Can my nursing school be informed if I fail a pre-employment drug screen for job?

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Hi everyone! I am in kind of a predicament. I am a nursing student with one year until graduation. I recently applied for a non-licensed nursing assistant job and was informed two days after being told I got the job that I would need to take a drug test. I was not aware that the facility drug tested or I probably would not have applied/ accepted the job. I smoke weed regularly but would have quit far in advance had I known that I would be drug tested. I do not do any other drugs and planned on quitting marijuana for good before I start my nursing career. I did not think I would be able to get a job like this for the summer so did not think smoking right now would be an issue. However this is a great job opportunity and I am in desperate need for money. I am a straight A student with great clinical evaluations by my instructors. I realize that I need to stop smoking and I know it wont be an issue as I have quit for 3 months in the past with no difficulty. I simply enjoy smoking weed and most of my friends are heavy users so I am around it a lot. I regret not quitting for good sooner. The problem is that the place where I will be drug tested was a clinical facility my freshman year and my future boss knows many of the freshman faculty well. I will be having my senior clinical at another facility next year but it is part of the same healthcare network. I know that this hospital does not drug test as I used to work there and was not tested. I have cheated a drug test successfully in the past for a different job but I am not sure if I should risk it this time. Do you think that if I fail this test the other facility where I will be having my clinical rotation next year will find out? Or do you think my program will find out? My nursing school does not have a drug testing or drug policy in place. But I am afraid if my cheating method fails it will have greater reaching consequences for my education/career. Are the results confidential and will they appear on the whole healthcare networks records? Should I call and say I don't want the job? Advice please!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

The board of nursing can also be informed as well as your school. Nursing is a small world. Mandated reporting comes to mind.

Posting on a message board about planning to cheat on drug screens speaks volumes.

You need to make your own decision within your own ethics and morals, just be aware that your decision may not be consistent with what is deemed acceptable by the board of nursing, potential employer or school of nursing. (Or your classmates & potential colleagues )

Giving up a coveted job has risks also as does failing a drug screen or getting caught cheating on a drug screen. Only you can determine risk vs benefit. Your decision may affect your potential career either way.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

I do not believe the information can be shared, but the school may require a test before admission. You may be asked again before clinical rotations. The point being, your career is at risk if you do not quit. Once you are licensed your employer may be obligated to report positive screenings to the Board of nursing. That is not currently an issue.

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Is this a joke? I don't even know why you would post about "cheating a drug test". There are reasons why drug tests and background checks are done, because NO ONE wants a weed smoking nurse with a shady past caring for them. All I have to say is get your life together. If your school/job/clinical facility do communicate with one another and they find out, you only have yourself to blame. No one put that joint in your mouth.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

The fact you are still smoking while in school is terrible. It's not the weed I care about. It's the fact that it's illegal still whether it should be or not. You can be randomly drug tested at ANY clinical facility at any time for any reason. So continuing to smoke while in school is just plain dumb. You could be ruining your career before you even start. Do NOT wait to quit until your first nursing job. Quit NOW. I was a smoker for a long time. I quit a year before school started to devote myself to my new career.

DO NOT take that drug test. Don't chance passing g and don't try to cheat it. If you get caught either way, you could potentially be blackballed rom that medical system as well as others. I don't know if they can legally give the info to your school, and i don't think anyone can answer that. Just because they aren't supposed to, doesn't mean they won't. Also, your next clinical may be in a different facility, but your last clinical may be in this facility or another on within this hospital system. It will go on record and could affect your ability to do another clinical rotation there later. Also, this could affect your ability to get a nursing job later. Don't risk it when you are so close and doing well. You hve been very lucky to not be drug screened for a medical facility job before now. Not all drug screen but the vast majority do. Especially in a patient contact clinical role. Decline the offer, learn your lesson, quit smoking, and apply for more jobs when your system is clean for good. GL

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Thanks for the advice! I did not know the board of nursing could be informed as I am not a nurse yet. I feel as though I am stuck between a rock and hard place. I know that cheating is not moral and trust me I do not feel good about it. I honestly do not know what to do. I am never smoking weed again. But I am not sure if it will matter now. I am terrified. What should I say to refuse the job? What consequences can giving the job up have?

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I want to add that while our school does no have a drug testing policy in place, many of the clinical facilities we are at DO require a drug test prior to stepping on the floor. Clinical facilities also have changed requirements from semester to semester, so just because you've never had to drug test for clinicals in the past doesn't necessarily mean you won't have to in the future. Two semesters ago we were given about 5 days notice to go get drug tested, so it does happen.

Just something to chew on.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

To add to what these guys have already said, be aware that if there is EVER an incident in clinicals (or a job), they WILL drug test you. You could potentially lose your program at that point. If you are kicked out of a program for something like this, know that NO school will ever readmit you.

Regardless of whether or not smoking is legal, it does not mix with nursing, whether it's a UAP position or an RN position. It's not worth the risk.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Refusing a coveted job can affect your ability to be hired for future positions in the organization. (i.e. Marked " ineligible for hire") if you don't give a reasonable excuse/reason. What is reasonable is up to the facility. If you give up a job right before a scheduled drug test it could imply you are evading the drug test.

But that may be less damaging than a positive UDS or getting caught cheating on a drug test.

Only you can make that decision.

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Wow. My program drug tests at orientation and you are dropped if you fail. There was a surprise test before clinicals and the chance of random tests throughout clinical or of you had an accident. I can't believe you have not been tested yet.

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Is this for real?

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We can be randomly tested at any time, whether we're in class or clinical. We have 2 hours to go to employee health to be tested.

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