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My nephew was recently required to have a hair follicle test before being hired for an ENGINEERING job. They are getting cheaper and more routinely done.

Fortes Lab will not disclose to you what you are being tested for. Seems a little bit fishy. Will that keep you sober, by not knowing?

What do you mean by "case closed"? Are you done with the program or have they kicked you out? You can petition to be readmitted. I know two or three RN's in my group who had to petition to get back into HPRP. Get your addictionist or therapist to assist you. HPRP is getting strict about those who won't follow the program. Keep doing all of the things they request while you are working on getting back into HPRP. Hope this helps.

Good luck. I suggest an attorney or make sure you are VERY organized and have everything documented, even then without an attorney they have the upper hand for sure. What state?

An attorney will make all the difference! The BON/state will jerk you around but not so much if you have an attorney. I didn't get one and it was a HUGE mistake. The job market stinks and with any marks on your license it's really difficult. It's worth the attorney fees.

If your DOC is alcohol you may not get narcotic restrictions. Start documenting your efforts at recovery, very important to the BON. When you attend AA get a paper signed that says you were there. Don't resign your job, make them fire you. They don't want to assist you in recovery or pay unemployment. Get a lawyer while you are working and have some money. The job market is tight and with any mark on your license it's even harder. If they will keep you on at your job stay while you are working through all this.

Definately get an attorney. Go to nurseprotect.net and get signed up. It's easier now while you have some money than after you have been out of work for a year. Don't freak out, get help. I didn't and it cost me ten times the amount of the attorney fees. Start a recovery program and document all that you do towards your recovery. Whatever you do, don't voluntarily resign. Hospitals love to have you do this, so they don't have to assist you in recovery or pay unemployment. Tell them you want to take a medical leave while you are in recovery. I think they have to give you 12 weeks. Their company line is "voluntarily resign and we won't report you to the board". Forget it, you will be in the diversion program and if you diverted from work you will get discipline no matter what, so don't resign, let them fire you. The board will send out investigators who just want yo to admit to everything. Their line is, "The board will be easier on you if you just admit to what you have done". Don't, they won't. Check out voy.com for a place to get advise and vent when you need to. Keep your head and spirits up, we've all been where you are and survived. Just trying to keep you from making the same mistakes I did. :redpinkhe

The job market is rough out there. I hope you can find a better one that is more supportive soon. I just hope your hair is worth all this. If things do progress it will be Hell. lifeistweet

Hair testing has gotten much cheaper, so I hope they switch soon. Hair can cover 3-4 months so we would only have to be tested 3-4 times a year! I feel it would be cheaper, more convenient and accurate. I think hair testing is down to about $200.

Jack, I thought I wanted to get off all my "nutso" mind altering meds, so I quit my pristque cold turkey. What a disaster!! And it wasn't just the cold turkey thing. I WAS nutso, even after the withdrawl symptoms ended. I restarted my Pristque and am staying on it. I don't feel so different but my family says that I am much more even tempered and calm when I'm on the med. After I was off it for awhile I noticed I was just more labile and easily upset. It wasn"t worth it to me to be yelling at my kids and husband over nothing, so I resumed my meds. So be it.

I'm from Michigan also and had to go before the board. I had a six month suspension that they extended to 1.5 years for hearings and delays. Then it has taken me a year to find a job. The board does not care about all that, that is part of their program. Be honest and tell them every little thing you have done to support our recovery, including your current job, etc. You can self report to the HPRP and start keeping records of your meeting attendance, calls to your sponsor, etc. and if you have sponsees. You may have a narc restriction for the first 6 months, but it may be better for you not to work around narcs anyway. I had an attorney, but I have a friend who went on her own and did fine. She was super organized and had everything written down and documented. If you can get an attorney I would suggest it. The board can be very rough especially if they feel they have the upper hand, which they definately do if you don't have an attorney. Focus on your sobriety. Good luck, it takes time but it can be done. Lifeistweet

Self report to your states diversion program if your state has one. Get yourself into a recovery program and start recording all your recovery efforts. Go to meetings daily, if you can, and get your signatures that you attended. Get a sponsor. These efforts will help when the BON or even the investigator sees you. Let the investigator know all about your recovery efforts, NOT YOUR DIVERSION. Don't admit to anything. Get an attorney. Good luck.

Jack, Ordered my copy and will ahre with the group at our next meeting.

I know several RN's who were hired into Dialysis Units (Fresenius) and community mental health. They have recieved alot of funding from the government at cmh.

Really curious, how can you test positive for dilaudid when you aren't using it? Do you think it was a mix up? I would offer a hair test. It will show three months history and prove your innocense. lifeistweet

Start a meeting! It's mot hard. We published the time on the state AA sight and asked a hospital to use one of their conference rooms and they were more than happy to let us, free! Actually we have expanded to twice a month. It may be small at first but we've gained more people as we've gone along. The meetings are nice.

In Michigan we are required to attend a nurse support group lead by a facilitator weekly and a monthly caduceus group. We have womens and mens AA meetings, I don't see why a group for medical professionals would be a violation. Maybe that's why our group is held at a hospital conference room. We follow the AA/NA format at our meetings and usually have casual conversation after the meeting. I really enjoy my caduceus meetings and find them very helpful to my recovery.

We have a cadudeus group here in Mid-Michigan. In fact we have expanded the meetings to twice a month instead of once a month. Love the meetings. A local hospital allows us to use one of their conference rooms free. The meeting is open to all medical professionals. The format is AA/NA but we always discuss issues related to our profession and recovery. I am very glad to have my caduceus meeting and the support of other nurses and doc's in recovery. It's also a nice place to network. In fact, the HPRP contracts in Michigan require a once a month caduceus meeting.

Michigans requirements are similar to FLA's. They make it almost impossible to get a job. The financial ruin/suffering is an unwritten part of the program. Why RN's who suffer from addiction deserve this type of treatment I don't know. And why BON's or IPN's/HPRP's feel that this is necessary to our recovery I don't know. It certainly is a trend through all the programs. Are we safer practitioners because we have suffered severe financial hardship? Is the public protected because we have lost our home and declared bankruptcy? Maybe we should treat our fellow RN's who suffer from asthma, COPD, HTN, or diabetes this way to assist their recovery.

I think Michigan doesn't use the etg anymore. I would definaltely look into why I was testing positive. I know there are certain conditions, ie; DM that cause false positives.

I would explain exactly what you just posted here. Make sure you include the info about the two negative results. But first I would get a lawyer ASAP before I submitted or signed anything. Have an attorney review everything. Jack S. is very familiar with the Ohio BON and it's regulations. He works with an attorney who deals with RN licensing issues in Ohio. I would contact him ASAP, before I did anything!

In Michigan the program is HPRP and we drop 4X's/month for the first year, then it drops to 2 and if you request it you can get low frequency which I think is about 1X/mo. Usually you get low frequency if you are near done or not working.

If I was young I would definately go for the MD. Anesthesiologists make so much more than CRNA's and often they supervise only, which is easy. They also have a pretty nice lifestyle, no office overhead, etc.

congrats jack! My first is coming in August.

Any meddical experience is helpful but ususally clerical and computer experience is helpful.