Moral dilemma? Or should I mind my own business?

[sasera]

Ok here's my dilemma: There are 3 students in my class that smoke pot nearly every day. They don't come to school high, but they talk about it a lot. We're starting clinicals soon and all the paperwork for that is due next week. All 3 of them are planning on using someone else's "clean" urine for their drug tests next week. How do I know this? They nonchalantly told me.

I'm conflicted with what to do with this information. On one hand, it's none of my business. They don't come to class high, so I'd assume they're not dumb enough to go to clinicals or work high either. And I don't really care what they choose to do on their personal time.

But on the other hand... I think it's wrong for them to be deceitful like this. If they're willing to lie about their drug usage, what else might they lie about? If you want to get technical, it's cheating on a test, and if I saw someone cheating on a written test in class I would speak up.

... But then I remind myself that it's not really my business and that they might be found out eventually. But will that "eventually" come after they get licensed, when they have patients in their care?

I'm not a smoker myself, but I'm also not against smoking. So do I speak up and tell someone (and potentially get a student kicked out of school over some mostly benign pot smoking), or should I just keep my mouth shut?

Thanks for any advice.

[KrCmommy522, BSN, RN]

When I was in nursing school, I did a rotation at a occupational health clinic at a hospital for my community health course. They did a lot of urine drug screens there for employees of the hospital and other places they had contracts with. From that experience, I highly doubt they will be able to get past the drug screen. They made you leave everything outside - purse and coat and all that. They put some blue stuff in the toilet water, apparently so people couldn't try and use the toilet water as their sample? Though I still am unsure why anyone would think that would be a good idea lol. Then, they tested the sample for temperature and everything else. We had one person, they tested the sample for temp, and it was off just a tiny bit. She told the person he could redo the sample right then or could come back at another time. But they wouldn't use that sample because the temp was off. I asked why she did that since it was only a little bit off. She said because people try to fool it by using warmers and of course sometimes they can get the temp right but most times its a little off.

I would do what WanderingWilder said. Wait to see if they are able to get past the test. If by some chance they are, then I would report it. Otherwise, I would just stay away from them.

[DayDreamin ER CRNP]

The more I thought about this, the more I'm inclined to say something to the school. If they are balls-y enough to announce their intentions, the more likely they are to do other stupid stuff.

If it were me, I'd probably make an appointment with your advisor or associate dean (or whatever) outside of any other school / class hours and teller what you know. I would definitely make sure there wouldn't be any negative outcomes for me as a student before saying a word.

[bgxyrnf, MSN, RN]

Ok here's my dilemma: There are 3 students in my class that smoke pot nearly every day. They don't come to school high, but they talk about it a lot. We're starting clinicals soon and all the paperwork for that is due next week. All 3 of them are planning on using someone else's "clean" urine for their drug tests next week. How do I know this? They nonchalantly told me.

I'm conflicted with what to do with this information. On one hand, it's none of my business. They don't come to class high, so I'd assume they're not dumb enough to go to clinicals or work high either. And I don't really care what they choose to do on their personal time.

But on the other hand... I think it's wrong for them to be deceitful like this. If they're willing to lie about their drug usage, what else might they lie about? If you want to get technical, it's cheating on a test, and if I saw someone cheating on a written test in class I would speak up.

... But then I remind myself that it's not really my business and that they might be found out eventually. But will that "eventually" come after they get licensed, when they have patients in their care?

I'm not a smoker myself, but I'm also not against smoking. So do I speak up and tell someone (and potentially get a student kicked out of school over some mostly benign pot smoking), or should I just keep my mouth shut?

Thanks for any advice.

Mind your own business and let them lead the lives they choose to lead.

I am firmly opposed to this mindset among some nurses and nursing students that we should be reporting other people. Unless patient safety is at issue, and there's no reason to believe that it is in this case, don't look to torpedo other people.

[A.J.R.]

When I took mine at Quest, they patted me down and made me take off my jacket and lift my arms as well as empty my pockets. I couldn't flush or run water. She even gave me a time limit and waited outside the door. I doubt all Quests do this, but hopefully theirs will. Apparently they work with a lot of felons and are used to people trying to pull tricks. I had brought my daughter and they made me take her home before I could do it because people have had their children pee for them! And if they do manage to pass, and still act irresponsibly, definitely tell your administrator. You have to be focused in NS and cant retain much when high!

[amok]

I wouldn't say anything now, but maybe see if the problem fixes itself and they get rumbled trying to fool the drug test. If they got through that? I'd think about anonymously informing an instructor but without naming particular students. Maybe having to awkwardly sit through a reminder by the professor that they're being idiots by risking their opportunity like this will get them on the right track. Remember, if they have reason to believe it was you who told on them specifically it could get pretty bad.