Urine testing

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi I have a question about urine screening. I have never had to have a drug test before. I do not do illegal drugs but have heard stories about tests that came up positive because of advil. (probably a folk tale.)

Anyway I do take Ultram which is Rx for my arthritis in my hip. Will this show up as a narcotic???/ It is not a controlled substance. I would be mortified if the test showed something when I do not take drugs illegally.

I am probably being silly, but I haven't had a new job in 7 years, and then they did not do drug tests.

Thanks ahead if anyone has any info.

:p

Originally posted by rnoflabor2000

I heard about some people watching, wouldn't it have been more humane to secure the bathroom. That would really suck. I bet they wouldn't even turn their backs, just look right at that sucker while you try to remain Not-pee shy.

I think this is out of line for employment type testing. However, I was working at an inpatient drug & alcohol tx. center for women. It was a requirement of treatment to receive a urine screen upon return from an LOA. I have, on numerous occasions, found various types of containers of URINE while doing searches of women returning from LOA's. This is why we have to watch.

One person stood outside bathroom to make sure no one walked in, and I stood outside the stall, door open. I tried not to be terribly obvious, but the pt. was always in my line of site.

Heather

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OB Nurse Heather,

People can be sneaky, especially users. And on a leave of absence. But you are right, for employment and even the military it seems above and beyond.

Agnus - My last urine test had a container with a temp probe as a part of the cup so it would be impossible to get an outside sample, especially close to body temp. Although, I have heard of desperados that will wear another persons sample close to them so that it would be warm, yuch! So in all honesty, watching would be the only SURE method of guaranteeing that it is the persons own specimen. But as I stated above, it is for employment. Not to see if a drug user is clean.

To the original thread -

see you passed and didn't even have to tell them what you took. Congrats and enjoy your new job.....

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Specializes in med/surg, neuro, ortho, cardiol.

I am in total disbelief.....was called to human resources, a co-worker complained that I was giving narcotics unnecessarily. I am a charge nurse on med-surg floor, nurse manager pulled up narcotics record, said I gave much more narcotics as compared with 2 other charge nurses they checked. I did not know there was a limit to the amount you give as long as it is ordered, and the patient requests it. I always am out on the floor asking other nurses if they need help, the one thing I can do is give pain meds for them. Well, I was told that I gave too many pain meds, especially dilaudid IV. There was no problem with having the drugs wasted witnessed, and all pain meds given were charted on the med sheet. There were some charts that did not have it documented in the nurses notes, though. I have been a nurse for 25 years, have a very good work record. I was sent for a urine drug screen. Drug screen came back negative, but they told me the urine was dilute, so I must have done something. The urine sample was given in a lab with blue water in the toilet and a sink that did not work. I was fired. At this moment in time I am in hate with the whole nursing profession. Thought I would feel better writing this down...I don't.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I am in total disbelief.....was called to human resources, a co-worker complained that I was giving narcotics unnecessarily. I am a charge nurse on med-surg floor, nurse manager pulled up narcotics record, said I gave much more narcotics as compared with 2 other charge nurses they checked. I did not know there was a limit to the amount you give as long as it is ordered, and the patient requests it. I always am out on the floor asking other nurses if they need help, the one thing I can do is give pain meds for them. Well, I was told that I gave too many pain meds, especially dilaudid IV. There was no problem with having the drugs wasted witnessed, and all pain meds given were charted on the med sheet. There were some charts that did not have it documented in the nurses notes, though. I have been a nurse for 25 years, have a very good work record. I was sent for a urine drug screen. Drug screen came back negative, but they told me the urine was dilute, so I must have done something. The urine sample was given in a lab with blue water in the toilet and a sink that did not work. I was fired. At this moment in time I am in hate with the whole nursing profession. Thought I would feel better writing this down...I don't.

Oh SRbear, this is terrible. I strongly suggest you contact a lawyer familiar with nursing issues.

Do any other members here know how to find a "nursing lawyer"?

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:chuckle I just went to that site http://www.whizzinator.com and checked it out! Wow! If I ever have to supervise an addict giving a urine specimen I am going to be right up in their face so I don't get tricked by the "whizzinator" It is truly unbelievable! :rotfl:

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I know somebody that passed a drug test using a different sex's urine and had to warm it prior to using it because they measured the temp on the bottle. It is people like that who are going to make the sampler hold the bottle wile you pee.

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Specializes in med/surg, neuro, ortho, cardiol.

thanks for reply boggle. I feel like a witch in ole salem...if they were charged with being a witch, they had to die to prove they were not a witch, and to save themselves they had to admit they were a witch, then they were burned at the stake anyway, for admitting to being a witch. How can one prove you haven't taken any drugs from work.......any good lawyers out there??????

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:chuckle In the "old days"-(the days when almost everyone was a hippie") a lot of nurses at the state psych hospital where I use to work would smoke weed at parties on their days off from work. I remember that a day or so after one of our "parties" I was asked to give my routine yearly urine specimen for drugs. I know it must have tested positive for marijuana. However, no one said anything to me about my urine test. I am wondering if in the "old days" they checked for all drugs except marijuana since it was so commonly used in those days?

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Recently went in for a random drug screen and it came back positve for propoxyphene (Darvocet) I have never taken them before and do not use any other medicines. Since the screen I have heard of this coming up as false. Can anyone out there please help me with any other instances or types of foods that could have possibly caused this? I can't believe this is happening.

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Ok, I have one too: Does Imodium AD show up on a urine drug screen? ...Looked at that website and didn't see anything, but does anyone know for fact? Thank you!

PS. not an option for me to stop taking it.

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Recently went in for a random drug screen and it came back positve for propoxyphene (Darvocet) I have never taken them before and do not use any other medicines. Since the screen I have heard of this coming up as false. Can anyone out there please help me with any other instances or types of foods that could have possibly caused this? I can't believe this is happening.

Anytime a UDS comes up positive, it must be retested. It is a more sophisticated, highly accurate test. Was your test + for metabolites from opiates, or did they already specifically find Darvocet?

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