Drug Testing and New Job

[mandyfrank]

I am battling an infected wisdom tooth and I am currently on Vicodin. I will be having surgery and they will prescribe Percocet for pain after. I also suffer from anxiety and I do take Ativan as needed. So my question is as a new grad who is looking for a job how will this all affect me? What types of drug tests do they do? Will I be judged for my anxiety and be overlooked because of it? Thanks

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

they will probably show up in your blood. The pain pills might be explained away as being a temporary situation, but Ativan is a powerful drug and some employers may question whether or not you will be impaired while working. No one really knows how each employer will interpret the tests. Just be sure not to pretend they are not on board.

[edmia, BSN, RN]

Yes they'll show up so you better have a valid prescription for all meds you take.

You don't disclose the meds you take to the employer. The company doing the test will ask you for a list of meds and you tell them and be ready to produce the scripts (or current filled prescription bottle with that information on the label).

As a side note, are you seeing a psychiatrist to treat your anxiety? Using benzos on a regular basis is not the recommended treatment for long-term anxiety control. There are better options that aren't controlled substances meant for short term treatment. See someone if you aren't. Nursing is not an easy job and you need to have your anxiety under control.

Sent from my iPhone -- blame all errors on spellcheck

[mandyfrank]

So I could be potentially "overlooked" because of my prescribed meds? Do they get to disclose the drugs that you have scripts for? or is it simply reported pass or fail? I guess that is my biggest question. I would think that's part of HIPPA?

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

You are protected by HIPPAA .

However, if you want to go to work for them, you need to voluntarily disclose in answer to their questions.