Drug screen for new job

[RURN2O11]

I just accepted a new RN job in another state. They are asking that I complete a urine drug screen within 24 hours of receiving the paperwork for such. I have to drive 45 minutes to go to a facility that does these screenings. I have no problem doing a urine drug screen but the requirement to do it within 24 hrs of receiving the paperwork seems very odd to me. Has anyone else ever heard of this? I am still working at my current job & I don't want to miss work just to go do a urine drug screen but I have no control over when I receive this paperwork. I asked them to send it this week so I could receive it yesterday & get the drug screen done today, my one day off this week. However, they apparently did not send it or it is lost in the mail because I have not received the papers. I am just really frustrated because they told me they would rescind the job offer if I do not complete the drug screen within 24 hrs of receiving the papers. That just seems really stringent to me & very unrealistic when I am still working full-time at another facility that is not even in the same state. I also cannot get anyone at HR to answer the phone or respond to my emails regarding this. This is a fairly prestigious hospital and I am just really surprised at how odd this all is. Any suggestions? Anyone else every had to deal with such a situation?

[RURN2O11]

I never questioned the policy b/c I understood the purpose of it. I just found it very hard to do w/o calling in to my original job. It all worked out b/c I got another nurse to switch shifts w/ me so I wouldn't have to miss a day or miss the drug test, thank goodness! I just think it's sad that our society has gotten to the point where drug use is such an issue that this has to be the standard procedure. Also, I found our after all this that the HR woman lied about when she mailed the paperwork (I could tell by the tracking # when I received the package & tracked it myself). And she only sent me half the paperwork she was supposed to send!! But it has all worked out ok & I start the new job next week.

Thanks to everyone for letting me know that this is common policy. I was just a little surprised b/c my first nursing job just had us do the urine drug screen on our employee health visit.