When do nursing programs do drug tests?

Nursing Students General Students

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Is it when you get accepted or a bit before the semester starts? I'm applying for Fall, which is nine months away; when do you think they would make you submit a drug test?

I was not drug tested at any time during nursing school, and only when I travel nursed was I drug tested.

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So OP, what do you think of all this? Since now you know you can get tested upon acceptance and/or at the start of a semester and/or at the start of a new clinical placement and/or at the end and/or randomly and/or never, LOL, what's your next move?

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My school requires a 10-panel screen before we start the semester.

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I submitted my drug test with my acceptance packet, they actually had a paper that came in the packet that told us what place we could go to, and we had to have it submitted before we could start.

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Specializes in Neuro.

This shouldn't be a concern if you aren't using drugs. So stopping now would be good. Also medical marijuana cards aren't usually accepted in nursing school, even if you have the card, they'll still kick you out if you test positive.

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I wasn't drug tested in nursing school, but while working as a nurse, I hurt my back. I could barely walk to the nurse's station. My boss sent me home, but she was required by policy to send me to employee health, where I was promptly asked to submit a specimen.

Any time there is an incident of nurse injury, patient injury, suspicion of impairment or diversion, narc counts off, etc., you can be required to be tested on the spot.

Just so you know. ;)

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It shouldn't matter. If you have to worry about a dirty drug screen, perhaps you should consider another line of work.

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Specializes in ICU; Telephone Triage Nurse.

I graduated in Dec 1993: not once were we ever drug tested in my BSN program.

I had a UDS once for pre-employment screening for a job while in nursing school (3rd semester) and got a job offer from the same place after graduating and continued on.

Laughably, the first time I was hired at this hospital was in high school (1984), with no UDS.

My 2nd ever nursing job had no UDS at all - just a physical. I mentioned to the person who hired me I hadn't had a UDS: and she told me, "we don't do that" (1996).

My, the times they are a-changing.

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Specializes in Perioperative / RN Circulator.

Between acceptance and starting the program.

I need to look at my program handbook to confirm, but I don't think we get tested again except for cause.

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You can be tested at any time during your nursing program or employment as a nurse. The real question is, what's the motive here? I'm curious to know why you're asking. Are you concerned about a medical condition being revealed or testing positive for narcotics? For example, if you have a prescription for cough syrup with codeine, all you have to do is have the medication with you if/when tested. Or tell them ahead of time you take prescription narcs.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

We got drug tested in the first month of school. I've been drug tested for every healthcare job I've had, even before I was a nurse.

You're taking a big risk using drugs as a nurse. If you make a mistake at work (and you probably will in your first year because you are new), you may need a clean drug screen to prove that you didn't divert and were not impaired.

Let's say you are in your first year. You just came off orientation. It's the night shift. You are short-staffed. You have eight patients. You are literally shaking from your first code. A family member is yelling at you. You are about to waste Ativan, and someone is asking you a question. Your answer tosses the Ativan in sharps and forgets to ask another nurse to witness you do that. Now you are in a pickle. No one knows you yet. No one is willing to just give you the benefit of the doubt and be a witness. Rightly so. They didn't see you do it. The pharmacy flags you to your manager. Your manager says it will all be okay; just go downstairs to the ED and get a drug screen.

Even if you only come up positive for marijuana, you are now in deep poop.

You need everything on your side, especially your first year.

Stop the drugs now.

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