Horrible Treatment at Drug Testing

ED Nurse, RN · Dec 30, 2015

Unfortunately, they can't take chances with you. You have a history of abuse and a lot of time lying lays hand in hand with that abuse- not saying that is the case with you. These collection centers have strict guidelines to adhere to, and unfortunately, you need to follow them until you are free of your current conundrum. If you are unsure about how you were treated, I would ask for a copy of their policies. If they did something that wasn't policy, then report them. However, not sure if I would create waves and bring more attention to myself in a situation like you are currently in bc it could negatively effect your progress.

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2015

That sucks. I can't imagine literally locking you in the building was legal although had you left, you would not have been allowed to test again and this would have been considered a non-compliance with the program. (This should have been explained to you. You should not have been locked in the building!)

I test with the nicest people. It's a local, family-run place. They treat you like a person, get you in and out fast, AND their costs are lower than most places. But I have heard horror stories.

Big Blondie, ASN, BSN, MSN, APRN · Dec 31, 2015

I had a bad experience once but just let it go. Ive never had that problem again. I have to go there again, so I let it go. As far as locking the door, that sounds crazy. The lab doesnt know anything about why you are being tested, so any ideas they have are a fantasy unless you tell them so assuming anything on their part shouldnt concern you. They are technicians trained to obtain lab samples. I highly doubt they know squat about addiction. Let them collect and label urine and hold your head up. You are the customer here.

ED Nurse, RN · Dec 31, 2015

I had a bad experience once but just let it go. Ive never had that problem again. I have to go there again, so I let it go. As far as locking the door, that sounds crazy. The lab doesnt know anything about why you are being tested, so any ideas they have are a fantasy unless you tell them so assuming anything on their part shouldnt concern you. They are technicians trained to obtain lab samples. I highly doubt they know squat about addiction. Let them collect and label urine and hold your head up. You are the customer here.

Actually, they more than likely know why she is there bc the urine will need a chain of custody to be used in legal precedings.

Omaapecm, ASN, RN · Dec 31, 2015

Sounds awful! No matter what your history you don't deserve to be treated that way. It is true you don't want to make waves but just be issue you are an addict doesn't mean you have to be treated in such demeaning manner. Pretty sure locking the doors is not part if there procedure and I would certainly inquire about that. Don't let people make you feel less then what you are.

CryssyD · Dec 31, 2015

Sorry that happened to you--they actually locked the door? That's crazy! I've had to wait around to provide another sample, and it involved 2 bottles of water and a magazine, not a locked door and judgmental attitude. Some people are just stupid--that's life.

StillRN · Dec 31, 2015

Sorry that happened. . Sounds like kidnapping or something. .jeez!!

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2016

Locking you in sounds to me like holding you hostage. Had you opted to leave (to get kids or whatever) the "noncompliance" issue would have been between you and your monitoring program. The A**hats at the lab have NO right to force you to stay anywhere. They probably can tell that you are there for a monitoring program thing but the doesn't make it ok for them to force you to do anything. As a poster above said "their job is to collect and label urine" and nothing else.

My particular program has a liaison between the lab chain with the contract and the program. Fortunately, she is very responsive. I have called her more than once. I showed up for a test once and the girl looked at me and shrugged saying "I don't do those." She was the only one there. Apparently she did not know how to work the Affinity site to properly document the collection. I had to wait an hour for someone else to come from another location. You can bet I spent that time on the phone to both the program and the corporate office with complaints. The way i see it, if they are going contract with a specific place, they need to make sure they can do the darn test.

As nurses, we cannot show our disdain for any patient, no matter who they are or why there are there, regardless of our personal feelings and neither should they.

Maria425 · Jan 5, 2016

Thanks to everyone who responded! Yes they did lock the door lol it was so weird. The first testing site I went to was very casual and no judgemental so I am going to stick with that one. My addiction counselor said I should file a complaint but I am just gonna let it go. My hope is that people stop stigmatizing addicts as the scum of the earth out to cheat everyone and realize that most of us are in fact decent human beings.

elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Jan 14, 2016

unless youre upset that she used a nasty tone with you or something derogatory along those lines, i dont see the problem, it sounds pretty standard to me.

at a clinic i worked for at some time we routinely had to do drug tests, where we essentially had to take all of your belongings, and watch you urinate into a specimen container. depending on what type of testing was required we either sent it off, or tested it right then and there. if the amount wasn't sufficient enough then we had to wait, in full view of you, until you could provide another sample. you had about up to 3 hours to do this, otherwise we'd have to alert your employer that you came in and failed (or whoever it is you tested for) due to XYZ reason.

if she didn't completely seal the container, she may've added your 2nd specimen to your 1st batch and just said you made the mark. or perhaps they have other protocols. locking the door may've been a little excessive, but where i worked, you weren't allowed to leave our site, and leaving the facility was a DEFINITE no no. so leaving even to go get your kid or something and come back was completely out of the question, as you could have easily lied, went to a friend to get a clean sample, and came back with it to produce that, or buy one of those kits that cleans you out.

sorry to hear that you had such a horrible experience but, sounds fairly standard to me =/

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2016

locking the door may've been a little excessive, but where i worked, you weren't allowed to leave our site, and leaving the facility was a DEFINITE no no. so leaving even to go get your kid or something and come back was completely out of the question, as you could have easily lied, went to a friend to get a clean sample, and came back with it to produce that, or buy one of those kits that cleans you out.

Protip: the drug testing place isn't a jail or a psych ward. You can't physically hold someone against their will. It's illegal and understandably distressing to the completely alert and oriented person who is being held against their will.