Drug testing

Nurses General Nursing

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I am prescribed medical marijuana for sleep aid. I was wondering what the general consensus was regarding drug testing policies. I expect to be drug tested upon hiring, as this has been the case when I worked in a hospital setting. However I want transition into home health hospice care.

Can you guys share with me your personal experience with random drug testing? I am not an experienced nurse.

My doctor could put me back on ambien but that stuff gave me intense headaches.

Thanks

Specializes in Oncology.
What does that have to do with this conversation? A nurse can smoke cigarettes without jeopardizing their license, and we know what diseases that causes right now.

I agree it's not worth the risk. In time this should no longer be an issue. I have a better question. Why why why are we ok with the hypocrisy behind why people, and especially medical professionals, can't have it considering the other drugs they can have?

There are hospitals that do cotoline tests and won't hire people that use tobacco products even though it is legal federally, and in every state. Regardless of laws, as long as a company isn't discrimating against protected classes of people, private companies can set their standards.

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Specializes in A variety.
There are hospitals that do cotoline tests and won't hire people that use tobacco products even though it is legal federally, and in every state. Regardless of laws, as long as a company isn't discrimating against protected classes of people, private companies can set their standards.

It's a great way to keep insurance rates down lol. Let's see if they ever refuse to hire people that drink alcohol or take prescription pain killers during their time off ;-)

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Specializes in medical surgical.

While we are at it, lets not allow sugary drinks or vending machines that sell candy in the lobby of the hotel (i mean hospital). That should help people loose weight and keep insurance costs down.

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Actually, that's not true. Drug testing for employees is exempt from CMS regulations. Or rather, drug testing employees is not a requirement of CMS.

It has always been my understanding that when you get any type of federal money, your employees must be drug tested. Heck, even my husband's company has to drug test their employees to receive any type of work from the government. The employees threw a complete fit over it, but it's what they have to do.

I have read several different places that it applies to hospitals as well. Maybe my info is wrong on that but I will look for the source where I read it because I know I have seen it several times.

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Specializes in OB.
It has always been my understanding that when you get any type of federal money, your employees must be drug tested. Heck, even my husband's company has to drug test their employees to receive any type of work from the government. The employees threw a complete fit over it, but it's what they have to do.

I have read several different places that it applies to hospitals as well. Maybe my info is wrong on that but I will look for the source where I read it because I know I have seen it several times.

Nope, klone is right. I worked at an internationally-known medical center that certainly accepted Medicare, and they don't drug test. I actually had a whole conversation about it with the occupational health nurse when I got hired, and expressed my surprise that there was no drug test. She said the facility had stopped doing it years ago, when they realized the cost of drug testing every new employee by far outweighed the benefits of picking up the occasional pot smoker.

To the OP, some facilities drug test upon hire, some don't. Some probably do random testing as well, although I don't think it's that common. Certainly they will pop test you if concerns about diverting, poor patient care, or erratic behavior arise. No one can know for sure what any one facility that you might apply to will do. It sucks that you have a valid Rx for medical MJ that is helping you that you may have to give up (I hate Ambien too) but them's the breaks.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Every single hospice my husband has worked for, all of which take Medicare and have to abide by CMS regulations, none of them have ever drug tested employees.

My last employer, which was the largest safety net healthcare network in Colorado, for which 90% of our patients were Medicaid/Medicare, also did not drug test upon hire.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
While we are at it, lets not allow sugary drinks or vending machines that sell candy in the lobby of the hotel (i mean hospital). That should help people loose weight and keep insurance costs down.

This is already the case at some hospitals. No "added sugar" drinks for sale anywhere on the hospital campus.

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This is already the case at some hospitals. No "added sugar" drinks for sale anywhere on the hospital campus.

That's hilarious! I'll bet someone somewhere is very proud of that!

I'd love to take a stroll through these cafeterias, though...giant cookies and muffins, all manner of slushee and icecream machines, dessert buffet...

Liquid cheese....

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Specializes in Med/surg/ortho.

Don't expect to anyone to hire you even if it's legal in the state u live in. Doesn't matter if u are prescribed. Do not take any test until u know ur clean and depending on ur usage it could be awhile. 2 months for me but I was everyday several times a day.

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Specializes in Oncology.
Don't expect to anyone to hire you even if it's legal in the state u live in. Doesn't matter if u are prescribed. Do not take any test until u know ur clean and depending on ur usage it could be awhile. 2 months for me but I was everyday several times a day.

Even if you're "clean" when you take your new hire drug screen, you still risk a random drug screen later, or one if a narc goes missing or an injury or error happens.

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I am prescribed medical marijuana for sleep aid. I was wondering what the general consensus was regarding drug testing policies. I expect to be drug tested upon hiring, as this has been the case when I worked in a hospital setting. However I want transition into home health hospice care.

Can you guys share with me your personal experience with random drug testing? I am not an experienced nurse.

My doctor could put me back on ambien but that stuff gave me intense headaches.

Thanks

Every employer both my husband and I have ever had drug tested upon hire, plus randomly.

Random tests were truly random. They tested at times of error or suspected intoxication, but also other times for no clear reason.

I would never jeopardize my license.

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I hurt my back on the job. Before I could go home, I had to go to employee health and be tested. Even places that don't do drug screens upon hire will do them in certain situations. If there is a narcotic discrepancy or any hint of diversion, you will be tested. Any time there is an injury where you could potentially collect worker's comp, bet on being tested.

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