Alcohol screening?

Nurses Recovery

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Hi, I am a nursing student in Louisiana and I will soon be monitored for the duration of my remaining clinical courses due to prior drug related arrests (not convictions). I assume I will have to call a number each morning to see if I need to provide a urine sample. My question is as follows: Do monitoring programs use the PEth test? Or are the alcohol screenings usually done via urinalysis? I am curious because I do not use illegal drugs, therefore a drug screen is no issue, but I do occasionally drink socially. Any input would be very much appreciated!

Specializes in ER.

I would assume that they test for alcohol as well...it seems to be the "typical." However, contact them directly and just ask. You wouldn't want to go out and have a drink with dinner to wake up and realize you are to test the next morning.

Thank you. I'm anxious to find out the specifics of the program.

My guess is that you will be tested for alcohol as well as illegal drugs. If and when you are enrolled in a monitoring program, read over the information very carefully and follow directions to the letter. Good luck to you.

Thank you!

Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.

If you don't "want" to drink or cheat the system, why even ask if "social" drinking will be okay? You are welcome for the hospitality, although your thank you seems sarcastic to me.

I think other posters have more than adequately explained what this forum is for and why you have gotten the responses you have. It is up to you how you use this information.

Catmom :paw:

P.S. I should have copied the post I am responding to, since it seems to have been deleted or edited by the OP. C.

I don't feel like a few posters explaining what this forum is for makes their rules correct. Each one of us has to live our own lives, and work our own program. Part of that might be realizing that some people are so ill that they cannot have any temptation; the other part of that might be that some people can and do have the ability to compartmentalize a particular substance.

I personally don't like the preachy aspect of recovery meetings (or discussions)... its one of the reasons I avoid 12 step.

I will admit fully- I wish I could socially drink. I do not think it is right to have all substances banned, but it is the cost of being able to stay in the profession.

Hello student nurse, again :). I noticed that you posted this same question at the end of June, to which you received the same responses you have here. It seems as if you are having trouble coming to terms with the idea that you will not be able to drink. Your original question was whether or not you could drink, and in this post you ask again if you can drink and further what type of testing you can expect. You may not like what I have to say next and you can take it or leave it for whatever it is worth to you. Sound reasoning tells me that you have been researching alcohol testing types (when you already know you can not drink in the program) and whether you want to admit to it or not, sound reasoning would dictate that you are trying to skirt the system in some way. Alcohol/chemical issues come in many forms. For some of us there is physical dependence, for some (like me) it can mean using chemicals to relieve a deeper issue with oneself and for still others it is a need to escape stress/anxiety/to feel at ease in the presence of others (this is where most of us start and as all diseases it progresses). I am going to ask you to carefully consider why this issue of drinking socially is so important to you. "normies" (as many alcoholics refer to the lucky population that is just inherently okay with themselves) would not seek out ways to continue to drink when ther livelihood (aka your nursing degree) is on the line, but that is the nature of this disease. Alcoholism is a disease of the mind- alcohol use is simply a symptom of the disease. Unfortunately most of the population envisions out of control drunk people when the word alcoholism is uttered- when in reality it is just as likely to be the student nurse who has an extra glass of wine on the weekend because one glass doesn't kill the stress.

I agree with the previous post. I'm currently being monitored by the ohio board of nursing. Alcohol was not my drug of choice, but I'm getting the Atg test included. I believe all boards monitor for it. Alcohol is a mood altering substance as well. I agree that you seem to be overly concerned about this test. I think you should be honest with yourself and see if you do have a dependence on alcohol. There's so much support here. Ppl can be brutally honest and you'll hear things you don't want to hear, but that's what keeps us sober- honesty and openmindedness. However, there's a lot of great and compassionate things said too. Good luck to you with your situation!

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