up their frequency/day of the week schedule.

13 hours ago, rnsam92 said:

Is there any way to see your drug screen results?

You can see the “generic” results- Positive, Negative, Abnormal, Dilute, or Invalid. You will never be able to see the actual test.

In the Spectum app from the Home Screen- Tap on the “Compliance” button. That will give you 3 additional tabs from which to choose. Tap the “History” button. In the History screen, tap on “Check-in” & scroll down to “Tests”. At that point you’ll be able to see your test status/ results.

If there isn’t an update since your previous test- it usually means that the specimen is still in transit from the collection site to the testing lab. Once it reaches the testing lab, you’ll see a “Received at lab- no result” message until it posts the results.