Failed Pre-Employment Drug Screen

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I applied to go to a Psychiactric Trainee program and failed the pre drug screen for Marijuana. Before people make comments on why I smoked in the first place I have a medical recommendation due to my genetic illness. I am currently finding other ways to deal with my pain since nothing else has worked thus far. Anyways...

I haven't found out if this failed test disqualifies me for the Trainee program. Any advice?

I have another application for CNA but concerned about the time period between tests? Is this on file with the State?

I don't smoke. And I stopped 2 months prior to test. I stopped as soon I was informed I was next in line for trainee program. 2 months... yea

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Specializes in Agency, ortho, tele, med surg, icu, er.

2 months? its fat soluble I know that. How much were you smoking?

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yes! oh well I don't smoke it - and yes I know but that clearly doesn't matter in my case. I'm tiny as it is and lost 7 lbs --- hence all I had was time. Just not enough. My next opportunity for another nurse school program is next month. If I wasnt clean in 2, whose to say I will be in 3.

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Weight loss can alter test results because of the weed metabolites being stored in fat. You may have been clear if you hadn't lost weight. Heard that in drug/alcohol rehab job all the time.

Even 3 months isn't unheard of since the last use- depending on the persons' weight, how much they smoked, and for how long they'd been using.

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Frankly if your smoking pot for whatever reason. I wouldn't want you taking care of me or my family members, CNA,RN,MD whatever.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
In my state of California it's called a recommendation - not prescription: PROP 215.

Did not know that...I learned something new today :)

Point being, get the necessary legal documentation (prescription, card, letter, etc.) from your physician and/or seek a lawyer's advice. I can't imagine that even in CA the doc can just say, "oh get some pot and smoke/swallow/snort/chew/rub it all over your body and see if that helps" without giving you any documentation of that recommendation and you're protected by that prop. Then pretty much anyone can walk into a pot shop and say "oh yeah, my doc told me to use it."

And to be honest...if I were the employer and you told me your doctor said to use MJ but you were unwilling/unable to provide documentation of that recommendation, I wouldn't believe you.

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Frankly if your smoking pot for whatever reason. I wouldn't want you taking care of me or my family members, CNA,RN,MD whatever.

I don't really understand this attitude so perhaps you can expand. Marijuana is less impairing than most narcotics and definitely alcohol. It isn't cocaine or heroine. For some people with chronic pain / illness - it is a much more effective pain medication than typically pharmaceuticals and with FAR fewer side effects. It is also very effective for nausea/vomiting for those with cancer or some other terminal illnesses (end stage AIDS). narcotics are not nice meds. You are more likely to become addicted and impaired by prescription narcotic use than by marijuana. You also have to deal with bad side effects like constipation that you then end up taking other meds for. Marijuana doesn't cause these further issues.

I am not an advocate for smoking pot for recreation, nor do I smoke or ingest pot. However if someone else accesses it legally and uses it in a controlled and responsible way because it is the best option to treat their pain or nausea with the fewest side effects then as long as they aren't impaired due to being under the influence when they come to work (in the same way one shouldn't work if impaired by being under the influence of narcotics or alcohol) then I don't have an issue with it. Most people who use it for medicinal reasons don't smoke it, they ingest it orally.

Why would you not want anyone who has used marijuana for medical reasons to care for you? What is your objection?

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Specializes in STICU, MICU.

Seizetheday-

I want the person who has my life, my family member's life, my child's life in their hands to be free of any influential substance. I don't care if it is less impairing, the fact is that is does impair!

I am okay for it's use for some medicinal purposes- such as poor appetite in oncology patients. However, if you work in situations that requires immediate, advanced thinking skills- especially in acute situations- do not use any substance that could even possibly impact your ability to function at your best.

Ingested, smoked- doesn't matter. Do want to be on the plane with the pilot who is using, go under the knife with the surgeon, depend on the response of a police officer- even if they are all "less" impaired? Frankly, I hope that no hospital EVER sees this as an okay practice for its bedside staff, medicinal or not!

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Seizetheday-

I want the person who has my life, my family member's life, my child's life in their hands to be free of any influential substance. I don't care if it is less impairing, the fact is that is does impair!

I am okay for it's use for some medicinal purposes- such as poor appetite in oncology patients. However, if you work in situations that requires immediate, advanced thinking skills- especially in acute situations- do not use any substance that could even possibly impact your ability to function at your best.

Ingested, smoked- doesn't matter. Do want to be on the plane with the pilot who is using, go under the knife with the surgeon, depend on the response of a police officer- even if they are all "less" impaired? Frankly, I hope that no hospital EVER sees this as an okay practice for its bedside staff, medicinal or not!

I agree with you that no one should work impaired and you will see I said that in my last sentence. That of course isn't the point, I'm sure we all agree no one should work impaired by substances. Pain medication and alcohol are also impairing. Do you believe that alcohol should be illegal and we should stop prescribing any medication, including narcotics, that is impairing? Those substances also impact your ability to function at your best. I instead expect everyone to act responsibly regardless of what they use (marijuana or pain meds) to manage their pain and to come to work not under the influence of any substance. I just don't see how medical marijuana use is different than prescribed narcotic use.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.

If you are using it under a prescription or recommendation (never heard of that), you should be able to provide a proof to the employer. And you should go from there. Unless you have a proof, you are to be blamed for using illegal substances.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
There is no job to fight for seeing they are in a hiring freeze. But should I fight just to get into their program (if it comes to that)

I also wondered if I would have a problem in the future when applying to other nursing schools -- would they see this

If there is no job to fight for then why the "pre-employment drug screen":idea:.

This has been discussed....https://allnurses.com/gsearch.php?cx=partner-pub-9350112648257122%3Avaz70l-mgo9&cof=DIV%3Acacaca%3BBGC%3AF8F7F5%3BFORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&as_q=medicinal+marajuana&sa=Search#145

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I don't really understand this attitude so perhaps you can expand. Marijuana is less impairing than most narcotics and definitely alcohol. It isn't cocaine or heroine. For some people with chronic pain / illness - it is a much more effective pain medication than typically pharmaceuticals and with FAR fewer side effects. It is also very effective for nausea/vomiting for those with cancer or some other terminal illnesses (end stage AIDS). narcotics are not nice meds. You are more likely to become addicted and impaired by prescription narcotic use than by marijuana. You also have to deal with bad side effects like constipation that you then end up taking other meds for. Marijuana doesn't cause these further issues.

I am not an advocate for smoking pot for recreation, nor do I smoke or ingest pot. However if someone else accesses it legally and uses it in a controlled and responsible way because it is the best option to treat their pain or nausea with the fewest side effects then as long as they aren't impaired due to being under the influence when they come to work (in the same way one shouldn't work if impaired by being under the influence of narcotics or alcohol) then I don't have an issue with it. Most people who use it for medicinal reasons don't smoke it, they ingest it orally.

Why would you not want anyone who has used marijuana for medical reasons to care for you? What is your objection?

The active ingredient is available in a pill form (by prescription). There is no need to ingest 'raw' marijuana.
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