So much for "step down year" in TPAPN!

[Ash2213]

So, I was all happy when I received a final year step down email stating there would be less selections. Things have been super tight with money this past year and I was excited not to be spending 150-200 per month testing..

Since receiving the email December 19, I have been selected 3 times now. That makes 5 selections in less than a month. These dates are closer together than any other selections throughout my monitoring. I was selected Dec 4, 11, 21, 29, and now today the 3. What the HECK? Were they just trying to psych me out?

What would you guys do in this situation? Should I email my case manager politely and ask about it? I feel like she will just tell me "oh it's random" and then I will be on her radar!

UGHHHHHH

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

I have a buddy who is a doc here in PA. There program is fully funded by insurance. The reason being is that they get referred to an individual doc who makes appropriate diagnosis and orders treatments related to that diagnosis. I just texted him & he see's his doc once a month and they test him them. He is also subject to "random" screens but hasn't had one in a year. They don't have a cookie cutter program probably for the reason you think in part. they have enough money to fight the nonsense in court. However, a large part of the problem here is the age-old issue of nurses cannibalizing other nurses. The BON consists of Nurses & they administer these programs

[StillRN]

I am in Wisconsin. And Yes it is ridiculously expensive. They just raised the test rate to 49 dollars and the lab fee is dependent on which option. option 1 is 39 and 2 is 42 i think. I havent been picked for any other options as of yet. But I get picked 1-2 times per week.. Ive had weeks where it was 3 times in a week. Its beyond ridiculous!! Plus Ive been doing AODA four times a month at 35$ a pop!! This program is breaking me. ITs costing thousands per year!!! Im unemployed right now and scared to death cuz no one will hire me. I just petitioned to get my narcotic access and drop AODA to once a month. If they grant that.. i will remain at 48 tests per year. If they dont.. im hoping they drop me to 36 per year. But I'd rather get my narc key so i can get a freaking job. I feel like this nightmare will never end!!

You can petition here to drop NA/AA.. usually after a few years.. but then they wont drop UDS screens. They deny petitions all the time. I read the board minutes just to be able to compare what others go through. What i dont understand is they have this cookie cutter 5 year contract for both PAP and board order.. but ive been noticing some people are getting 2 year contracts lately.. and their offences are much worse than mine. like busted for possession with bail jumping, one was caught passed out from an OD of muscle relaxers while caring for an intubated quadrapalegic-whose tubing was filled with water. Her pills were scattered about, she was missing a shoe, spent 9 hours in the ED and admitted to taking 305 pills in one month (a 3 month supply) PLUS this was her second offense.. she was under contract before for drinking on the job. Now how on earth did SHE get a 2 year sentence?????

The BON charges people on board order the costs and fees for the investigation.. which i've seen up to over 1000$ and it states right in the contract the money is to fund the BON so other nurses dont have to pay more. Right there.. tells you its all a racquet!!

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

Our MD program here is 7 years (RN program is 3) and they usually get tested 3-5/x a week for the first couple of years. The compromise is that they don't have the same restrictions placed on their practice like nurses do although sometimes anesthesiologists have to retrain and do another residency. :/

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

Yeah its 5 years here and the nurse program is 3. It is longer

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

It seems that a lot has changed since I completed Diversion in California in 2007. My step down year was very loose. I had narc keys, could work any shift I wanted to including OT, was tested 2 times per month and no longer required to attend Nurse Support group or AA/NA. All I had to do was submit a monthly self report and my workplace monitor had to submit quarterly reports. I pretty much breezed through it. I had to appear before my diversion evaluation committee one last time at the end. They gave me a standing ovation, each one shook my hand and I was free.

I have largely put the whole thing behind me. The experience did change my life and the way I look at my fellow nurses. Among those that I told at the time I saw that most nurses and employer's saw me as nothing more than damaged goods with no right to practice. It wasn't until I landed my job at the psych hospital that I learned what real compassion from the nursing community felt like. This is a facility that give nurses in this situation a second chance. I will be forever grateful to them.

As I mentioned before I was identified as "Impaired" after a suicide attempt, I had been suffering form depression for and PTSD for years and didn't even know it. The program forced me to address my mental health issues and what would now be called "Alcohol Abuse Disorder" . Today I am largely at peace with myself. The Depression and PTSD do rear their ugly heads at times but I now have to tools to recognize them for what they are and keep moving forward.

Good luck to all of you. I am started classes to complete my BSN next week so I may not be around here as much. Peace and a great New Year to you all.

Signed with my full title

Hppygr8ful

[brasco]

Does anyone know if Option 1 on Medtox Recovery Trek includes ETG test......t

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

I've heard that all options starting at 3 to whatever they go to in recoverytrek are for ETG. I believe option 1 is for ETOH but honestly that is second hand knowledge kicked around here on the internet. I hope all is well with you & good luck!!!

[Kel65, MSN, RN]

I have just learned directly from my case manager that testing is not all that random. Because of false positives on ethanol screens over turned by negative EGT she has at my request changed my selections from the most frequent used option 1 to an option that has EGT. Also confirmed it was not random that I was pulled for option 5 after my first dilute.

I am guessing your caseworker might be making sure that you didn't celebrate or think you were safe after getting the stuff down notice.

[Kel65, MSN, RN]

Yes that is true. Option 1 is ethanol. Per my request of wanting to do the EGT instead of the ethanol my caseworker has changed my most frequent test to option 3.

[Uncle-JoJo]

I was told I was in step down year in TPAPN shortly before TPAPN switched to Spectrum 360. After the switch I was being selected almost 2-3 times a month. I asked my case manager if that seemed normal for third year step down and she said the Spectrum 360 site defaulted everyone back to 60 tests per year. She dropped it back to 18 a year and so far it's worked. I've only been tested twice in a month once, and once there after so far.

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

I was told I was in step down year in TPAPN shortly before TPAPN switched to Spectrum 360. After the switch I was being selected almost 2-3 times a month. I asked my case manager if that seemed normal for third year step down and she said the Spectrum 360 site defaulted everyone back to 60 tests per year. She dropped it back to 18 a year and so far it's worked. I've only been tested twice in a month once, and once there after so far.

At least with your ‘step down' you get some relief from the money vacuum. Ours doesn't doesn't mean squat unless you are working. The only difference is you can float (so what), you can have another employer (like it isn't hard enough getting one, please) and you can do overtime, oh and the babysitting (excuse me, supervision) requirements ease off, sort of. As I have discovered that is a very loosely interpreted thing anyway. As far as nixing anything that involves money, nope, not happening. Keep that wallet wiiiide open.

[Kel65, MSN, RN]

So has your testing decreased. I got my step down notice today.