Fired within hours of being hired

NurseNature · Jun 5, 2008

Lol! That's what I told them!

TazziRN, RN · Jun 5, 2008

Lori, try offering to have a different type of test done at your expense, like hair or blood. Another option would be to go to an urgent care clinic and request a cath urine for a drug screen (at your expense) and take the results in.

CABG patch kid, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2008

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I have an extremely shy bladder myself and have found myself in some awkward situations before Hopefully they give you another chance. Keep us updated!

barbyann · Jun 5, 2008

Don't feel alone, it happened to me too. As a new grad I was also unable to produce urine for the drug screen. I was so surprised, it had never happened to me before. They did let me drink water and wait and I did eventually squeeze out a few drops. At first the nurse said it might not be enough, but she would send it to the lab anyway. I never heard anything and started work, so it must have been OK. Funny thing was the minute I left the OH office I ran to the bathroom in the hallway and peed like crazy. Now, I fill the tank with caffeine prior to testing and have had no problems since.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2008

I used to do drug screens for Federal DOT commercial drivers. We had this problem all the time. Our protocol was to give the driver fluids and wait for as long as it took. I waited 5 hours once until a guy could finally pee. Our bathroom was a single locked room.

I had many people ask me to go ahead and straight cath them. The ruling we got from the Feds was that this was not allowed since it introduced a foreign body into the chain of custody. They said the driver could then claim that the specimen was contaminated by the cath. Like we were rubbing narcotics in all our straight caths!

The worst was post-accident screening. Drivers were not allowed to go into surgery until they gave a urine sample. Many a po'd MD over that but the employers were adamant.

I can't believe they didn't give the OP more time/fluids. That's just stupid.

morte, LPN, LVN · Jun 5, 2008

I used to do drug screens for Federal DOT commercial drivers. We had this problem all the time. Our protocol was to give the driver fluids and wait for as long as it took. I waited 5 hours once until a guy could finally pee. Our bathroom was a single locked room.
I had many people ask me to go ahead and straight cath them. The ruling we got from the Feds was that this was not allowed since it introduced a foreign body into the chain of custody. They said the driver could then claim that the specimen was contaminated by the cath. Like we were rubbing narcotics in all our straight caths!
The worst was post-accident screening. Drivers were not allowed to go into surgery until they gave a urine sample. Many a po'd MD over that but the employers were adamant.
I can't believe they didn't give the OP more time/fluids. That's just stupid.

i am surprised they got away with "no surgery before peeing" what if the driver died?....and the op has, apparently, the psych condition called "shy bladder" all the time in the world is likely not going to work....if the cath came out of pakage, shouldnt have been a problem

Noryn · Jun 5, 2008

The same thing has happened to me multiple times in the past. I cannot understand it either, its just crazy. About 5 years ago, I had to leave and come back at one place, at another they sent you to a private company--it really isnt funny but I still laugh about how mean they were. They yelled through the door--"2 more minutes then you have to come out!", which didnt help then when I asked if I could go grab a drink they told me I would have to come back another day.

About 2 years ago I went to another place and had the same problem. They would only give me a small coke to drink and wouldnt let me drink water because they told me I may dilute my urine.

So you are not alone! I agree contact HR today and explain your plight.

BEDPAN76 · Jun 5, 2008

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. DOESNT SOUND LIKE THEY USE MUCH COMMON SENSE. I WOULD HAVE BEEN P****D OFF (PARDON THE PUN) AND JUST LEFT. YOU WERE MEANT TO BE AT A BETTER JOB, WHICH YOU WILL FIND SOON I'M SURE. GOOD LUCK DEAR

NurseNature · Jun 5, 2008

Welp, I just got a call from the testing nurse and she told me to see my PCP and have him call their doctor to see if I can have another chance to produce urine at the same site I tried yesterday.

I'm making an appt with my doc on Tuesday and I will keep you all updated on this ongoing saga of the shy bladder that will determine my hiring or firing of my dream job.

Thanks for all your suggestions and support! I will definitely make an early appt, if they allow, and drink lots of caffeine, and I won't even take my usual morning pee.

I think I will throw a potty party for myself when I finally deliver!

mpccrn, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2008

i hope they give you another shot. if it were my dream job.....insist on it....maybe headphones with a waterfall or ocean tape playing.......it might work!

talaxandra · Jun 5, 2008

You poor thing - I'm so sorry. We don't have drug testing here, so the whole concept's a little alien and I certainly wouldn't have drunk up before going in. In fact, given that I tend to go when I'm stressed, I probably would've gone out of my way to wee first...

allnurses Guide · Jun 5, 2008

I kinda have that problem myself; I have a hard time going to a public bathroom with friends because I know that they are right there next to me and I know that they are listening and my bladder doesn't want to work! =)

I've never had trouble going into a bathroom and producing urine for a pee test though, but one time I went for a pee test and, you know how you aren't supposed to flush the toilet? Well... I flushed the dang toilet. I then had to hang around the testing place for an hour, wasn't allowed to leave, drink lots of water, and then take the test again.

I'm probably lucky that they didn't just automatically document that I refused to comply with the test because I flushed the toilet, and sent me on out of the place.