What do you think of this????

AMV · Sep 4, 2003

Being PRN doesn't matter. ANYONE who has access to the narcotic keys would have to be tested - which means any of the nurses. If they don't know from which shift, then that may be why they made everyone take the test. Do you all count at the end of each shift?

I sure wouldn't worry about them telling the state anything - there is nothing to tell!! You HAD a prescription, so what you took was perfectly fine and they have no reason to suspect that you took their missing drugs. They certainly aren't going to report that they found a drug in your urine that your Dr. prescribed for you.

The fact is you can probably be drug tested ANY time they want to test you. I worked at one hospital that in addition to testing if narcotics were missing, they also did random testing. Good reason to make sure you always have a prescription for anything you take!!

:) Anne

colleen10 · Sep 4, 2003

I work as a secretary/receptionist in a small (5 people total) sales office for a company that manufactures Pinions, Gears, Wheels, Brakes, etc. for locomotives, trains, trolleys, etc. The manufacturing facility is located two hours away from my office.

We even have random drug testing and if we are randomly selected have 1 hour to report to a testing facility nearby or be fired for non-compliance. Since we manufacture parts for vehicles used by the public and should one of those parts be improperly manufactured because one of the shop people was under the influence and made a mistake the company would be liable.

Since all the shop people have to take a drug test it must be fair to them so ALL employees of the company must submit to random drug testing.

I don't mind at all, most of the sales people I work with are alcoholics and have even been arrested for DUI, fleeing the scene of an accident, etc. These incidences still do not seem to shake this corporate culture that it is acceptable to drink drive and come into the office hung over. It would be nice if they were randomly selected and found to have alcohol in their system and ended up getting help or fired.

It's an attempt to keep people safe and I'm cool with that. I would say that if you don't have anything to hide, don't be worried about it. You have to look at it from their stand point too. They have a procedure to checking into things like this and they must examine all avenues, rule out everyone/everything and make it fair to every person that is being tested.

I wonder if that you were out of town and unable to physically take the bottle to them if a call to your doctor would be just as good til you could get the bottle to them after you returned to town.

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Sep 4, 2003

I guess what I'm saying is....I don't mind having the screen. I understand the reason for it. What I'm saying is I thought it was wrong to threaten my license if I didn't come in on their time frame. The drug screen was 3 weeks ago. Why yesterday was it urgent, and going to be sent to the board of nursing? I offered to bring in the prescription that day that I took the screen. They said no.

colleen10 · Sep 4, 2003

They were probably just trying to scare you a bit to make sure you would actually bring it. Was it the DON or the receptionist/secretary that called and told you that? The DON should no better that to "threaten" you into doing it, the secretary may not.

I can't even imagine the BON would even want to be bothered with such a petty complaint as that unless there is some rule or stipulation that you must bring the bottle within 3 weeks of the urine screen and someone dropped the ball and didn't want to get in trouble.

geekgolightly, BSN, RN · Sep 4, 2003

Originally posted by RN2BLPN4NOW
I guess what I'm saying is....I don't mind having the screen. I understand the reason for it. What I'm saying is I thought it was wrong to threaten my license if I didn't come in on their time frame. The drug screen was 3 weeks ago. Why yesterday was it urgent, and going to be sent to the board of nursing? I offered to bring in the prescription that day that I took the screen. They said no.

I think youa re right to be upset with them, as you offered to bring in your proof of script the day of the screen. Did the same person who called you in, also call and leave that threatneing message? If not, then there might be some communication breakdown, and I would point this out (nicely) to them, that maybe they all need to be on the same page before threatening someone's license.

Teshiee · Sep 4, 2003

I understand they have to a random drug screening. How it was presented was the problem. Treating you like a criminal before you have a chance to prove yourself. And on top of that the drug you were taking is not the one that was missing so go figure!!! What if you didn't have the script? The med you were taking was not the one in question. I just love when they throw that BRN in your face. Waste of time. Even if you count someone usually forgets to sign it out and it is a big mess tracking down that person. You are not wrong to feel the way you do.

KLS · Sep 7, 2003

Originally posted by RN2BLPN4NOW
Problem: Today I get a call from the business office saying I need to bring up my prescription bottle by friday or the Main Office is going to turn you over to the State Board of Nursing. I took the bottle in, no big deal. My question is what if I wasn't home? What if I had been out of town? I'm PRN for cripes sake. What are they going to tell the Board of Nursing, that I had this in my urine and they didn't give me time to bring in the prescription??? This kinda has me where I don't want to work there anymore. Is this fair?

no, this doesn't seem fair. I understand what you're trying to say. they were being very "hasty", IMO.

how did things turn out?

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Sep 7, 2003

I took the bottle up there, they put it under the xerox machine made a copy and faxed it to the "corporate office". I don't know that I would even know if that was not sufficient for "corporate". I've not heard from anyone, lets put it that way.