Hair Follicle Testing in Monitoring Programs

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I'm being considered for a monitoring program. Will a hair follicle test (what panel) be done at the very beginning? I just don't know if I want to even do nursing anymore.

I have taken an opioid recently d/t sever fibromyalgia pain, but the prescription I have is out of date.

I'm in TN

Specializes in Psych, BH, LTC, Rehab, Detox.
Healer555 said:

Where I live they add whatever they want to the codes supposedly.  I know people who have tested positive for the metabolites of benadry and  pseudoephedrine,,  We get hair blood urine and sometimes nail tests.  We even get observed urine tests. But I guess you're right  it's probably that they could test for anything and everything. 

All I've gotten are observed urine test so far. And all the urine test are observed. 

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PsychRNXXX said:

All I've gotten are observed urine test so far. And all the urine test are observed. 

I actually can't do observed urine tests so I do more of the others. Weird how different it can be in different states. 

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Healer555 said:

I actually can't do observed urine tests so I do more of the others. Weird how different it can be in different states. 

I won't name my state (it's a TINY state, which I think makes all the difference), but I have had about as positive an experience in this program as it's possible to have, especially compared to a lot of comments I read. Mine less than 5 years, and I just get monthly unobserved urine tests (some months have actually been skipped!). It makes sense that they can add on whatever tests they want (ie, that's certainly how lab work is ordered), but it also would surprise me if they did it that way bc then we wouldn't be paying for everything (and even my nice program makes me foot every last bill, LOL). Hair tests were mentioned in my contract but I haven't had one yet. The standard hair test panels for LabCorp that I can find are just the standard drugs (even ETG doesn't seem to be one of their standards, though I'm sure they have it available). 
 

I will say, even though my program is much less strict, I still have absolutely no drive or desire to 'cheat' and try to get away with it. @Healer555, I appreciate that you're a frequent poster and your program sounds like absolute hell 😞 They don't sound like they treat you well at all

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Specializes in Psych, BH, LTC, Rehab, Detox.
Healer555 said:

I actually can't do observed urine tests so I do more of the others. Weird how different it can be in different states. 

Howcome you can't do observed? 

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PsychRNXXX said:

Howcome you can't do observed? 

I just can't urinate while being watched.

1
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Specializes in Psych, BH, LTC, Rehab, Detox.
Healer555 said:

I just can't urinate while being watched.

I wish I could use that as an excuse. Sheesh. I've not been shy about peeing or anything in front of people especially since being a nurse and having 3 kids. Don't care anymore LOL. If you wanna see something or whatever I just don't care anymore 😂 LOL 😄

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PsychRNXXX said:

I wish I could use that as an excuse. Sheesh. I've not been shy about peeing or anything in front of people especially since being a nurse and having 3 kids. Don't care anymore LOL. If you wanna see something or whatever I just don't care anymore 😂 LOL 😄

I wish I  could do the observed tests. I have to do blood and hair instead. 

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I have done one hair follicle test for a job for a major corporation. If you have proof of prescription for said drug you should be fine, just make sure you disclose that prior to testing and they usually take it off the panel. The particular job I did tested for everything other that THC, as they were having trouble finding enough quality candidates to pass the test. This job was also in a legal state for what it's worth. 

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How did this turn out for you? 

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dancinginthedark said:

Everyone in my program does a hair test. It could go either way. If you can get a prescription for the med, I'd do that asap. It takes about a week for meds to show up in hair. 

Do they do a hair test for alcohol? That's what I'm worried about. Please respond.....  Thanks you fellow nurses... 

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HospiceRN2024 said:

Do they do a hair test for alcohol? That's what I'm worried about. Please respond.....  Thanks you fellow nurses... 

It's not a good test for alcohol. They usually do a peth test. They can always test for anything though. 

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

I was on the CSDP for five years and never did a hair follicle test. As a side note  I took opiates for years for Fibrobit that was only a bandaid. I recently underwent a full neuro evaluation And an evaluation by a rheumatologist. A lot of chafes were made with my meds and for the first time in years was able to cut back on my opiates. If you haven't done so already get referrals to these specialists.”

 

hppy

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