Worried about drug screen

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Greetings!

So... I have my first clinicals starting soon (like next week soon) and I am worried that the clinical sites might require a drug test. I have already passed a yearly drug test back in Jan. or so, required by the school.

How likely is it for sites to drug test when you already have one on record?

As a backstory:

Ate a pot brownie the other day. Didn't think much of it (for the past few weeks I've had one or two weekly, usually - but previously NEVER had pot of any sort). Then I realized how soon clinicals are coming up and I'm really freaking out now.

I know this was a bad mistake, but I would really like to not be kicked out of nursing school. I also looked at the handbook and it only mentions the already mentioned drug screen and testing for cause.

Not a "pothead" and frankly, I wouldn't have touched the stuff if I had remembered. :bag:

This ^

If if I recall correctly, the at home kits are around 30 bucks at Walgreens. It will put your mind at ease.

Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Also, keep in mind that whether a school usually does random tests or not, if you get injured at clinical then they definately WILL drug test you. That means you are one finger stick away from a UDS, or having your foot rolled over by a hospital bed, or pulled back from catching a falling LOL, you get the point.

My I don't personal have issue pot use and definately had a "fun" young adult life filled with things I could definately lose a license over. However, the time to stop all that came when I got serious about getting into nursing school. I know it was a careless mistake and you realize what could possibly happen. Just make sure not to partake anymore because the consequences are just not worth it.

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I'm not sure I'd classify this as a mistake. You seem to keep repeating the consumption of pot-laced brownies. As a consumer, I can only hope this catches up with you sooner, rather than later.

Thank you for answering the question. Yeah I've never seen that happen at my school (or heard of it), so I'm not really worried, but still concerned.

Guess I'll stick to alcohol (like the rest of the nursing students.....) since it's *so* much better for you! :eyeroll:

Also: I'm on summer break... It's not like I'm going to be doing pot brownies before going to work(or school) every day... just not that kind of person... I would never put my patients at risk. Made a simple mistake and I am hoping it doesn't come back to haunt me. That's literally it.

You can buy an OTC home test for THC (active ingredient in MJ) at Dollar Tree here in Colorado.

If you have Dollar Trees where you are, surely their product selection is the same? Then again.... I do live in *Colorado*, so you may also have to consider demand from parents, etc.

You are a new student nurse and you might not have learned this yet, but you are operating under your states Board of Nursing (BON) as a student nurse who intends to one day apply for a license. BON's job is to protect the public not to protect nurses or students. BON's don't care if you were hanging out in the summer and ate some brownies twice a week before clinicals and honestly they shouldn't. Clinical sites could require drug tests your school could random ones, just because they haven't doesn't mean they won't. This is a good wake up call.

Is marijuana better than liquor? I don't know and I don't care. What I do know is one is legal and one isn't and I care about that.

Is marijuana better than liquor? I don't know and I don't care. What I do know is one is legal and one isn't and I care about that.

^ This. Although its legal in several states, Including the one where I live (WA). Its still not legal on the federal / government level. So until than I would treat it as a illegal substance regardless because of the type of work you're pursuing forbids it.

Specializes in NICU, RNC.
You can buy an OTC home test for THC (active ingredient in MJ) at Dollar Tree here in Colorado.

If you have Dollar Trees where you are, surely their product selection is the same? Then again.... I do live in *Colorado*, so you may also have to consider demand from parents, etc.

Dollar Tree has them in CA too

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