I was just curious if any nurse in CA have been able to successfully modify their probation at 1 year to eliminate drug and alcohol testing? Before everyone jumps down my throat, I'm not asking because I want to go out drinking, the reason I'm hoping to have this done is because the testing fees are way too expensive for me and my family to afford. Also, and almost more importantly, this aspect of my probation is prohibiting me from traveling to certain parts of the country where we have family and there is no First Lab testing site (Kauai, HI).... trust me, I asked, and there is no lab there that first lab works with. So anyhow, I'm hoping for a positive success story or two from CA nurses only.
I find that these programs (and a lot of the attached "treatment") rely heavily on junk science, to justify multiple years of testing, As i recall this gem of an idea has minimal evidence to back it up. There is no "magic" length of time after which you are not susceptible.If there were, you would never see people who've been sober 20 years, relapse...but it happens, more often that one would think.
There is an oft-quoted study done on alcoholics that puts the relapse rate at less than 15% after 5 years of sobriety. Relapse at 2 years of sobriety is 40%. I assume that's why so many of these programs run for 5 years.
I have heard of that "oft-quoted study" too. I have searched for it to no avail. The only thing I could find was a couple of highly biased, very small retrospective studies that more or less said this.
> i have found (without having done a statistical analysis;) ) that these programs like to use "evidence based practice" when it suits their needs, even if that justification is in the form of well-massaged statistics.
There is an oft-quoted study done on alcoholics that puts the relapse rate at less than 15% after 5 years of sobriety. Relapse at 2 years of sobriety is 40%. I assume that's why so many of these programs run for 5 years.
"That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence..."
I have a DUI from 4 years ago. Became a nurse 1.5 years ago in Nevada. Now Halfway through a 3year monitoring (2 urine screens a month, no part time second job, no night shifts, weekly nurse group etc) agreement in NEvada. Just obtained an unemcumbered license in Washington. Will hear from CA by the end of the year. Technically I could surrender my NV license and work a travel assignmet under my clean WA license. Wondering if a travel agency would question that though?
Obviously it's not about being able to drink. It's about the $, right to work a 2nd job, right to not have the board breathing down my back and call me falsely accusing me of testing positive (which they did!)
I have a DUI from 4 years ago. Became a nurse 1.5 years ago in Nevada. Now Halfway through a 3year monitoring (2 urine screens a month, no part time second job, no night shifts, weekly nurse group etc) agreement in NEvada. Just obtained an unemcumbered license in Washington. Will hear from CA by the end of the year. Technically I could surrender my NV license and work a travel assignmet under my clean WA license. Wondering if a travel agency would question that though?
Obviously it's not about being able to drink. It's about the $, right to work a 2nd job, right to not have the board breathing down my back and call me falsely accusing me of testing positive (which they did!)
I'm guessing Washington didn't hold the DUI over your head? I have no advice for what to do with your Nevada license but congratulations on getting the Washington license.
Washington did not even address it. I called them for a a status update when my license said pending and then they changed it to active the next day. No monitoring BS no nothing
dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN
1,571 Posts
There is an oft-quoted study done on alcoholics that puts the relapse rate at less than 15% after 5 years of sobriety. Relapse at 2 years of sobriety is 40%. I assume that's why so many of these programs run for 5 years.