Help! Pre-employment nicotine test!

[noviceRN22]

So,I have a question regarding pre-employment URINE nicotene test/cotinine test. I have been free and clear of cigarettes for 3 days and have to test in 5 days. I have been drinking approx a gallon of water daily and totally stayed free and clear of any type of second hand smoke. I bought an online urine cotinine test where I tested negative. However, the level I test could only tell me that my urine concentration was below 200 ng/ml.

After doing some research online, I feel like the standard for a negative test result is less than that off 200 ng/ml. Does anyone know the standard they test in urine. Also, do you think if my levels are already below 200, that I'd be able to pass the test in 5 days? Please no cruel posts or judgements...I just want facts!

[MadpeysRN]

Curious, OP, did you pass the test??

[qt2168]

All wondering how the test went?

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

The OP hasn't been active on this site since a few days after the first posting, over a year ago. I would have been curious about how things turned out.

[tifstar80]

Did you get it

[rnvmc]

How do you find out the method the facility uses to test Cotine?

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

wooh said:

Agree with the post that if you're quitting to get the job, you need to quit for good. If you are covered under your employer's health insurance, it will come out if you're still smoking, at which point you're looking at misrepresentation which can knock out your insurance AND your employment just when you need your insurance.

As for obesity...

That day's already here. Employers are gearing up for it. The problem is, what will they base it on. Now I'm screwed either way, because I'm fat no matter which charts or graphs you use. Or just looking at me.

BUT, what worries me, is healthy people that are going to get caught up in the "obese" thing. My employer had a "health fair" and they of course check your weight on a height weight table, check your BMI, check your waist hip ratio, body fat percentage. Very few people in my department and our regular docs made it through without being fat based on at least one test. Two of our nurses that work out regularly, are almost ALL muscle, their body fat percentage is in the basement for women, both got nailed as OBESE on their BMI. So they'd better get some more fat on them and quit working the weights or they'll have to pay for being "unhealthy." Quite a few of our folks that are regular runners got nailed on at least one of the things, often the hip waist ratio JUST making it to call them obese. And a few notices that they were holding the tape measure MUCH MUCH tighter on their hips than on their waist. Almost like they get a bonus if they can find you unhealthy, and don't you think that if someone has to pay the insurance company lots more money for being unhealthy in some way, the company is going to find a way to "prove" you're unhealthy?

I'm sure one could appeal the high BMI=obese with regard to muscular individuals. There are body fat percentage tests which could show the person has a very healthy body composition.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Okay, now I just realized I responded to a 4 year old thread. Why do people resurrect these old threads?

Guess I'll start checking that before I get sucked in!

[Jonecour3096]

So I was wondering knows where 2(.9 in Tyler sends for their pre-employment drug/nicotene tests? Do they do it themselves and actually watch you or what? I start next week and am a little worried to be honest not about drugs but smoking

[tereswil]

Because companies get a much better rate on insurance premiums if they only hire non-smokers. Same reason many big companies highly promote preventative healthcare. It the long run it saves the insurance companies money and results in lower premiums for the employer and employees. I work for a very large healthcare system in Dallas that now has a no smoking policy. They will not hire anyone that fails a nicotine test and we have been informed that starting in Sept 2016 they will start random testing employees and if you fail you will have 90 days to quit and will be retested. If you fail again you will be terminated. I, for one, am all for lower insurance premiums, whatever that takes.

[piglubabe]

Whatz up all the hard woking RNs out there?! Ok i think this is very old thread but i'd like to share my 2 cents. Smoking is bad, both physically and financially, we all know it. Once I was a very heavy smoker and I stopped because my newer employer back then came up with "no smoking on the hospital ground" policy. First I hated it but now today I wholeheartedly thank them. I know it;s extremely hard to stop but you gotta find ways to stop it. It's just not worth it. You save so much money too. Nicotine is very very addictive. It stays in your system for about 5 days after the last smoke and it can stay in your hair for like 4 months or so. Read this.

How long does nicotine stay in your system – Drug Details Good Luck!

[vufindr]

"i think this is the point. smokers tend to less healthier then those who are non-smokers. therefore, they take more sick days, and the group insurance rates go up."

I can't speak for anybody else. But for me this is totally untrue. I smoked almost 2 packs a day for 20 years. I never called in sick unless it was to play hooky. I have probably had 3 colds in the past 20 years and never had the flu. I have no breathing or heart problems. Yes, SOME people may have issues. Myself I think genetics has a lot to do with it as does it in any health issues. But of course insurance companies target the smokers first for a quick buck. I am responding to the quote about where this person also mentioned obese people. To my knowledge obese people never have to pay higher premium. Yeah, that seems fair.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

vufindr said:

To my knowledge obese people never have to pay higher premium. Yeah, that seems fair.

Actually, some healthcare employers refuse to hire employees whose BMI exceeds 35. Any BMI greater than 30 is considered clinically obese.