Drug Testing

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 23, 2004

If I badly need the job or the education at the institute that tests I'll bite my lip and submit. I do not disagree with the paid drug testing itself for those in a critical position of care such as nurses, but I would also suggest that they do it right and test for alcohol use too!
Shel

Now that's a can of worms. Too many people legally drink alcohol. Are you saying nurses shouldn't drink alcohol? Wouldn't bother me, but that's a can of worms. :)

Gompers, BSN, RN · May 23, 2004

If I badly need the job or the education at the institute that tests I'll bite my lip and submit. I do not disagree with the paid drug testing itself for those in a critical position of care such as nurses, but I would also suggest that they do it right and test for alcohol use too!

You are absolutely right - but it's just easier to test for drugs since they stay in the body longer. If they really wanted to be careful, they'd do breathalizers on every nurse before she started her shift! But like another poster mentioned, I think their main focus is to avoid hiring a nurse that might try and steal narcotics for herself or others.

z's playa · May 23, 2004

If I badly need the job or the education at the institute that tests I'll bite my lip and submit. I do not disagree with the paid drug testing itself for those in a critical position of care such as nurses, but I would also suggest that they do it right and test for alcohol use too!
Shel

Makes total sense to me too but theres that little drawback of the fact that the alcohol doesn't stay in the system long enough to test, unless theres a test I don't know about yet.

I don't use drugs but I have when I was younger. I am very well aware of the reasons behind testing only I find it excessive to test hair. I also find it ridiculous to test new students before they even start the program but have registered. What if they had a party to celebrate and used pot for the last time? Kick them out? Harsh. How do you know they'd use again? As for testing hair prior to class starting...thats 6 months of history...what do they care what the student did 6 months ago? They were no where near the semester.

I hope I don't get flamed here..

I repeat..i'm not a drug user and I NEVER said it was ludicrous for nurses to be tested. :)

I've asked this before but here goes again..do doctors get tested too?

nursemary9, BSN, RN · May 23, 2004

Hi

It is now routine here in the organization I work for.

movealong · May 23, 2004

I was tested for drugs at my last job. It was the first time I had ever been tested. I wasn't crazy about being tested, just on principle. But I went ahead with it. I worked for a pharmacy benefit manager, and they did have large amounts of narotics on site, so drug testing kind of made sense.

Energizer Bunny · May 23, 2004

I don't mind drug testing, but I do agree with the poster that said that we shouldn't have to pay for it. If the facility wants it done, they should pay.

RNKITTY04 · May 23, 2004

Ok lets say I use drugs, I know I will be interviewing for a job in a couple of weeks, no big deal I just quit with the drugs, start pushing mega fluids take the test and viola! get the job and on the way home light up a big fat tater!

It would make much more sense to hire someone and tell them "sometime" in the near future, you will be tested" and than follow up on it. I bet you would "catch" many more that way. But maybe like a PP said they dont want to know. I had a director that laughingly told me she would never send her staff for a DOA b/c she knew she would lose half her staff for smoking pot. :uhoh21:

shel_wny · May 23, 2004

Ok lets say I use drugs, I know I will be interviewing for a job in a couple of weeks, no big deal I just quit with the drugs, start pushing mega fluids take the test and viola! get the job and on the way home light up a big fat tater!
It would make much more sense to hire someone and tell them "sometime" in the near future, you will be tested" and than follow up on it. I bet you would "catch" many more that way. But maybe like a PP said they dont want to know. I had a director that laughingly told me she would never send her staff for a DOA b/c she knew she would lose half her staff for smoking pot. :uhoh21:

Smoking pot ONCE IN A WHILE can be extremely soothing and a great release. I'm not surprised that overstretched, overworked, unappreciated medical staff would do so. And I am not talking about the habitual users who get stoned every day, wasting hours and hours, and throwing their motivation and money out the window. Marijuana is addictive if used habitually for a long time. This has been chemically proven.

I've heard of people taking GNC junk that cleans out your system really quick and then giving a funky colored urine sample for the testing. I was not slated to work in the same facility so I have no idea if it worked or not. Me? I'd rather just not smoke up and not have to stress. That's where I am now. It's just not worth it. I'll make a few vodka sours instead. But again, where's the alcohol testing? Breathilizers before a shift for those people with responsibility of patient care doesn't sound half bad to be honest. Yes, it would be a total hassle at first and people would hate it, but after it became standard we might see less and less mistakes in nursing. That makes us all look better.

Harm none.

Shel

shel_wny · May 23, 2004

You see, I know a lot of people who can have a few drinks here and there, and the next day be absolutely fine at work.

And I've seen way too many alcoholics kill my friends by driving drunk, ruining families, and stumbling about and slurring their words in the workplace. Like anything there's a low range and a high range.

I don't personally think any of my friends who smoke pot are EVER of sound mind, as they either smoke up every day or they've been smoking so long their brains are just starting to go to mush. Seriously, these people have NO memory skills, which are quite vital in nursing. What I guess I mean is that I know people who can drink alcohol and not be alcoholics, but I don't know anyone who smokes pot "occassionally" enough that I believe they'd be capable of handling a nursing job. Does that make sense?

Those people are called stoners. Quite comparable to alcoholics who also experience loss of memory, loss of control, and all sorts of other mental problems.

I think they're usually looking for the more hard-core drugs and traces of pain meds in those urine screens though - like the above poster said, they're trying to catch nurses who are at risk for drug-stealing on the job, as well as those with recreational drug use problems.

Until this thread I never thought of drug testing because nurses might be stealing the drugs. That seems reasonable, but again, why always guilty until proven innocent? Background checks should suffice for past criminal record regarding illegal substances. Where's HIPAA damn it?

JUST kidding.

Shel

ERNurse752, RN · May 23, 2004

There are a lot of ways to get around a urine drug screen. Stuff you can take, but like it was mentioned above, it can give the urine a funky color/smell. Labs can also do tests to check for those adulterants, which is just as bad as testing + for the drugs.

You can also buy flasks with leg straps and heaters - have someone else pee for you into the flask, strap it to your leg with the heater to keep it warm, then dump it into your specimen cup during testing. However, if it's too warm or too cold it still won't be within the normal temp range. Doh!

Women also have a handy-dandy "lady partsl incubator." Take a condom of someone else's urine and store it there until you take your test.

Hair testing only uses a small amount of hair that isn't noticeable to the eye...no bald spot.

BTW, I do Occupational Health in addition to my ER stuff, so I see it all...it ain't from my own personal experience.

klutzymari · May 23, 2004

I have heard varying responses to the question of testing positive from second hand smoke-do you have any input

nurseunderwater · May 23, 2004

Smoking pot ONCE IN A WHILE can be extremely soothing and a great release.

don't you know this is true.....and it makes sponge bob so much more enjoyable :)

kate -

stay at home mom of 3

walking a clean line in search of employment :rolleyes: