PA VRP/DMU questions/help

[random5656]

Hello, I was wondering if there are any Nurses on here that are currently in or has went through the VRP or DMU program in PA could answer some questions I have?

Is everyones VRP or DMU contract the same?

Do they ever change?

What departments are you restricted from working in and is it forever?

Is it hard to leave town to visit friends?

how long after being called in for a urine screen do you have to report?

Do they often come back to back? as in can you kinda ok to plan a short trip (say 3 days) after getting a urine screen?

How many AA meetings weekly and how often does the CM check up on you?

Counseling requirements?

How hard is it to find a job after having disciplinary put on your license/record?

[HunnieBadger]

Sounds like questions you should be asking your monitor :)

[Twoyearnurse]

Good morning, the suggestion by hunnie is a good one. Take this one day at a time- I know it sounds stupid but a mountain is climbed that exact same way. If you haven't started yet, attend aa or na, you will find a lot of support and love there as well as some nurses. It's a great way to start. You'll feel a little crazy at first with lots of questions and "future tripping", you can not control this and the future is unknown. Sounds terrifying at first, but the terror gets less.

[1sttime]

Hi, I am in Oregons program- Ill answer from this perspective:

1) Everyones contract is the same

2) The contracts change if you have a non-compliance issue (extended), also when you meet certain time frames (i.e. lifting of certain restrictions at 1 year)

3) No certain departments are restricted, but you must have supervision (no float) and no narcotics for the first year.

4)It is hard to leave town to visit friends, you can get out of area testing sites but they usually have different hours for testing and might be part of an UCC. I almost missed a test due to a flight being delayed (Luckily they booked me on another flight after I told them I could lose my job if I didn't make the test)

5) We used to have an 8 hour time frame, but now the test just needs to be taken the same day

6) There have been times that I have gone weeks without testing (rare), most of the time it is one test a week, and a few times I have had 2 tests a week. It is not safe to plan a trip unless you have a testing site.

7) We are all mandated to 3 meeting a week, and weekly contact.

8) Counseling requirements were what was recommended by the third party evaluator

9) Finding the right job was easy enough, I just applied at places with no narcotics, I did not disclose my disability until the job was offered.

My experience with monitoring has been ok: it is not individualized to a persons situation (I have no access to narcotics as the building I work in is not attached to anywhere that provides direct patient care, yet still tested often).

In the beginning I was over reporting to my CM, I found out by asking what is required to report that she was asking questions that were outside the scope of the contract.

Read the contract, there have been several issues which the CM had clearly no idea how to interpret them (one was precepting, CM said under no circumstances, BON clarified and said no precepting students).

Good luck, the rules are not always fair, but when I weigh them against the burden I would have if I was disciplined I gladly take the rules. Probation for X amount of years for a medical issue....