Drug testing TN

Nurses Recovery

Published

Hello, I had a question about drug testing. I was recently asked to submit a urine drug test to my job. I did so, I went to the place on time and submitted my test. They called me the next day and said I needed to submit another test that was supervised (meaning someone would watch me). I refused. I told them I was not comfortable with someone watching me urinate and I had already provided a drug test as requested. Well, they terminated me. Now I'm wondering whats next? Are they going to report me to the board of nursing? If so, what will they do? How long will the process take for me to be notified? I am in the state of Tennessee if that matters.

I don't see why you refused. Sure it's an inconvenience with only having one car. We only have one and make it work fine. I would have asked for a ride from someone, taken the bus, paid for a cab, whatever it took. My license is way to important to me to let a drug test mess things up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This is terrible :(

What's terrible to me is how management handled this situation from the git-go.

They were very, very quick to take that nurse accusing you seriously. They took it SO serious as to make me wonder if they had other reasons to suspect you. Or if they suspect EVERYONE of scheming to divert meds or cheat the system.

I haven't seen such a good 'guilty until proven innocent' like this in a long time :(

I'm not sure how it works from state to state, or facility to facility, but 'refusing' to perform a urine drug screen for any reason is grounds for at-will termination. Circumstances be damned. Refuse a drug screen, get fired.

I believe your side of the story, and it sounds like you worked in a very dysfunctional place where a culture of fear and suspicion was the norm. I had one job like this, at a long term psychiatry facility. I didn't realize how 'bad' it was until I resigned and worked in a 'normal', respectful culture. I'm really sorry this happened, and it's worse than unfortunate considering the knee-jerk assumptions everyone has about refusing to submit for a drug screen.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It wasn't just that I didnt want a supervised test. The fact is my husband was at work, he works an hour away without traffic, and even if i had called him to come home immediatly, I would not have made it to the test on time. They said I had until 430, and they said that at 3. he wouldnt have made it home until after 4, and i live over 30 minutes from the testing place. And no they did not say that it was an admission of guilt. They just provided very little information, hardly any information, and told me I was terminated.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

But they will receive a clean urine test from me. Do I have a right to ask for a copy of that drug test?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
It wasn't just that I didnt want a supervised test. The fact is my husband was at work, he works an hour away without traffic, and even if i had called him to come home immediatly, I would not have made it to the test on time. They said I had until 430, and they said that at 3. he wouldnt have made it home until after 4, and i live over 30 minutes from the testing place. And no they did not say that it was an admission of guilt. They just provided very little information, hardly any information, and told me I was terminated.

Have you had a positive in the past?

At first you said it was because of the fact you were uncomfortable with a monitored test, now the story has changed. This type of thing is a red flag, just so you know.

Either you were positive or you passed a flagged sample (diluted or off-temp) then refused follow up under one excuse then changed to another. From the outside, sad to say, this looks like an uphill battle for you.

Sent from my iPhone.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

unfortunately what Boston says is very accurate, you gave 3 different reasons why you would not submitt a second test....

one you were uncomfortable with monitored UDS

two- your husband already missed days work for your first test, & you could not afford hims to miss more work.

three-they called 3p and said to be there by 4:30p and your husband had the car at work an hour away.......

these reasons are not consistant, and these three different reasons you posted over a 5-6hr period today.....

we are here to help you, your lis. may be investigated by Tenn BON

i strongly advise you to seek legal counsel......

you need attorney familiar with administrative as board of nursing .

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

Yeah, you need to get your story straight...otherwise you are certain to have a couple years of witnessed UDS ahead of you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Boston, can you move this thread to Recovery, so that OP can receive more input related , thank you

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
Boston, can you move this thread to Recovery, so that OP can receive more input related , thank you

Thankfully I don't would that kind of power ;) I will have someone better than I do it.

Sent from my iPhone.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Intake, Home Care.

Maybe it's the military background in me, but if I know I'm clean and have done nothing wrong....

And you are threatening my license?

I will pee in the hallway if that's what it takes. You look like the jerk, not me, when I come back clean.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Whether or not they have to provide you with the urinalysis results depends upon if they took it as part of YOUR medical record or for THEIR records. If it is for your records- absolutely they have to give it to you. If it is for THEIR records they do not- an administrative lawyer would be able to get that information though :).

If your story is changing because you are super stressed out about this situation then that makes sense- but I would highly suggest you pick one and stick to it- in these cases ( if it goes to the board) they will not be interested in your reasons as to why it didn't work out that you could take a second test. Here is what I would do: go get your own test, first and foremost a UA, and I would also suggest a hair follicle sample. That way if the board should be interested in speaking with you you will have the evidence to speak in your favor.

You want to show them that you took the necessary corrective steps. We work with vulnerable populations so the board will treat you as guilty until proven otherwise. Take the actions to prove this.

Addicted/abusing drugs/alcohol or not- I suggest sticking here with us and updating- it may take months for them to contact you if they do at all. This will not feel good or be easy. We here have had much to do with the board, we are an excellent resource.

Andplease don't get offended by people asking probing questions into your state of mind- many come here in denial about addictions issues and it IS life or death for us. Addiction seeks to keep us isolated and hides in secret. We do it out of caring and would hate to overlook someone who might be in denial. So brace yourself for that :).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Boston, can you move this thread to Recovery, so that OP can receive more input related , thank you

It's coming up as in the recovery forum for me- maybe you're in the forum it used to be in and following the moved link? Regardless, moving threads isn't something us guides can do; only the mods have that power.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment