Drug Testing

[CapeCodMermaid]

Do any of your facilities do drug testing before hire or randomly throughout the year? What do you typically test for and is the presence of any drug enough to exclude someone? I'd hate to miss out on a good nurse because he smoked marijuana once or twice.

[sethmctenn]

the best info I've found on drug testing was at www.erowid.org They attempt to give extremely honest and nonjudgemental info on drugs and drug testing

[izeofblu1973]

I am really suprised by the posts on here. I would have never guessed nurses would condone a line of coke at a party, or taking meds that arent prescribed to you as no big deal. and to reply , i did not say that someone that takes a puff on pot at a party (using bad judgement) would divert drugs (but is possible) but take a percocet (also bad drug judgement). What is the difference? Its just a percocet for when you get home for your back? BAD JUDGEMENT, thats what it is! Whatever your personal opinions are about legalizing pot, it is illegal and you risk your license for a puff at a party? what else would you risk your license and your freedom for? or the health of a pt?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I'm not sure anyone condoned doing a line of coke at a party. I mentioned that because unless everyone does drug testing, we'll never know. One puff of pot at a party does not a drug abuser make any more than one glass of wine makes an alcoholic. Nor does it make someone any more likely to divert drugs. Many excellent nurses take narcotics which have been prescribed to them for perfectly legal medical reasons. I went through months and months of horrible, vicious headaches. I went to work every day after taking 2 tylenol. I was in agony...nothing helped except the Percocet my doctor told me to take. I never went to work after taking it...never missed a day of work. It seems people are rather judgmental about many things. Any nurse who says they were fired is called by the fellow posters as wonderful, caring, oh gee how could that happen to such a great nurse? But have someone say they think it's okay to smoke marijuana on one's day off and that person is vilified.

PS...I don't smoke, snort, or ingest anything that isn't legal and try not to judge people who want to do those things on their days off.

[tewdles, RN]

It is always a bit amusing to me that anyone who posts in a fashion that does not condemn the occasional and recreational use of pot by off duty nurses always add the disclaimer that they don't partake themselves...

[helikias]

There is no way to know the actual chemical composition of a street drug. Therefore, if you use a street drug, you are ingesting an unknown substance -- and that's not safe for you or your patients -- period.

I guess it's different if you "grow your own" though ...

[tewdles, RN]

Interesting that a thread about drug testing...is turned to a thread about whether or not nurses should use recreational or prescribed drugs.

Random drug tests...ie: those required of the employee for NO CAUSE are, IMHO, illegal searches. If the employer has some evidence which gives them reason or cause to be concerned that their employee is under the influence of a substance inappropriately at work, fine...in the absence of that why should anyone pee in a cup or submit to some other search of their body fluids or parts? This is not Iran or Korea...this is the USA.

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

Nope...not a ploy as someone said. Just a conversation. Best thing about this site...everyone is free to speak (type) their opinion. I don't think any of us has the time or inclination to do a digital trace (sounds icky) to find out who is at the other end of the screen name. If that were the case, many of us would have been fired for saying bad things about our bosses!

I can completely understand michaelxy's hesitance in posting his recovery status. A lot of healthcare workers are far uneducated when it comes to addiction and recovery. Just reading a few of the posts will tell anyone that. The stigma associated with drug addiction and being a nurse is so bad that who would want to reveal it??

So this thread has twisted and turned, this is a HOT topic and many people have strong opinions about it. Let me just say,, drug addiction is a major problem that society has in general. I read somewhere that the rate of addiction in healthcare workers vs general population is about the same. Now, whether that is true or not I don't know.

But, when you are responsible for the lives of others, I totally believe that random drug tests are appropriate. They are NOT a violation of your freedoms or liberties or personal property. I will even go farthur and say that NOT REPORTING A PROBLEM WITH A NURSE would make you responsible for any harm that was done by the impaired nurse, whether it be at your facility or if the nures moved on to another facility and you ignored the situation.

Drug addiction and chemical dependency is a disease and I will stick by my statements in this post. I also have a strong opinion when it comes to this subject.

[Michaelxy]

But, when you are responsible for the lives of others, I totally believe that random drug tests are appropriate. They are NOT a violation of your freedoms or liberties or personal property.

I could not agree more, and if I may expand on this a bit further.

The Hospital (Your employer) has an obligation to all its patients in that they offer safe medical treatment by a safe competent staff. Further, the patient comes into the hospital with these expectations and they not only have a right to this, they deserve it. With that said, your choice to work in a health profession obligates you to conform to expectations set fourth by your employer and if this puts a knot in your shorts, then your in the wrong place. Besides, if you have nothing to hide, what is the big deal anyways?

P.S. I am currently only a pre-nurse student awaiting for next application period for BSN program. My apprehension is due to my fear that my past could prevent me from moving on. That is not to say that I have not been around the block a few times and gone through many pairs of shoes.

Thanks for listening.

[izeofblu1973]

I know I am gonna get jumped all over for this and please correct me if I am wrong (nicely, please). I am not that familiar with drug rehabilitation besides helping patients withdrawl from alcohol. My impression is that once an addict always an addict and the person suffering from this disease should not place himself in situations that could threaten his sobriety, such as handling large amounts of narcotics daily. Wouldnt this be a temptaion? Isnt it comparible to a recovering alcoholic being a bartender? But a slip by a nurse puts peoples lives at risk. I do realize that it can probably be done, but am I wrong that an addict always has to be aware of temptation and stay away from it? I am not trying to be hateful or mean, so please if you disagree with me or wish to educate me, please do so respectfully. Thanks

[Michaelxy]

Well, since you asked nicely. Some of what you say is true along with a few misconceptions. Yes, an addict is always an addict. You will often here a clean and sober person of 20 years call themselves a recovering addict as opposed to recovered as we have learned that every day, every year is a recovery process. Now that is not to say a person such as this becomes a hopeless liability and they must seclude themselves from normal activities such as parties or celebrating a friends birthday at a bar. Yes, perhaps for a year or two, isolating oneself is needed to reduce the tempting affects that linger in ones conscience.

One develops tools and learns a better way to cope when confronted with inviting situations. For me personally, someone could lay out a line in front of me, and the mental images of what I was and what I am now would be a deterrent enough for me. In fact the thought of doing so now gives me an ill feeling. Further, being around meds is not like an addict in a candy store. An addict usually has a drug of choice, so a bottle of Vicoden would not have enticed me then nor does it now.

I have kicked the monkey off my back for ten years now, and upon reflection the first two years were met with cravings from time to time. When a person goes into the recovery process, they should not go it alone, as temptation will always be around and support is often needed. I no longer attend meeting accept on a few occasions when asked to be a speaker, but in the early stages it was a godsend. Hope that clarifies a few things for you, maybe others can word it better. My typing is my limitation for articulating the real deal. :)

[izeofblu1973]

well thank you for clarifying. So would you think that someone who is early in the recovery process might want to wait until later to become a nurse or a bartender or a pharmacist? Like I said im sure it can be done and has been done all the time, just wondering what the limitations would be. Thanks for the info.

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

I know I am gonna get jumped all over for this and please correct me if I am wrong (nicely, please). I am not that familiar with drug rehabilitation besides helping patients withdrawl from alcohol. My impression is that once an addict always an addict and the person suffering from this disease should not place himself in situations that could threaten his sobriety, such as handling large amounts of narcotics daily. Wouldnt this be a temptaion? Isnt it comparible to a recovering alcoholic being a bartender? But a slip by a nurse puts peoples lives at risk. I do realize that it can probably be done, but am I wrong that an addict always has to be aware of temptation and stay away from it? I am not trying to be hateful or mean, so please if you disagree with me or wish to educate me, please do so respectfully. Thanks

It is all a matter of who you are talking to as to what kind of answer you will get with this. This is a whole other topic and thread altogether! Seriously, if you will see Nurses & Recovery https://allnurses.com/nurses-and-recovery/ this topic and many others are discussed at LENGTH.

You are right, there is temptation there, but to work as a nurse in recovery, there is and very well should be enough counseling and education th at the nurse will know what sitiuations he/she can put herself into and be okay. Do you see where I'm going? I hope.. :)