Kentucky Board KARE

9 hours ago, KyBeagle said:

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.

Thanks for the update, and congrats on your upcoming graduation! I was floored by my first weekend selection, as it made my working schedule and finding a site difficult. Now I’m just expecting it til I finish. The only thing I can gather is that maybe it’s because any missed check ins I’ve had over the years were on Saturday or Sunday. And yes, always have a plan in place just in case, because it definitely can happen. Best wishes to all ?

Today is it!! Logged in with affinity and saw “please activate account”. This is the best feeling. Its a long hard 5 years, but it does end!

4 hours ago, Happynurse25 said:

Today is it!! Logged in with affinity and saw “please activate account”. This is the best feeling. Its a long hard 5 years, but it does end!

Yay! Congrats! I can’t imagine a sweeter message from Affinity, LOL! Were you expecting to be able to log in today?

I have about 20 days left of my KARE contract!

6 minutes ago, KyBeagle said:

Yay! Congrats! I can’t imagine a sweeter message from Affinity, LOL! Were you expecting to be able to log in today?

I have about 20 days left of my KARE contract!

My date was officially 9/29. I guess since that was a Sunday I had to wait for someone to be in the office to “press the button”. A friend of mine finished KARE in July, and she continued being able to log in and check in for a week after her date. I’m glad mine didn’t hang around that long, as I nearly climbed out of my own skin being able to log in one day after lol. So many congrats to you on your upcoming finish. It truly is the best feeling I’ve had in such a long time. Can’t wait til you can experience it too! Be sure if you owe any fees to the board or any missing paperwork it’s in early. I’ve heard these things can hold things up for weeks!

So I'm on probation, as I said before I think, and taking UAs. It is a huge financial burden for me as I'm currently at home raising two small boys and not working. I woke this morning, and was picked to test. But of course on a week, when I am literally scraping to have my usual 41 dollar fee (I've only had about six UAs) set back, it is now 65 dollars instead. Why the jump? Is this one just a bigger panel? As I haven't yet figured out how I'm going to pay it, I can't check in and see what test is ordered. Thought someone here might just know offhand because of the price. ? Thanks in advance.

I’m pretty sure this is the test for etg (presence of alcohol metabolites). I’ve never confirmed that, but it’s always been my guess. I had the $65 one at least every other month.

I concur with Happynurse25. If it’s panel O- 792441, I’ve always guessed it was a regular “routine” panel with etg instead of just ethanol. Again- just a GUESS! I usually received that panel about 3-4 times/year. The rest of my UDSs were $41.50ea (plus collection site fees).

Side note: For a long time, I assumed that it was the “kitchen sink” of tests that others on here have referred to (that includes muscle relaxers, anticonvulsants, most opioids, etc). However, I definitely know that 792441 is negative for both Gabapentin & Flexeril but positive for Adderall & oxycodone.

This is knowledge that we KARE nurses pieced together over the past 3 years in my Health Professional group (btw... These were ALL meds, individually approved by KARE CMs, & taken by multiple nurses. NOT all by ME, LOL). It made us wonder if it was a routine 12 or 14 panel test that included etg...But, again, who knows! None of us were taking spice, bath salts, Kratom, etc. We were all obeying the rules, sober & clean, all playing by the rules. After spending so much money (for 5 years), we were all simply curious.

We did notice that those who were in the KARE program for alcohol DID get the $65 O-792441 test more frequently.

If anyone else is still using this thread I am in need of some KARE advice! I have not signed a contract with KARE yet but it should be happening in the next few weeks. I am a self report of an arrest in Feb did involve alcohol. Disorderly conduct and resisting arrest were the actual charges. Anyways, I recently moved to FL and know they will revoke my compact state licensure with KARE. I am currently applying for a FL license by endorsement and have a job I’ve been working on for a few months now. I was suppose to start a few weeks ago but held off since I knew I would have a lapse in licensure. My main question is if anyone has any experience with working for a staffing company while in the KARE program? The job I’ve been working on is a staffing company that staffs for 15 different hospitals in the area we recently moved too. I’m afraid since I will have more than 1 manager I’m working under at any given month that they will not approve the job. If anyone has any insight or advice I’d greatly appreciate it!

I missed checking in today for the first time ever. I was sick and taking care of my 1 year old so it completely slipped my mind! Anyone know what happens if you miss a check in?

56 minutes ago, rnsam92 said:

I missed checking in today for the first time ever. I was sick and taking care of my 1 year old so it completely slipped my mind! Anyone know what happens if you miss a check in?

Absolutely nothing. You email your CM and tell them you missed, why you missed it and what you’ll do in the future to prevent missing again. Then the missed check-in goes into your “file”. That’s it, no harm done as long as you don’t make it a habit to miss. Ive accidentally missed at least 6 each year (coming onto my fourth year) and nothing has ever happened.

@casinjth2 Wow! You’ve had about 18 missed check-ins in 3 years?? I assumed that they would extend the KARE contract period for that many missed check-ins. That would have made me a nervous wreck! Have any of those days been a day that you were selected to test?

@rnsam92 I missed 3 check-ins in 5 years. The first 2x I emailed my KARE CM with the same things that casinjth2 said above. 1) An explanation of why I had missed/overlooked checking-in; and, 2) What I would do in the future to prevent it from happening again. My CM responded each time that she would place my explanation in my KARE file & thanked me for immediately notifying her. I never heard anything further.

I wasn’t even AWARE of the 3rd missed check-in until right before I completed KARE in October this year. I noticed it on the Affinity website & it had actually occurred 5 months earlier. Of course, since I wasn’t even aware of it at the time, I had never emailed my CM. She never asked me about it either.

My understanding (as once explained by my CM)....if it’s habitual (multiple missed checkins) or in conjunction with other compliance issues (missing paperwork, meeting non-attendance, positive or invalid/dilute UDSs, etc.) then it could be used In building a case of non-compliance. But the rare missed check-in will be tolerated, especially if maintaining compliance in all other areas.

That said, whereas a stray missed check-in may be tolerated, I’m guessing that there may be a repercussion if the missed check-in was for a day selected to test.

Regardless- this is the first time? No worries! Take a breath because you’re FINE! And I hope you’re feeling better. One of the check-ins that I missed was on a day that I was sick. I had N/V & my routine was COMPLETELY off! ?

Anyone know what panel A-763829 tests for? It’s the one I almost always get so I’m assuming it’s probably a standard 9 panel. I also know it includes amphetamines because I have a prescription. I mainly am just curious if it contains etoh or etg. Thanks in advance!