StillRN

My record is 9 times in 2.5 weeks!!!

One thing I will mention, that I forgot to say before, is that I appreciate the OP for asking for guidance with this issue. My rant was more in line with those who DO run and tell without seeking guidance first (over trivial things). I agree that as a new nurse you are nervous and scared and just aren’t sure what to do in many circumstances. But, I also feel that it’s still a place of employment and, common sense goes a long way in realizing that running to mgmnt over everything they don’t agree with is not going to get them very far. In OP’s situation, I can understand why she wasn’t comfortable giving the Tylenol. She just doesn’t know if it’s allowed or not (I’ve also worked in several places where pharmacy would tube you up PRN’s as it’s better to help you feel better than have you go home) and wouldn’t know until she was told such information or asked about it. But it’s not a narcotic and worrying about whether she should report this other nurse For asking her for a Tylenol, and then linking that to diversion, seems overkill. I was not chastising OP, In my last post I was more speaking in general. But, I do believe, you must have some sort of intelligence and common sense just to graduate nursing school (ok, not always, we all know that one nurse, lol). Asking questions is GREAT but assuming they know it all (which many new grads do) and reporting over trivial things, rather than thinking it through, is just going to cause them a lot of problems in their work place. JMO.

My last pre-employment test showed a positive for amphetamines as well. They did it on the spot, in front of me. Turns out the Zoloft I was on causes false positives for amphetamines. They sent it off for Gc/MS testing and was cleared. If it is a reputable lab, they will have done GC/MS testing to confirm the initial positive. They call that a confirmed positive. Call The MRO back and ask if it was confirmed. If it was a split test (did they pour your urine sample into 2 different little containers that you had to initial the strip they sealed it with?) you can ask them to send the second container to another lab in a different state to re-confirm the results. That will cost about 125$ out of your pocket. But it is COMPLETELY WORTH IT if you believe this was a false positive! It is worth it to protect your license at this point. Forget about the job, you likely won’t get that. But unless the agency you applied to is a small rinky- dink agency, who’s HR doesn’t know any better, they are mandated to report you to the BON. The person from Canada was incorrect in their assumption that you must be engaged in patient care in order for the BON to take action. That is why people who got DUI’s YEARS before ever entering into nursing school will graduate with a limited license that has stipulations on it; or how many people who smoked weed at a weekend party and test positive for a pre-employment or random UDS end up under contract. California and Ohio BON’s are quite strict and will both likely put your license on a suspension followed by 2-5 years in ‘monitoring land’ (visit the nurses recovery forum for an idea). I do hope it is a medication that resulted in the false positive, because to be honest, I have used that exact same ‘excuse ‘ of thinking I accidentally took my daughters meds- when I knew it wasn’t true. The test was negative, thankfully, but the BON won’t believe that for a second. The best thing you can do for yourself is call the agency to find out if they turned you into the BON and then run to a lawyer specializing in nursing licensure. That might be the only thing that saves your license (or help to minimize your ‘punishment ‘). please come back and update us, it might be very helpful to another nurse going through similar circumstances. Good luck!!

That is exactly what I meant- I was just too tired to type it all!!! But that’s why I put the question mark after “Tell on her”. Not sure if you were thinking I was saying to tell on her. I wasn’t! I’ve worked with WAY to many new nurses who come into a new job thinking it’s their responsibility to TELL on more seasoned nurses because the seasoned nurses aren’t doing things exactly how the new nurse learned to do it in school. I’ve been the victim of a new nurse as well. She actually had the b@lls to tell me if I were just more positive I’d be a much better nurse (she later learned why everyone was so negative- management was horrible and facilitated all 4 departments on our floor to be at each other’s necks)! All along She was telling on me for everything under the sun... only to be finally told to knock it off, I wasn’t doing anything wrong. She gave herself a very bad reputation with management as well as peers!! I have seen it happen way too many times in my career to count. They should be preparing new grads for the ‘real world’ of nursing and not that there is only one correct way to do something and if ever a nurse has an off day, she MUST be on drugs and likely diverting!! New nurses have no clue how they can destroy someone’s career, even life, by running and telling on them for such things. Unless a patient is being put in jeopardy, please talk to the person before telling. Maybe they can enlighten or even teach you something you had no idea you didn’t know! I, for one, don’t want to be anywhere near tattle tail nurses period (Much less mentor or help them)!

“I feel like nursing is becoming a police state and we give up all our rights to privacy just to have a job. “ YES!!!!!!! THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IT’S BECOME!!!!!!! Makes me sick!!!!

I’m glad you decided to move on. The fact that they pulled HR into a ‘verbal reprimand ‘ meeting means they are making sure all of their ducks are in a row to fire you. Otherwise it would have just been your unit manager speaking to you alone. Every time I’ve had HR involved, I’ve been fired. You are lucky they are giving you a heads up to move on, if you don’t, they will very likely fire you. It does seem strange that they, all of the sudden, don’t think you are a good fit after 5 years though. Do you not get along with someone? Not fast enough to complete all of your tasks on time? Have you had patient complaints? If you don’t mind me asking, what we’re their ‘vague explanations ‘? Did they give you some things to work on? Or was it just a heads up that you are going to be fired if you don’t move on soon? I wish you the best of luck in finding a job that better suits your talents.

Tell on her?.. this is why nurses eat their young!!!

My first monitor was amazing.. very understanding and kind. But she retired. They never let me know either. I had to find out by being contacted by the supervisor for being turned in by my AODA Counselor for admitting to taking a blood pressure pill I wasn't prescribed cuz I was at work and 180/120 and didn't want to have a stroke. They deemed that a relapse!!! Anyway.. I'm on my 4th one now. I don't think that job is a very high paid one.. and they are overworked. So turnover is high.

My state requires you tell them within either 24 or 48 hours.. I forget which one. But they hold it against you if you don't tell them right away.

I was denied because I was fired for cause. They had my written statement to the Board and everything. I was too embarrassed to appeal. BUT, I had an ex Boyfriend who was fired for cause and won his appeal because no one from the company showed up to dispute it. It can't hurt. All they can say is no. Good luck.

48 times a year!! And we only get a 5 hour window from when we check in to go test!

I've forgotten twice in almost 3 years.. both times I was sick. First time about a month in, 2nd time was this year about a week after I had just spent a week in the hospital for sepsis. My boss sent me home for having a fever. I Just emailed my CM and offered to give a letter stating I was sent home, but he said not to worry about it. I Guess it wasn't a big deal, Just as Long as it isn't a habit.

I wish being tested 2 times in 6 days was A LOT for me. I've been tested 5 times in the last 2 weeks!!! Monday, Thursday, then Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I fully expect to get slammed again tomorrow!

They test for that. A girl in my AODA class got busted for that ( along with my 48 per year with the state, I had to pee once a week for AODA). Something with the creatinine not being in the human range, I believe.

Hi willow, I asked about the possibility of finishing early, he said no. 😕

I've had at LEAST 10 tests that came back FLAWED TEST which I believe means something was wrong in the COC and they have to call the testing site to verify something . ( I'm assuming that's what they each mean because I've emailed the lab rep a few times about it because the results were taking 2 plus weeks and I've had to email pictures of my copy of the COC several times to verify). Also my last 3 tests results say yes in the observed column, which they are not. So someone keeps screwing up like constantly. It causes me so much stress, anxiety, and worry it makes me sick, literally! im soooo sick of this!!! This is All hasn't made me a better nurse.. it's turned me into a very negative angry ball of stress!

We only get 5 hours to test once we have checked in.. and the latest urgent care we have closed at 7 so we have to be careful what shifts we do too.. no 12 hour day shifts. I can't agree to stay late or do a double until I've checked in.. which I can't do til late in the day.. so I look like a total NOT team player. But I have no choice. I start work at 6:15 am and often don't get done til 4-5pm so I have to rush to get to the clinic on time. Just more added stress! Ive had a lot of problems with this labcorp. I've had to send in my copy of COC several times to prove I tested cuz it got lost!

The lab is in Pennsylvania. I'm wondering what other people's experiences have been with getting results. I've had at least 2 "Invalid-cancelled" which of course I have no idea why.. from what I've read it could have been a creatinine SG issue, but I've never had a dilute. My clonazepam has only been positive twice out of 20 tests so far this year (well I assume that's what it was positive for.. who knows) and sporadically the last 2 years. It often takes 2 weeks for results. But here is the one I'm really curious about. I've been getting A LOT of "Flawed Test" under results. Most of them were later reposted as negative. But I just got another one yesterday (my 2nd in 2 weeks) and this one hasn't been turned to negative yet. I have NO CLUE what it means. I've looked on their site and everywhere else I could think of . I can only find Invalid Test.. not Flawed. These tests usually take take forever to result.. and then say flawed. I think it's absolute BS that they won't tell me what that means. Am I doing something wrong that is putting unnecessary attention on my tests? Is the collection site screwing up? They do computerized COC now and it always looks like everything is filled out correctly. Or is the lab just full of incompetent workers? its causing unneeded extra stress and worry. I feel like I am paying out the a$$ for these tests.. I should have the right to know what's going wrong with them! has anyone had that happen? Do you have any problems with This lab?

Welcome! I'm sorry you are going through this, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. But you are not alone! This board is full of Nurses who know very well the fears and anxiety you are going through! a lot of us still live it Everyday! Like I said, you are definitely not ALONE! It feels like it now, but we are in this boat together. Ignore any negative comments. You may see them here from people who sit on their high horses and like to judge. But they are not perfect either and no one will every truly understand until they have gone through it themselves! Not a single one of us just woke up one day and Said... "hey self.. you know what would be fun.. becoming and addict, getting fired, maybe getting some legal charges, and spending the next 3-5 years going broke in nursing prison.... things have been a little boring in my life lately, so, yeah, let's do this"!! Keep coming back and take it one day at a time. Thinking about the whole picture all of the time is just too overwhelming! Take care of yourself first! You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Try dialysis clinics.. i know of people who had possession charges and are under contract who have been hired. They tend to be desperate for nurses, so just sell yourself at the interview. Tell them how much you have learned from your mistakes and how you have become a better person and nurse from this whole experience.

2/2021 34 months

So this happened today... i was running my butt off doing a million things - my morning Med pass took 4-5 hours (ridiculous) as I'm strutting back from contingency to get Lovenox for a newly found DVT (kind of important) I was stopped by my facility Administrator - who was standing in the middle of the hall, waiting for me, holding a blue bin full of Med cards from discharged patients - no narcs. Him: (in a very hostile and angry voice) Do you know what I am doing? me: what am I doing?? Him: NO! What am I doing?! me: um... standing there holding a bin of meds..?? Him: AND WHERE DID I GET THESE MEDS? me: umm.... I have no idea Him: I'll tell you where [storms off to Med room-I follow] Right here! There was a GARBAGE CAN propping open the Med room!!! There was NO ONE ANYWHERE AROUND THE NURSES STATION And I just circled the floor THREE TIMES WITH THIS BIN AND THERE WAS NO ONE TO BE FOUND!!!!! me: oh, well I had to go get important meds and I didn't do that Him: Well YOU are only 1 of 2 people with the keys me: um, I let someone use them but I forgot who (was the manager) but I didn't do that Him: [slamming the bin back in the Med room] THIS IS AN I-J offense, do you know how bad that is? That's a 60,000$ fine! I've been involved with I-J's before and this is really bad, It's only you or the other nurse or whoever you gave the keys too...I'm about to have a heart attack right now (as he slams the offending garbage can down) me: well don't have a heart attack, lol (( thinking I don't give a F... about fines.. it's not coming out of my pocket and if u have a heart attack I'm not giving u CPR)) Him: This could be a 60-120,000 fine this CAN NOT HAPPEN ... blah blah blah (I tuned him out) me: well ok, but it wasn't me. he then stormed off. So first of all.. I've NEVER EVER EVER seen State just browse into any place for the hell of it to look for violations (unless it's your facilities expected time) second..he just stopped me and screamed at me like I'm a child, even after telling him I didn't do it, and prevented me from attending to my patient with a serious condition. Third, he's quite effeminate and his reaction was so ridiculous I likely had a smirk on my face because I wanted to laugh BUT.... in hindsight... I played innocent and stupid (later found out the other nurse did it) instead of calling him out for his inappropriate response and yelling at me like a child. I realized that I didn't stand up for myself because I don't feel I have the right too. I am a POS junkie on a contract who is lucky to even have a job I prefer not to have. I can't risk losing my job because I have no other options. He likely knows that. So I had to keep my mouth shut and accept the abuse. It it makes me very angry that I am now considered so low on the spectrum of life forms in the nursing world, that I have to allow people to treat me like sh!t.... because I am lucky to be employed in the first place. How am I supposed to become "rehabilitated" after my sentence when all I am allowed to feel is anxious, inferior, and not worthy of being treated with respect? But I guess I deserve it.. right?! Just another nail in the coffin of my former love of nursing!

Oh, I forgot to mention... I didn't even do the actual thing I'm under contract for.. I was advised by my union lawyer to say I did it to try to save my job. Didn't work.

Did you have your interview? How did it go?

It also pisses me off I can't drink. I can't wait to have a nice tall, ice cold, tap of miller lite!! It's so hard not too.. because I know how to get away with it.. but it's just not worth the bother!