Do Nurse Practitioners get drug tested?

[Emergent]

A nurse in our department got her NP and came back to work in that role. Our ER is staffed by a contracted company.

The hospital went gung house with random drug testing a couple of years ago. When I questioned this gal she informed me that she did not have a pre-employment drug screening when she came back to the same hospital and department in a new role.

I find this to be a slap in the face to the nurses, CNAs, unit clerks, RTs, and housekeepers who are all subject to a surprise demand for urine. Meanwhile those with an undeniable power to make life and death decisions are not held accountable in the same manner.

[JKL33]

I agree - to answer your original question it is because there are two different employers.

I'll go ahead and be unambiguous. This whole issue is about control and making sure certain employees of certain entities don't try to get too big for their britches, you know, as a result of being treated like human beings who haven't done anything wrong. There is NO other reason for this type of shenanigan. If there were actual patient safety concerns that could be solved by randomly testing people who have given no one any reason to suspect a problem then hospitals would not contract with groups who fail to "ensure patient safety" by not drug-testing their employees.

The answer to your question - one employer at least makes a pretense of affording human dignity, and the other does not.

[Elfriede]

A regular drug screening would be useful for/to all healthcare workers.

--- But that costs money. So what ...

[BostonFNP, APRN]

It's not an emotionally laden subject for me, even though I used the phrase "slap in the face. I found it interesting, and this site needs interesting discussions other than whether someone can get quicker results than the quick results by entering a credit card, after taking the NCLEX...

I get that and I think the topic is a good one, it just came off to me like you were upset at the fact that you were and your colleague wasn't.

[serenitylove14]

I got drug tested working with federal government both pre-employment and random as an RN.

I got drug tested working with a agency pre-employment and subject to random if they so choose as an RN.

I just got hired as an NP with a company and did a pre-employment drug test, not sure if I am subject to random.... but I welcome it...

Wouldnt it be fun if we could smoke weed freely and not have any ramifications for it! Unfortunately, ever since entering into healthcare 8 years ago I lost that luxury, as with higher pay and more responsibility equals more stringent employment criteria.

I do find it odd that they did not drug test her, but if she doesnt have access to narcs and doesnt prescribe narcs and doesnt appear to be impaired then maybe thats there justification... I am more concerned with providers and nurses coming to work drunk then high off schedule 1s...

[Castiela]

I find this culture if testing employees strange, I've never do a pre employment drug test or a random one and I haven't known anyone else who has had one.

I'm sorry you have to go through it. I would find it invasive and as long as it isn't affecting my patient care, not really any of the employees business to know what I do when I'm not at work. I don't use drugs but it's still the principle

[Rnis, BSN, DNP, APRN, NP]

I did get a drug test when I became an NP.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I wanted to add that every workplace is different. I've been an APRN for over 11 years and never been drug tested in that time. However, per our practice's policy I was subject to drug testing for cause.

[AutumnApple]

Men lie about their endowment on dating sites (without having been asked the question usually).

Women lie about whatever the day's gossip topic is.

Children lie about their grades and homework.

Car salesmen lie about their intentions to save you money.

Politicians lie about, well, everything.

See a trend? Not everything people tell you is absolute truth. I've known lots of people who tell (what they call) fibs and *little lies* about all sorts of things with no motivation for doing so other than they "never want to reveal their hand". That's their reasoning anyway.

Forgive me if this came up already but: Is it possible she simply didn't want to answer the question and said she didn't have to do it to avoid further interrogation?

Just a final thought: I don't see being made to do drug screenings as a slap in the face. If nothing else, I see it as an unintentional show of respect. They talk as if we're overpaid worker ants. Their actions (with drug screens at least) say they understand the value of a competent nursing team.

[cyc0sys]

The bad news:

Healthcare is very hierarchical.

Corporations and Govts run off a 'do as I say, not as I do' mindset.

Life isn't fair.

The good news:

Online colleges still exist.

Not every place of employment does UAs.

Karma happens.

Oooh..., No one can take away your birthday.

[AutumnApple]

The bad news:

Healthcare is very hierarchical.

Corporations and Govts run off a 'do as I say, not as I do' mindset.

Life isn't fair.

The good news:

Online colleges still exist.

Not every place of employment does UAs.

Karma happens.

Oooh..., No one can take away your birthday.

I beg to differ. Seems every year they take mine. Partially my fault (well, entirely actually) since I don't request it off.

I pointed it out once, when I was working my very first nursing position. Manager quipped "Oh, I had no idea. Sorry. I can't keep track of all that."

Yeah, that's when this little snowflake melted and realized those "Happy birthday" emails I received were all auto generated.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I'll never understand why it seems like the people that squawk the loudest about the "unfairness" of drug testing at work are the same people that claim they've never taken an illicit substance. If that's the case, what's the big deal? Not like you are paying for the test, so just pee in the cup and get it over with. It's not an intrusive test, if you truly have no concerns about the outcome why throw a hissy fit about it?

[cyc0sys]

I'll never understand why it seems like the people that squawk the loudest about the "unfairness" of drug testing at work are the same people that claim they've never taken an illicit substance. If that's the case, what's the big deal? Not like you are paying for the test, so just pee in the cup and get it over with. It's not an intrusive test, if you truly have no concerns about the outcome why throw a hissy fit about it?

Actually you are paying for the test indirectly. That money could be spent on many other things to improve in the work place it didn't just fall out of the sky.

It is intrusive because it under minds the trust of the employer/employee relationship. It operates on the supposition of 'proving your innocence' and violates of your privacy when conducted without reasonable suspicion of drug abuse.

Most companies site absenteeism as the number one reason to implement a drug testing program. But if missing work was really the concern, why would they continue to employ people who don't show up?

Other companies raise the specter of 'public safety' but alcohol is the most abused drug in America. Yet every 12 panel test I've ever taken doesn't include alcohol and I've seen plenty of nurses under the influence on the job.

Containing health care cost is another reason but plenty of people where I work smoke cigarettes which are the leading cause of preventable lung cancer. So there's that.

Then we have deterrence. Guess what, if you have an Rx for Xanax and are abusing it. It's not 'abuse' because you have a script. Most street drugs are metabolized within 24-48 hours (with the exception of marijuana and PCP) so people will just abstain prior to work if they're going to use. If they can't, they'll eventually pop up on the radar for diverting or other identifiable behaviors away.

I don't use street/prescription drugs but it does annoy me when my freedom is usurped under the guise of 'the greater good' when reality demonstrates the exact opposite. Especially when I've reported employees under the influence but management doesn't act.

The majority of the time abusers are reported and fired at my facility are because Pt. Smith didn't get their scheduled Oxy a few times or they smelt ETOH on the nurse. That seems to be the best drugs testing program I've seen.