Marijuana and Nursing School

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I'm sure there is a thread about this but I wanted to establish one specific to my situation.

I am a 20 year old, second year nursing student in a highly competitive nursing program at a four-year private liberal arts college. I do not live on campus, I still live with each of my parents.

I am sure this question will elicit judgemental comments from all walks of life but let me illuminate you on my character-

I do not drink alcohol or party.

I strictly am attending college to better my future and become qualified, you'll hardly catch me socializing. I am extremely school-oriented and maintain a 3.5 gpa.

I study in my free time and work full time as well as attending school full time.

but YES, on occasion I indulge in smoking marijuana for the calming effects it has on my situational anxiety and sleep issues.

So here is my directive.

Do nursing schools TYPICALLY drug test prior to clinicals and how severe are the consequenceswhen testing positive with marijuana?

Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

I strictly am attending college to better my future and become qualified

Based on those statements you should be asking yourself what type of future do you want. I've known quite a lot people who were into marijuana, back in my old days of clubbing, I myself never had. But its a whole culture around it has it negative connotations primarily because it's illegal. Forget about what nursing school thinks, fact is, its a introductory drug. Yeah you may tell yourself you will never go into more heavy stuff but when you read about intelligent nurses stealing narcotics and destroying themselves what do you think? Get yourself help before its too late.

Find alternative ways to deal with your anxiety and other issues.

Even if you are not drug tested, I'm so familiar with the smell of marijuana I could tell from a mile away if someone had some.It stays in your clothes, bag and personal belongings. Trust me, your instructors have "been around the block" they will find out sooner or later. Like all nursing schools know the penalty is dismissal from the program and possibility of being barred from other programs because it will go on your permanent record at the nursing school. Not to mention criminal charges you may face because they will report it to the authorities. Unless you in a state that has it legal for medicinal purposes, they will kick you out. My school does test only when first entering the program. Recently they've been talking about random testing.

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You need to seriously assess, diagnose your problems, plan for a resolution, implement the resolution and evaluate and think about what you just admitted to, the duties and responsibilities of being a registered nurse, and the anxiety that comes with being a nurse, and most of all. Why do you want to be a nurse? Because your sure as hell not selling it to me. If someone told me to give up something to be a nurse guess what i'd give it up before they could finish the sentence. Because let me tell you, you have to socialize and interact with your patients unless you work icu, a nurse is a nurse, people don't grasp the responsibility, and the toll it takes anger and sadness go hand in hand, that come with being a nurse because you care so much for your patient, you try to block it out of your mind because if you think about it out of the moment it will damm near cripple you. Some nurses may not give a dam about their patients I actually do. being a nurse isn't about the money, but serving and being with another human being in their time of need.

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My company has a random drug test policy as well. But I had classmates that had to get a court ordered waiver for a dwi, or anything other than a traffic violation. Which I was even concerned about that when registering for the state boards. And you are absolutely right about it being a introductory drug. I mean even in medicine we have introductory drugs they don't get you high and actually serve a purpose, though the insurance calls them tiers, especially with anti biotics. Hence augmentin to vancomycin.

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Specializes in NICU.

At clinicals you represent your school and the facility that you are going clinicals. If a clinical instructor or nurse where you are doing clinicals smells it on you or determines that you are high and drug tests you then you can forget nursing school. Schools fight hard for clinical slots and they need to take strong action against students that violate the rules at clinical (alcohol, drugs, HIPPA violation) otherwise the hospital will not renew their clinical contract.

This is the second poster that has asked about marijuana and nursing school. Is this even a question? Are there people out there that actually believe that it would be acceptable to smoke and do nursing school and clinicals?

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

We all need ways to cope with stress; meditation, exercise, therapy, deep breathing, an occasional drink, anxiolytics, or a joint.

They all work, though some options work better for some people than for others. Currently marijuana and alcohol are illegal for you, for all of us. Even when you are 21, that will leave pot off the table for you.

Many professions have rules and behaviors that must be followed. That's just the way it is.

Marijuana may remain taboo for healthcare workers for decades. Please work hard to develop other methods of effective coping.

And it's not just a failed drug test for you to worry about, an arrest & conviction for possession could also affect licensure. It's just not worth the risk.

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They just asked a question you guys. No need to reem the person out!!!

Jeez.

Unfortunately - all schools do drug test and there isn't a way around it. I know many people who have great jobs who smoke. It is what it is.

I'm glad you have a way to cope with stress but till you're out of school maybe hold off :) or wait till you have a long vacation and detox? ;)

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Specializes in Critical Care.

My school drug tests at the beginning of the two-year program. They don't re-test before each clinical rotation, though they've made it clear to us that they reserve the right to drug test any one of us at any time, for any reason.

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Specializes in CVICU.

In my program, we had to have to pass a drug test before going to clinicals, and if you don't, you can't go.. so you can't pass.

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Specializes in NICU.

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My school did a drug test prior to our first clinical and every agency a student works at has the right to request a drug test at random whenever if they so choose. If a student tests positive, they get kicked out of the program. It's not worth the risk. Best to find other ways to relieve the stress.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

The OP came here asking a question. Let's try to stay on topic and not launch personal attacks on the OP.Most of the posts are on target. Get a positive test for am illegal drug and you will be out of the program

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I think the point has been made very well by the majority of the posters on this thread, but as a former marijuana user, I can tell you that there is no 'high' that's worth losing everything you've worked for. Smoking weed is NOT compatible with clinicals or holding a nursing license, not even in states where it's legal.

If you are serious about becoming a nurse, please stop self-medicating and see a psychologist or psychiatrist for help with any mental health issues you may be experiencing. It may also help to know that you are far from alone: anxiety is almost a universal complaint among nursing students, and there are much healthier ways of dealing with it than getting stoned.

Best of luck to you in whatever you decide.

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No judgement as I have seen first hand the huge medicinal properties that marijuana can provide (you have not lived until you have seen your 76 year old Polish Immigrant grandmother eating pot brownies in an attempt to put in weight after chemo).

Bottom line is that it is illegal in most of the country. What if you get two weeks before graduation and you get arrested? Are you willing to sacrifice it all?

There are plenty of other ways to reduce anxiety. Learn mediation, try yoga maybe even low dose Xanax if needs be.

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