Kmrn65

Hi, Have a question... If you are a CM n a hospital, are you requiring the Docs to put the CMS medicare midnight qualifying statement on all medicare AND medicare inpatients? Our Docs are saying that they do not have to do this at other hospitals... Thanks! Kathy

I also worked at both Duke and UNC-CH. UNC is a much better culture, and the pay I was offered was substantially more than what I made at Duke!

Prayer, I am so sorry you have to do that but I hope your test comes back soon!! Scarlett, if you get chosen for the like 2 urine tests/month the bill is usually around $87, but if you get blood tests it gets expensive. I have had one dilute and about 50% of my urine comes back "abnormal" ( low creatinine or something?) So I have had 3 blood tests in 8 months, and those months the testing bill was $369. Good luck... don't miss check ins. I did and it cost me:(

I feel your pain PD! I am going to be 57 next month, and I have said repeatedly that " this is what I am doing TODAY". I am not sure about tomorrow yet, and I am going to look for non nursing options for employment myself. For me it isn't about staying sober as much as it is exhausting dealing with the board requirements. My urine comes back as "abnormal" about 50% of the time, and all our tests are observed. I have to contact the MRO tomorrow about another " abnormal" urine, and have gotten a warning letter for missed check ins, and not doing anything in life except working and going to meetings. I feel like I check in more with Vault health than I check in with God! It is truly just a PIA.

Seriously? A lie detector test?? Wow... I mean....wow... no words.

I don't know about Michigan, I am I. NC but I am sorry that you are experiencing this. In NC the board stipulates that you can't work more than one job at a time, or any OT, etc. For the first year in the program nor as a traveler. I would assume that you should self report to all states you want to keep licenses in, but honestly if it were me I would choose one state to maintain licensure in.

I was wondering how often nurses in NC ADP have been sent to submit blood? I have been in the program less than a year and have been sent twice.

Hi, I have had one result that simply said " abnormal" , and it was the creatinine. I didn't know or understand what that meant or why it mattered, so I googled it. I guess fake urine has a different creatinine? Anyway, would have to be a Houdini to pull that off since all urines are observed, LOL. I freaked out about it, but turned out to be nothing more than a reason for them to send me for another expensive drug test:(

In NC ALL urine tests are observed.

My bill last month was $428 , no warning:(

I can't make heads or tails of the fees and charges:( I am in NC and they use FS Solutions; now Vault Health, for testing, and there is no system for sending you an invoice or bill. You just get a surprise on the 13th of each month when they take their piece of the pie. When I asked them why, they directed on how to navigate their site to see my billing history, and said that I can tell from looking there... really? I took a screenshot of my billing history. Maybe I'm stupid, but I can't look at this and tell how much my next bill will be?

I am in the NCBON alternative program too... in the process of reinstatement and ready to scream...:( I truly am thinking that I might rather work at Chic Filet than put myself through this! Congratulations on finishing!!

I; conveniently , and thankfully... live very close to the hospital and the testing site, so I usually leave on my lunch break and it is just understood by my supervisor that it is something I have to do..:(

I feel your pain:( I too am wondering the same thing. I am sober, and will stay that way but this monitoring program is expensive, and tough on me emotionally and psychologically. I am taking it one day at a time, but I have been in nursing for most of my life, I am almost 57 years old, and I am looking at ALL options out there besides this:(

I really like the women in Healthcare meeting. It's Wednesday night at 10 east coast, 7 west.

I didn't get in trouble, but I got slammed with 2 urine tests and a blood test since I missed the check ins:(

And quite honestly, narcotics are given by the staff nurses on other units way more than in the OR. The anesthetist handles all the narcs in the OR. All I ever got out of the supply was B&O suppositories for a cysto, and as a scrub you literally never handle any narcs. Makes no sense....

Hi, thanks for reply... I know that I would slash my pay, but I'm thinking in terms of what would make me happiest, and most successful? I already have a job on another unit as soon as my license is reinstated, and working as a tele tech now until I am approved to re-enter practice, but in thinking about this random testing , hoops to jump... etc, for another 3 years when I am nearly 57? It's overwhelming:( I missed checking in two days, and have been selected in the week since then twice for urine, and today I was selected for blood.... so, 3 tests in 9 days. Now today, I hit a hurdle getting the blood test, because it was a new test site and my ID ( passport) was recently expired and the test site wouldn't accept it. I know... I should have taken care of that.... but, I didn't.. and my usual test site would have accepted my ID. It's hard to get an appointment lately with covid at the local DMV, but I'm going tomorrow to stand in line and wait. So, I am clean... have not had a drink since 9/1/21, but I'm sure I look guilty not having my blood test today. Funny....that ID would suffice to buy alcohol, but not to validate my sobriety. Anyway....I am not sure that I want to dance with the board for another 3 years:(

My Mom has been very sick with Covid and I missed checking in two days in a row. What do you think will happen?

I have FSSolutions, and all of my tests are option 2 urine tests. My DOC is alcohol

I am in NC, and I have all of those same stipulations and I think those are pretty common:( I have submitted my re-entry/reinstatement packet and waiting to return to a nursing position, and will follow those same restrictions/requirements except my state may be actually a little more strict. I'm currently fortunate enough to be working at my same hospital as a tele tech until reinstated. My hospital has been very good to me. Best wishes, and hang in there! It gets better.

Hi, I am also in NC. I am working in the hospital on a PCU which is now the covid unit. I was already working here in the OR when I entered the program, so the hospital accommodated me in another dept. I don't really have any advice but wanted to send you love and good vibes:)

Has anyone in a monitoring program worked in the OR as a scrub? I am an RN with 25 years of experience in OR doing everything, and one of the BON requirements for 1 yr is not to work in a specialty care area ( OR ), so I am working on the PCU, where there are much more patients requiring narcotics than I ever gave in my OR role. I'm not sure if that 1 yr away from specialty care areas is created as a means of reducing stress , or access to narcs, or as a punishment for being stupid, but I'm wondering what ; if anything, could prevent me from taking a position as a scrub tech and not a nurse in the OR until my year is up? Has anyone done this? Thanks! Kathy

I found an online group for healthcare workers. If anyone is interested you can find them at aa-intergroup.org/meetings

Hi:) I don't know how the Kansas program is, but if I had a choice whether to self report or not, and still keep my job? I honestly don't think I would have put myself through it. It is very expensive, and in my state (NC), you must surrender your license for a minimum of 3 months. I didn't have the option of whether to report or not. That said, when you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol ( my doc is alcohol) the monitoring program, meetings, therapy, etc. Does help in staying clean and sober and in recovery, and honestly you can't put a price on a life lived sober.