Members are discussing the challenges of monitoring with Recovery Trek while working as a New Grad RN, particularly regarding the difficulty of finding testing sites and managing testing schedules around long work hours. Some members are also sharing their experiences with the monitoring process, including the requirements of therapy sessions and workplace monitoring, as well as seeking advice on legal options and independent evaluations to potentially reduce the monitoring period.
Hey, are there any nurses here in monitoring programs who use Recovery Trek for drug testing? I'm trying to figure out what the different tests actually check for. It bugs me that they're not upfront about it, especially since it's one of those situations where you can't see your own medical records. From what I've gathered:
Does Option 1 only test for alcohol?
Is Option 2 a basic drug check (like 6-10 drugs)?
For Option 3, is it just the standard panel plus EtS or EtG for alcohol (like 8-12 drugs)?
What about Option 6 #96150 – does it include fentanyl or newer stuff like Kratom?
And Option 6 PeTH – is that blood test only for medium to high alcohol intake in the last 3-4 weeks?
Also, no clue what else they might test, and has anyone ever had a hair or nail test? Or any drugs I didn't mention? Just curious.
I just think 3 years is insane. My owi was dropped to the lowest misdemeanor; it was intent to drive, I wasn't driving. It wasn't related to my job at all so I'm just not understanding. I'm sure I'll get something, but I'm not doing years. That is exactly what she said about the therapy... I hope she is wrong. Also I don't need AA bc I've truly been sober the entire time since the incident...just sucks there's no way to prove it. She said if I had been on probation, then I could have proven it.
3 years is insane. I don't have a sud, no legal issues yet here I am. I'm not the only one. AA zoom is the easiest part of it. It all depends on how much your license means to you. If I could imagine a job where I'd earn as much money I'd absolutely walk away. I also don't know if this would follow me to another profession.
I said I was going to walk away but I took the weekend to think about it. Maybe think about it first?
Again, most people don't hate it as much as I do. For me the worst part is the inconvenience of testing.
It's possible that because your evaluator suggested therapy they said 3x a week. Their therapists psychiatrists and addiction doctors are all independent contractors in my experience they are all lacking in knowledge. She probably thought she was doing you a favor by recommending therapy but even that would have to be monitored it would seem. The directors of these programs can and do override recommendations It seems the evaluators are required but if the director sees things differently, the evaluation was just an expensive waste of time.
I've said this a 10 times on here. Here is 11. If...your have ANY drug or alcohol related charge (doesn't matter if at work or driving or not driving) IF you have a charge (even a misdemeanor) you WILL get monitoring and it DOES not matter what the "sweet talking," lady or man who is doing your evaluation tells you regarding "you not needing monitoring". The BON does NOT care. You WILL DO monitoring, period, and often, it's 3 years.
Exception to the above...you have PROOF of ongoing random drug testing over the past year or two that Proves sobriety. Taking "your word for it" means NOTHING to the BON. They are not going to "take your word for it."
You stated you are now sober. That statement implies you were Drunk a lot in the past. Statisticslly, if you were drunk alot to the point of being an alcoholic, the odds of not relasping without recovery meetings are 2 to 5 percent. That means....if you were an alcoholic or drunk about everyday for 3 or 4 months, the odds of you relapsing at the 3, 4, or 5 year mark are 95 to 98 percent IF.....IF you don't do some type of recovery meetings and or ongoing therapy. RE Evaluate your statement on "you not needing AA." Again, if...if you are/were an alcoholic, that type of thinking can literally put your life at risk.
There was someone who only got one month for a drinking and driving incident and he or she was from Michigan. They posted somewhere here. Maybe find thr post and message them?
There was someone who only got one month for a drinking and driving incident and he or she was from Michigan. They posted somewhere here. Maybe find thr post and message them?
Yes, there was, and there were 99 others who got 2 or 3 years. 99 is More than 1. That person was the Exception to the Rule which applies in every facet of life to an outlier, 1 or 2 in 100. The norm is the other 98 or 99 in 100 who get monitoring.
The person who got only 3 months, which was in Michigan, messaged me. They had documentation or regular ongoing AA for the previous 2 years and had numerous drug tests during that time frame. The average person with a DUI will NOT have proof of any drug testing the previous 2 years and 9 out of 10 of them will say, "they don't need AA", so they will only have "their word," to proof 2 years of previous sobriety. The BON scoffs at that.
I know "a guy" who won the 200,000 dollar lottery. I have played the lottery over a thousand times.......I haven't won yet. My point is, there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule. They are called exceptions because they are Rare. Most people across the USA who have an alcohol related charge will get some kind of monitoring.
I wasn't an alcoholic before, just a stupid mistake, but I'm abstaining completely so it won't ever happen again. I understand I'll get some time due to the charge...but im not okay with 3 years. The BON reads too much into stuff and it's not fair. My original evaluator said "I'm recommending therapy more for your career". I'll do this second eval and then go from there.
I've said this a 10 times on here. Here is 11. If...your have ANY drug or alcohol related charge (doesn't matter if at work or driving or not driving) IF you have a charge (even a misdemeanor) you WILL get monitoring and it DOES not matter what the "sweet talking," lady or man who is doing your evaluation tells you regarding "you not needing monitoring". The BON does NOT care. You WILL DO monitoring, period, and often, it's 3 years.
Exception to the above...you have PROOF of ongoing random drug testing over the past year or two that Proves sobriety. Taking "your word for it" means NOTHING to the BON. They are not going to "take your word for it."
You stated you are now sober. That statement implies you were Drunk a lot in the past. Statisticslly, if you were drunk alot to the point of being an alcoholic, the odds of not relasping without recovery meetings are 2 to 5 percent. That means....if you were an alcoholic or drunk about everyday for 3 or 4 months, the odds of you relapsing at the 3, 4, or 5 year mark are 95 to 98 percent IF.....IF you don't do some type of recovery meetings and or ongoing therapy. RE Evaluate your statement on "you not needing AA." Again, if...if you are/were an alcoholic, that type of thinking can literally put your life at risk.
I already did a recovery program and I'm in ongoing general therapy. I was never recommended AA when I was seen by experts in the past. So I just don't get how doing it again would help me. They just want us to struggle financially I suppose
I wasn't an alcoholic before, just a stupid mistake, but I'm abstaining completely so it won't ever happen again. I understand I'll get some time due to the charge...but im not okay with 3 years. The BON reads too much into stuff and it's not fair. My original evaluator said "I'm recommending therapy more for your career". I'll do this second eval and then go from there.
I'd definitely ask a lawyer who to pick for the next evaluation. You're absolutely correct, it's not fair. You don't need AA. it's really the easiest part. Log onto zoom and cook, Those are free and are the weirdest thing I've seen.
If I could have thought of another career where I'd earn as much I would have left this career.
I hope your second evaluation goes well.
These monitoring program directors and some of the evaluators have no business being in health care. But 8n the big picture I'd rather have them doling out monitoring agreements than operating on people.
Good luck to you.
If you think you may be willing to do a monitoring program go on vacation either before you do your next evaluation or maybe right after the evaluation so you don't have to drug test during vacation. We're allowed to go but still have to test.
Michelle, you did a recovery program and that is huge and to your advantage. You have some proof that you did something and that is huge. I don't think you get 3 years. Also, congrats on sobriety. Having that recovery program will save you 3 years in my opinion. I do believe you still get 1, 2 at most. I would bet 1 year. Why. That recovery program you completed is gigantic for the BON. It matters!
P.S. I absolutely DO believe you on Not being an alcoholic. I came cross the way I did because there are occasional nurses on this board who are clearly alcoholics and they flat out deny or refuse recovery of any kind, and for some of them, it literally can be the difference in life and death, so I always error on caution on this board.
Most nurses who are in your situation didn't complete any recovery or do any meetings or basically anything, and they say they haven't drank in a couple years (which is often very true) but the BON doesn't care. It has no proof or nothing to go on other than the nurses word and the nurse gets 3 years, and the nurse is then "shocked and bewildered," as to why. If you are the BON, legally speaking, how can they simply let someone go scott-free by taking their word for it and one can imagine the public risk. The BON will not do that. Your situation is DIFFERENT because you have a background, a framework, a start, a completion of something recovery related which was the program you did and that means....the BON doesn't have to be as legally paranoid about public safety because you have taken action on your OWI. You will not get 3 years.
The initial evaluation was done by one of three people that they offered. So that was one of theirs, right? The evaluator told me they normally listen to her suggestions so I'm hopeful.
Healer555
768 Posts
3 years is insane. I don't have a sud, no legal issues yet here I am. I'm not the only one. AA zoom is the easiest part of it. It all depends on how much your license means to you. If I could imagine a job where I'd earn as much money I'd absolutely walk away. I also don't know if this would follow me to another profession.
I said I was going to walk away but I took the weekend to think about it. Maybe think about it first?
Again, most people don't hate it as much as I do. For me the worst part is the inconvenience of testing.
You may have luck fighting it.