Chewy14

DO NOT go through DLSII. I enrolled in July 2014. They scheduled me for a class that when I pulled it up was flagged as being ineligible to test for through Excelsior College bc I have not completed A&P and Micro. So, I questioned why they would put me in a class I cannot test for. They agreed, immediately enrolling me in another nursing course. (I am taking those sciences through my university bc I want the labs and the in-depth learning.) Three weeks into that class I called to cancel an upcoming class bc with work, cell & molecular & biology & sociology at my university, and this program, it was just too much to attempt 2 classes at one time, which they stringently do not recommend. By chance, they just happened to mention that I cannot test for this or any nursing courses until the sciences are completed, which for me, would be May 2015. She said they meant to send me a notice that Excelsior has changed their program and any courses not completed by July 1, 2015, will have to be repeated through Excelsior, over 16 weeks, and only 2 classes can be done at a time. For me, this would mean 7 of the 8 courses will have to be retaken, with all new fees and tuition. Of course, I'm very upset by this, what is the point of taking courses and paying DLSII then?? I've wasted my time so far and money. I'm stuck with owing them $5800. Luckily I had not enrolled at Excelsior yet, which without the new changes would've cost me another 5-6k. (Something just bugged me about paying over $1k just to enroll in a college.) ALSO, do not believe them when they tell you no books, that's not true at all!! So, I asked what they are willing to do about these drastic changes to the contract, can they correct the problem, or release me from the contract, bc I could've gone through my university or junior college in less time and money now. Their response and recommendation: They're protected by the contract bc they are not responsible for what Excelsior does. (But you can't do the program without going through Excelsior). They understand that I'm taking cell & molecular biology and sociology at the university right now, but, if I could enroll in Micro and A&P with them right now and then double up on my nursing classes, I should get quite a bit done before Jul 1st. What?? They strongly discourage more than one class at a time! I told her she has absolutely no idea what she is asking me to do! I called to reschedule a class bc more than one is too much!! It's extremely difficult to take those two sciences together, let alone the fact that they are basically mini-mester classes, AND do my university classes and work! They will do nothing to make it right, so given the amount of money and the numbers of people who will be affected by this change, I will seek an attorney bc I feel this is a breach of contract or deceptive trade practice etc., they augmented the terms of the contract which will cost me a great deal more money and time. Another side note, read the better business bureau complaints. The live classes video streaming is awful, it interrupts constantly and you never get a 'real' picture of the professor, just blurbs. - but you can hear about 98-99%. They tried to tell me that it's my internet connection or service, a repeated complaint with the BBB, but it is not. My university is using Echo and all of my lectures play just as if watching tv or a video. Btw, the video quality, books, those are not things that would've made me change my mind, they're just annoying, as is paying for four hours of instruction a week, and the very longest class was 3 hours exactly. With this contract, you're paying for time, so, you should get the full time. Also, you're left on your own to try and figure out how to navigate through the system - very confusing. Just another consideration. I'm actually very disappointed, I was excited about moving on after 22 years, and learning more! SO, buyer beware!!!! Repeating classes and paying more than double isn't why we do this type of program. For anyone in my shoes right now, I think it may be helpful to not only file a BBB complaint, but also check with the attorney general. Not sure if state or US since they transact across state lines, but a call to an attorney will tell you. And if there needs to be a regulative/legislative change to the writing/wording of their contracts to protect consumers, then so be it. I'd also inform your state board of the financial burden that has been placed on many of us now, especially if they support the school, bc remember, your contract is about purchasing their time, and this new requirement will greatly extend my contract, which states, additional time will require additions fees. They said they won't charge it, but they also enrolled me in two nursing classes, and allowed me to enroll in a third, knowing that I was not eligible to take any nursing classes or test for them yet.

Every hospital in the DFW area uses Group One. And it is vendictive. My nurse manager told me the first day of orientation on the floor that if I didn't show up and take a full load the next day she would report me to group one...I had an agreement for up to 12 wks mentoring since I had not worked in the hospital setting for several years, nor had I worked for one that used computerized charting. The patients were all total care diabetics....I did the right thing by not accepting the load and quitting, but the right thing for the hospital, patients, and my license ended up ending my hospital career and has even prevented me from being able to attend the university program that I had planned on going through.

Somehow they operate under the Fair Credit Act. If you are an RN, I don't see how you wouldn't find a job here. There are hundreds of positions open in the hospitals. I was telling my husband about all this and he said "You solved it!!! Group One's why there's a nursing shortage; they're putting all them out of work!! (Along with vendictive managers who abuse their power!!)

I assume if she became manager she was an RN? Wow, doesn't look very good for the LVN. My last Dr's office job paid $15 and he said that was mid-range and that was about 5 years ago!

I believe that it us for all types of employees. They even use it for the people who apply to be a volunteer at a hospital. Group One also has non-medical co's as well. Their web site is http://www.gp1.com if you want to look at the members list.

Does anyone happen to know what the average pay for an LVN is at CareNow? RN? Thanks

Group One can and is destroying peoples careers. I called them last week to get the low-down. Whatever is on your record will never leave. You do have the right to dispute what is reported, but you are not given notice that you have been reported. You usually find out when you've been offered a job and they do a "consumer report". If you dispute your report and the hospital agrees that your side is correct, they will fix it. If they stand by what they reported, the comments stay, but they will attach your comments to it. You can get a copy of your report for $9 or $10 if you have not been denied employment. If you have been, it is free if requested within a certain number of days, the guy thought 60. I went to work for a hospital in Ft. Worth and since it had been several years since I had worked in a hospital, they agreed to mentor me for up to 12 weeks to reorient me to the setting. The first day on the floor I was told that there was going to be a shortage of nurses the next day and would have to take a full load. These were total care, all diabetics. Plus I had not worked in a hospital that used computerized charting. I told the nurse manager that I was not ready for a full load and would not do it. She told me that if I did not return the next day she would report me to Group One and I would never work in a hospital again. Well, I didn't even know what Group One was, and really didn't even care. I felt that I did what was in the best interest of the hospital, patients, and my license. A couple years later I had applied for a job with Cook Children's Home Health. I had several years of previous pedi private duty experience. After trying to screw me on the pay, they finally made me a great offer - $24/hr for LVN - but after they pulled the Group One, they didn't care why I quit on the second day. It is their policy that if you have ever been reported, they will not hire you. TWU has a 13 mo BSN program if you have a bachelors degree in anything. I had planned to go through their program after I graduate in the fall (Spanish/History degree), but they too use Group One for the nursing programs. Amazes me that there's such a nursing shortage, and they so eagerly destroy nursing careers over nothing. I have never been fired from a job and get very good recommendations; but I can't work in a hospital! That's all changing too though, because Staffing Agencies, Home Health Agencies, Nursing Homes and Universities are now using Group One. I have just applied to CareNow and have an interview with them next week. In their online aplication, they too must have consent to perform a "consumer report" - so we'll see - they are not listed as one of the Group One members. I could understand if you had done something illegal, dangerous or completely inappropiate, but from what I've gathered from some of the other threads, nurses are being reported just because a nurse manager doesn't like them. So, Group One is definitely something to fear if plan on staying in nursing. That's why I'm getting out. I have a husband who is in remission with stage IV non-hodgkin's lymphoma and needs a liver transplant because of the chemo, so I just wanted the knowledge so that I am able to better take care of him. But now, even that has become a challenge!

Ok guys, I talked with GroupOne today and got some information. They DO NOT want nurses to be afraid of them and their intentions. It is in their plans to do some education with nurses, not just HR regarding GroupOne's role. WE DO do have a right to view what has been reported about us, and WE DO have the right to dispute the report. If the hospital stands strong on their position, GroupOne will not change it, but you comment regarding the situation will be affixed to the report. They said that they only put factual information only - nothing subjective from a nurse manager. You can get a copy of what has been reported about you for free if you have been denied employment and it is done within a certain time frame - he believed 60 days, but you should verify. If you have not been denied employment you can get a copy of the report by requesting a copy, in writing he believed, for $9 or $10. I hope this will help you guys and maybe at least make you feel a little better about your future in nursing. It helps me a little, to know that I don't have to leave nursing or remain an LVN forever with very few employment options. The guy I spoke with was Eric Scott and he is the Director - 972-719-4208 x 5052. He was very pleasant and concerned about how nurses view GroupOne. The person to contact to get a copy of your report is Shalan at 972-719-4208 x5050. She will not be in the office until Tuesday. Good luck, I hope this helps and you guys can start mending your futures!

The website is http://www.gp1.com - I contacted the Texas BNE about this and there is nothing they can do to help. The did give me the name of an attorney who could help though if anyone is interested.

You know, sadly, I have to agree with you on the courage and the strength of nurses. I noted something very interesting a few months ago. My husband is in remission for non-hodgkins stage IV. Chemo caused him to go into liver failure and he became encephalopic and septic with pneumonia. He was in a coma for a week in ICU. The first night he woke for just a few seconds, but long enough to pull the ng tube out. The male nurses never had a problem with me being in his room to watch him. As a matter of fact each one said they preferred that someone be in there with him round the clock. When the female nurses came on shift, immediately they made me leave. I learned many years ago never to tell the nurses that I too am a nurse because I don't want them to feel uncomfortable or nervous. This time, evidently one of his doctors must have said something, because that was always the first comment out of their mouths, male or female. I'm a history major right now, so I find that I always like to analyze things. It seemed as if the female nurses felt threatened, whereas the males did not. I wonder how often you find that male nurses try to place blame when situations come up? Hmmm....

Herein lies the problem...the agency doesn't care!!! The pts family brings them in money, you take it. If you have a problem with it, they will just send someone else out. I have worked pediatric hh for 10+ years and I have experienced the same problems. And I have had them tell me straight up that I will watch all of the kids. If you agree to do so, then you are legally responsible for what happens to them. The agency will usually not back you if something does happen - they are going to save their own skin. I had one home that was a foster home for medically chanllenged children. The foster mother did not touch the babies - ever! She used to stagger her nurses so that she got complete coverage all day for all four babies. She started scheduling me for the weekend shift and I was the only nurse to take care of all four of the babies. I finally went to my agency and complained. They in turn went to her and told her. So I took a lot of smart remarks from her after that. She always waited until I was leaving to say, oh could you stay with them for a few minutes while I go out and feed the dogs. This was also when she decided, after spending 12 hours with me, to start doing personal talk. I would stay over 1-2 everyday, without pay!! I also complained and they went straight to her, for which I paid again. I finally got a backbone and refused to take care of more than my patient, without being paid for the additional. As long as you take it, they will continue. If you stand up to them, you will get the respect you deserve. In some cases, the mom won't have you out there if you don't agree to take care of all of them. That's ok. There's other places to go, but I refuse to allow someone to take advantage of me. One thing always leads to another thing and before you know it, you will be the door mat!!

You are sooo right!!! I was thinking about this the other day. I am a history major and in doing my research, it dawned on me that we call North America a free country, we have all these "Rights", but in reality, we are not free at all. We have freedoms that people of other countries do not have, but we are far, far, far from being "Free". Almost everything we do is regulated be some higher entity. If you go to work and voice your opinion about how something is being or was done, which happens to rub your charge nurse the wrong way, suddenly that "freedom of speech" that we all enjoy, becomes "insubordination" and you could lose your job, or worse yet, GroupOne could find out about you!!! etc, etc, etc,...We are not a free country, we are just a little less regulated than others.

I think you have some great ideas and that is exactly what I am interested in doing. I would love to get a group of people together and take it to the media etc. This has angered me for years that they have this power. I always thought it strange that anyone would need a Consumer Report for a position in which no exchange of monies occur. Nursing is a very politically powerful organization and I think that if we took it to the capital and fought it, just like teacher and realtors etc. who are also very politically powerful entities, we could get something done about them. I'm preparing to get out of nursing, in large part because of this, but I will keep my license and still wish to be a part of any movement to stop this. I would love to hear from any texas nurses who would be interested in taking part. From what I've gathered almost all, except maybe two or three of their clients are from texas.

Sunnyjohn, how did you get them to work with you? Were their claims against you as minor as quitting during orientation because of a scheduling problem, or because they agreed to a mentoring program, but immediately put you on your own? Do you think I shouldn't give up on nursing because of this? I would've died if I had gone through an RN program only to find out I was unemployable. I thought after so many years, it would be removed from your record, but it sounds like it's not.

That's a great idea to line through. The problem I think is that if you don't sign it, they won't go any further. This really infuriates me. I looked up the site for GroupOne and they even have universities and programs that are now using this as well, in addition to LTC and Agency. They actually have the potential to ruin someone. I could understand if it were something serious, but not for quitting during an orientation period, giving notice etc. I have been really contemplating the bsn after I get my degree - it would only take 13 mos, but the university that offers the program uses GroupOne as well. The worst part is that even with a credit report you are given the opportunity to defend yourself, but not with these people!!