Alcohol Testing

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Critical Care.

Hi All,

I have a question about drinking. They now include ETOH screening with random drug screenings for nursing in my state. And I know they do it in a few other states as well.

I know of a nurse who was recently screened and came up positive for ETOH and was fired. She swears she drank the night before she came to work but not that day of her shift. This was a urine screen by the way, not a blood alcohol content.

Now my question is how long does it stay in your system? I mean I do drink on my day off. 2-3 drinks, sometimes more if I am fishing or enjoying the outdoors with friends, BBQ etc ( maybe 5-6 but those times are rare). I DO NOT DRINK on the job or before I go in.

Sometimes I do have one drink before I go to sleep. I know it sounds like I am a boozer but I am not.

This has me really paranoid. I mean it is totally legal. And it is my time off. And I have at least 10 hours between my last drink and when I go to work. If I drink at 9:00 pm and go work at 7:00 am that is 10 hours. Is this illegal?

Anyone have any experience with this?

I swear nursing gets more restrictive, you lose your license for a DUI ( no I have never had one, I don't drink and drive) or if you don't pay your state taxes and now this. I bet they don't do any of the above to Dr's or Lawyers. Just seems unfair to me.

Thanks,

TikiRN

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Specializes in LTC, ER.

You can lose your license for not paying state taxes?

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Not necessarily lose your license, you may not be able to renew it. Also, if you default on a student loan, don't pay court-ordered child support, DUI, felony conviction or a host of other things.

Since we don't know the whole story but here is some info:

http://www.drugtesting.com/urine-alcohol-test.html

"Although urine alcohol testing will indicate the presence of alcohol in a person's system, it will not indicate an individual's current condition. Once consumed, alcohol enters the blood through the stomach within about 15 minutes, causing immediate impairment. It is then metabolized by the body and, after 1½ to 2 hours, will begin to show up in the urine. Therefore, urine alcohol does not give a true picture of the person's current condition. The results indicate the person's condition several hours before. Additionally, urine alcohol concentration does not directly correspond to blood alcohol concentration. "

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Thanks Trauma for the article. But I am still vague on how much is left in the system after 10 hours.

True the not be able to renew the license for state taxes. I miss spoke about losing it. But either way you can't work.

God help any nurses who drink Nyquil before going to bed. That stuff has 10% alcohol in it. Jeez Beer is only 6%.

TikiRN

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In my opinion, alcohol should be tested only by blood, for the very reasons that Trauma cited. It is NOT an accurate indicator of a problem or the person's current condition. How much would be left in the system after 10 hours depends on how much and what is imbibed.

My suggestion: if asked for a urine sample to test alcohol, insist on a blood sample instead. If they cite cost as a factor, tell them that if it's positive you will pay for it.

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Specializes in ER, ICU cath lab, remote med.

So this is a requirement from your state? Not your hospital? I don't get it. If it's the state, I would contact the board of nursing and ask them what the deal is. I can't imagine being reprimanded for just testing positive for ETOH since it's not an illegal substance. However, if you test high (like over the legal limit), then obviously you're working while impaired. If the state requires the test, then they should be able to tell you what they're looking for. Seems like they should be checking blood alcohol levels, not just whether alcohol is present at all.

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Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.

i was just a ceritified tester for the nrc [within the last two years], and the gold standard for them is a urine drug screen and a breath alcohol level. only if the breath test is + is there a bal drawn.

urine alcohol tests are only useful to see if a known alcohol abuser is drinking again...they tell nothing about how, when , and how much etoh is on board!!

i'd fight to get the correct tests in place..someone hasn't done their homework!!

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Specializes in Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.
You can lose your license for not paying state taxes?

lol, that's nothing. In my state, supposedly you can be brought before the BON if you're caught spotlighting deer. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Critical Care.
So this is a requirement from your state? Not your hospital? I don't get it. If it's the state, I would contact the board of nursing and ask them what the deal is. I can't imagine being reprimanded for just testing positive for ETOH since it's not an illegal substance. However, if you test high (like over the legal limit), then obviously you're working while impaired. If the state requires the test, then they should be able to tell you what they're looking for. Seems like they should be checking blood alcohol levels, not just whether alcohol is present at all.

I am not sure if it was the state or the hospital. I do know the hospital includes it in their drug screens. They did tell us in orientation that if we got called back for a drug screen for some reason and tested above a certain level then we better have a designated driver, otherwise they have to turn us in for DUI. That makes sense.

I do remember one nurse saying that she ( the nurse who was fired) requested a BAL but they refused saying her urine test was so high that they didn't need one.

TikiRN

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Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.

i do remember one nurse saying that she ( the nurse who was fired) requested a bal but they refused saying her urine test was so high that they didn't need one.

tikirn

i'd fight this one tooth and nail. the urine test does not correspond with bal, is affected by dehyration and exposure to alcohol hand sanitizers, and is notorious for false positives. :no:

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

Did I miss something?? Why was this nurse even tested for alcohol? Did someone at work suspect she was under the influence? I have never been randomly tested for alcohol or drugs for that matter, yet I have never given anyone any reason to suspect I was under the influence.

I dont know how long it stays in your system, but I never have thought twice about drinking on my days off if I want a drink, I am of legal age!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Did I miss something?? Why was this nurse even tested for alcohol? Did someone at work suspect she was under the influence? I have never been randomly tested for alcohol or drugs for that matter, yet I have never given anyone any reason to suspect I was under the influence.

I dont know how long it stays in your system, but I never have thought twice about drinking on my days off if I want a drink, I am of legal age!!!

They said she was pulled for a normal random. Another nurse had to go too. This hospital randomly pulls employees for random drug screens. A lot of hospitals do that.

TikiRN

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