Recently, I was offered a job at a hospital. I have a urine drug test in about two weeks, and was told to bring any prescriptions with me. My concern: I take 10 mg Ambien, every night. I have a PRN prescription for it and have been taking it for years. Can I be denied employment because of this?
The reason why I'm concerned is because of my daily use of this prescription, even though it's classified as "PRN". If that makes any sense. I don't take more than 1 a day, but still...reasonable concern or am I stressing for no reason?
I am not saying that you wrote the policy, but on what basis is a policy such as this in place? Can someone explain to me how my taking 10 mg of Ambien the night before I have to be at work and coming in to work 9 hours later when the drug is out of my system will affect my patient's care? Would it be better for me to go without sleep and take care of patients that way? But, going out the night before work, getting completely wasted, and coming in hungover is okay???? Of course not, but they don't care about alcohol. It's ambien that's the big bad dangerous drug? OKAY.
I'd rather have a nurse who is taking care of me well rested d/t a sedative in their system than sleep deprived or hungover.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I have been trying to not take it at night, but unlike quitting nicotine which was mostly just unpleasant, the side effects for ambien withdrawal can be dangerous.
I used to take Ambien nightly (or rather, daily - I was working nights). When I went to working days, I just quit taking it. Never had any kind of issues. What kind of dangerous withdrawal symptoms are you referring to?
I too take Ambien 10 mg. every night. It did not show up on my drug test because they only test for illicit drugs and Ambien is not in that category. I also take Seroquel at night as well. They are looking for marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and the benzo class of drugs which are Xanax, Ativan, etc. You should be just fine with taking Ambien. I have recently been taken off Ambien, slowly such as breaking my 10 mg in half until they are gone. I have had no withdrawals so far.
Zolpidem won't show up on a standard panel, although it can be tested for using a separate assay, which is what my employer does, mainly due to findings such as this: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/777431 In order to work in direct care, we are limited to a 5mg dose of non-CR ambien
I know that Zolpidem is on the list of drugs they test for at a lot of places ... On a side note, for the next two weeks to avoid insomnia I recommend hitting the gym as often and as hard as you can. Does wonders for people with sleep issues.
It depends on what they're screening for. I had prescriptions for Percocet and Ativan when I last had a drug test, had taken both the day before the test, and got a negative result. Nobody asked me for a prescription or anything. I think they were checking for large amounts of the drugs in my system, such as when used illicitly. Since I was taking as prescribed, this wasn't an issue.
I think they were checking for large amounts of the drugs in my system, such as when used illicitly. Since I was taking as prescribed, this wasn't an issue.
This is all speculation. He said, she said, this employer, that employer...
Furthermore, this is a board for professionals, and we have users here making statements that zolpidem is a benzo, there are no withdrawal symptoms from stopping completely after long term use, etc.
I posted my question out of my own ignorance on an internet message board, so then again, I don't know what I was expecting!!!
molly7454
12 Posts
I am not saying that you wrote the policy, but on what basis is a policy such as this in place? Can someone explain to me how my taking 10 mg of Ambien the night before I have to be at work and coming in to work 9 hours later when the drug is out of my system will affect my patient's care? Would it be better for me to go without sleep and take care of patients that way? But, going out the night before work, getting completely wasted, and coming in hungover is okay???? Of course not, but they don't care about alcohol. It's ambien that's the big bad dangerous drug? OKAY.
I'd rather have a nurse who is taking care of me well rested d/t a sedative in their system than sleep deprived or hungover.