Drug Testing for NS

Samantha11481 · Dec 17, 2010

Drug screening? Yeah. A nine panel screen.

Yes... the above was correct for my class.

idahostudent2011 · Dec 17, 2010

Yep, after being accepted to nursing school and before a certain date(I think about 3 weeks before school started) we had to do a drug screen and a background check. There are the supposed random drug tests, but I don't know of anyone who actually had to do that. Every place that I have ever worked I have had to pee in a cup before they hired me. No big deal, unless you are very dehydrated and can't pee on command. They really frown upon on having to wait until you can pee(yes, it took me about 2 hours of drinking water before I could pee enough)

PhiladelphiaLove · Dec 17, 2010

I have been in nursing school for 3 semesters and have never been required to submit to a urine toxicology screen. None of the facilities I have had clinicals have required it either. Also, I have worked for 11 years in a hospital without ever being asked to be tested.
Although, policies on drug testing may vary by employer, many employers have one of two approaches: (1) Drug test all new applicants/hires or (2) Only drug test those employees who are suspected of abusing substances because of substantial evidence of poor work performance, absenteeism, etc.
Throughout the years, the US Supreme Court has made several important rulings on the drug testing of students. I would refer all interested to New Jersey v. TLO (1985), Skinner v. Labor Railway Labor Executives Association (1989), and Vernonia School District v. Acton (1995). Mostly the court emphasizes the importance of suspicion leading to testing and the random nature of the testing.
I personally believe that unless whatever one is doing outside of school/work is negatively affecting their ability to function, it is nobody's business what one does in their free time. Also, urine toxicology screens are notoriously unreliable and do not give the whole picture. For example, I work on a psychiatric unit, and I have seen patients overdose on benzodiazepines or opiates that do not show up in a UTOX. Or, many MDs/RNs are completely unaware that many opiate medications (i.e. Percocet, OxyContin, Vicodin) will not be picked up by a traditional drug test. Those drugs have to be ordered for in a separate test. Finally, an individual can be taking medications for a legitimate medical or psychiatric condition (i.e. Adderall, Ritalin, pain medication, anxiety), and they would be positive on a drug screen. Those people are not substance abusers and need the medications to function. Should they be barred from nursing school or employment? I would hope not.

Thank you for sharing, Sarah! I agree with everything you said.