I recently received an offer for a position at a major hospital in Houston and had to go through all the pre-hire stuff, including a drug screen. I am currently prescribed a prescription that shows up on all the drug screens I've ever done. I always have had anxiety that this will cause me to lose a position in some way.
I'm panicking after what happened today.
-Last Wednesday (6/22) I went into the hospital's employee health clinic for my drug screen. I expressed my concern that I had prescriptions that will affect the results. I was reassured if I had it written down in my history everything would be fine.
-This morning (6/27) I missed a call from the hospital's HR department and then 2 hours later missed call from a 1-800 number. Since the 1-800 number left me a message instructing me to call, I gave them a call first. It was the MRO asking for verification of my prescription. They informed me I had 72 hours to submit proof. I submitted the proof immediately.
-In the next couple of hours I called my recruiter (assuming it had nothing to do with the drug screen) and asked if she had been trying to contact me this morning. She said yes that she was calling to inform me that I had positive drug screen (Note- before the MRO attempted to contacted me). I explained that the results were due to a prescription drug. She seemed confused: "What do you mean a prescription?" She seemed extremely judgemental, and disgusted with me. I didn't disclose the name of the prescription because as I was told by the hospital: My health information only goes to the employee health clinic. I expressed this situation panicked me. She replied "It panics us too." It was extremely hurtful. She obviously thought I was lying. She told me to contact her if I got that sorted out.
-I called the hospital's employee health clinic immediately after my call with my recruiter to inquire about the drug screen results. They were reluctant to help me, because apparently whoever normally deals with this "leaves at 3:30." I insisted; I told her HR had contacted me and that I was under the impression that this information would not be released to HR and was worried about losing my position. She then said "Oh we did just receive verification. I'll update your profile to show a true negative and let HR know. Someone from HR will be in touch with you."
-I waited 15 minutes then tried to call my recruiter back twice with no answer. I sent her an email to confirm she received the information and to confirm my start date. No answer yet. I'm afraid she has contacted my unit and nurse manager about the situation.
I did not think that HR was suppose to be aware of a positive result of a drug test until it was verified? Especially since this hospital has its own employee health clinic, and HR does not deal directly with drug screens. Agh. Could they take away my position? (I was going to have my offer rescinded before the MRO even had contacted me!) How is this normally supposed to work? Can anyone shed light on this situation? I am really upset that this happened, and hope it gets sorted out.
[Not happy at the idea of my boss hearing I had a positive drug screen, then hearing "Oh never mind, she is taking the drugs legally."]
Note again:This is a MAJOR hospital system that excels in employee satisfaction, one that I would not pin having this kind of confusion with.
What's your source? This is directly from the EEOC website regarding Dura v. EEOC:
"According to the EEOC's suit (Civil Action No. 1:09-cv-00059), filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Dura Automotive Systems, Inc. tested all of its Lawrenceburg, Tenn., plant employees in May 2007 for 12 substances, including certain legally prescribed drugs, in violation of the ADA. Five of the drugs tested for were illegal controlled substances, the EEOC said, but the other seven were legal medications that were lawfully prescribed for the individuals taking them.Further, the EEOC alleged that Dura required those employees who tested positive for legally prescribed medications to disclose the medical conditions for which they were taking prescription medications, and made it a condition of employment that the employees cease taking their prescription medications, without any evidence that the medications were affecting the employees' job performances. According to the EEOC, Dura then suspended employees until they stopped taking their prescription medications, and fired those who were unable to perform their job duties without the benefit of their prescription medications. Moreover, Dura conducted the drug tests in such a manner as to disclose to its entire work force the identities of those who tested positive.
All this alleged conduct violates various provisions of the ADA, the EEOC charged. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement through its conciliation process."
Dura lost $750,000 over that event.
Disembowelment would be more appropriate. Just kidding.
I had a situation along the same line a few years back - Offered a job, took the drug test & signed the paperwork allowing a background check, They said they'd call in a few days with a start date..
A week goes by & I called to see what was going on, I was told by my future boss, that they had "found out about my sexual assault conviction in another state".. lol, new nurse, just went through an FBI background check, wouldn't have a license if I was a sex offender!.. I was then told, "Well, if it's really *not* you, you can call these guys & have them verify their info".. The facility had used a $9.95 online background check service, that never bothered to verify any info, and the person they had flagged had been in jail for 20 years, and was, in fact, still *in* jail, in another state, not applying for nursing jobs. The actual offender had the same first and last name & year of birth, but different middle name & month/date of birth..
The facility would not provide me a copy of the report they were using to deny the job offer, after another week I was "cleared" and hired, but I really didn't feel like I got the "smudge" off my reputation, I'm not a sex offender, this wasn't an "expunged" conviction, this was bogus info that was flung out to an employer without verification & I actually lost a couple weeks pay because of it.
If I could have gotten a paper copy of what the facility was provided, I would have sued, just based on the principle.
Even if what happened in the O.P's case was legal, it wasn't kosher & might cause me to think harder about working for that company.
Talk to some lawyers. Maybe you can still have this wrong righted. What a bunch of incompetents.
Exactly why HR has NO right to know if a potential hire's drug screen is positive for a prescribed medication. I have also been in this situation when I was taking xanax a few years back. I submitted proof of my rx to the testing center the same day that I gave a sample, because I was super worried about it. My result was reported as negative to my employer.
There is no rx that should bar a person from a "safety sensitive" job. Just because someone has an rx for a potentially impairing med like benzos, stimulants or narcotics, that does not mean they are coming to work impaired, and it is discriminatory to assume as much. People who are on long term methadone maintanence are certainly not getting high from their rx, a nurse with ADD may be impaired WITHOUT her meds, and someone like me who has used benzos off and on for acute anxiety issues should not be assumed to be popping xanax before work.
Let's inject some science here. Methadone does impair psycho-motor skills. So dies suboxone, just less so than methadone. There are plenty of areas for nurses on suboxone to work...we just don't know YET if direct patient care is one of them. I would be uncomfortable if my CRNA or ICU nurse was on benzos or narcotics. BTW, benzos only treat symptoms not causes of anxiety disorders.
BTW, insulin only treats the symptoms of diabetes, not the cause.
We use exogenous insulin because it's currently the best we have to offer right now. But we currently have drugs more specifically targeted to treat the neurotransmitter deficiencies that cause depression. I use to take Xanax to fly after 9/11, but I didn't go to work with a blood level high enough to be detected. But to the original OP's post, he/she wasn't using it while working. That I get. But without definitive tx. for depression, you just don't know when those panic attacks are going to happen.
We use exogenous insulin because it's currently the best we have to offer right now. But we currently have drugs more specifically targeted to treat the neurotransmitter deficiencies that cause depression. I use to take Xanax to fly after 9/11, but I didn't go to work with a blood level high enough to be detected. But to the original OP's post, he/she wasn't using it while working. That I get. But without definitive tx. for depression, you just don't know when those panic attacks are going to happen.
You made a two dimensional statement, so I gave a two dimensional reply. Being nervous about flying is not a mental illness, but if you want to get more in-depth about not supporting anxiolytics for people with anxiety disorders, perhaps it belongs in a separate thread. OP said nothing about anxiolytics, only that they take a prescribed medication that shows up on drug screens.
The MRO is supposed to report the screen as negative when they receive proof of RX. It's reported as "non-negative" before then, meaning that it's not + for illicit drugs, but legal with rx ones. I always thought they weren't allowed to tell your employer anything until they got proof (or lack thereof) of RX.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Wait, so a self pay patient isn't protected by HIPAA?
If the facility bills electronically all patients are protected. As the facility (and its employees) must comply with HIPAA
If a patient goes to a self pay practice such as a cash only plastic surgeon or dermatologist that has credit card payment plan then HIPAA does not apply. This has already been litigated and decided that HIPAA does not apply
Specializes in M/S, Pulmonary, Travel, Homecare, Psych..
It's not that people function fine on certain medications. It's that people function NORMALLY. Off these medications, they are much more of a liability than on them! I have a prescription for Xanax for anxiety. It's a tiny dose, I never take it within 8 hours of work, certainly never at work, but occasionally I need it to prevent myself from falling into a full-blown panic attack. In these situations, I'm far more impaired by the panic attack (during which I hyperventilate, can't move, and can't talk) than by Xanax. Again, I've never needed it at work, but there's a chance it could show up on a drug screen if I took it the day before. I'd be very upset if I lost a job because of it.
OP, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I have no words of wisdom for you - just know that you're not alone. People who don't have a mental health disorder, or don't have to take controlled substances to manage their health, often struggle to understand how these medications only impair a "typical" brain, and that they are, in fact, beneficial if they are truly needed. I hope everything works out for you.
The part I underlined above is the wisdom we need Healthcare institutions to understand. But there is no profit in learning that very true lesson (from their point of view) so they see no value in it. This is the world we function in.
To the OP: I feel you got caught up in a phenomenon that is all too common these days. I've talked about it before in other posts.
None of us have access to all the details and variables that led to your situation. We just see the end result of everything.
Being that you have been wronged, you naturally have given everything much thought. The sad truth is, it is unlikely that any of the other people involved in it have given any of it a second glance.
The phenomenon you are caught up in is: Everyone else is just looking at the whole thing like it is just a task that needs completed. They check (what they believe to be) the appropriate box on their task sheet and move on. And none of them are privy to how it all ended for you or how you have been wronged. So there is no reason for them to put any more thought into it.
As I read responses in this thread I, perhaps unfairly, am sensing an undertow of a belief that you are risky or perhaps less qualified as a nurse because you are on prescribed medication. I am not in agreement with this assumption, if that is what people are saying. I hope you don't give it much thought either.
I think you got bitten by the phenomenon I described. Whether or not you are a 'risky' hire probably played no role at all in things. People were just going through the motions and checking the box, then they moved on.
My advice would be for you to move forward too. It is what it is and you putting more thought into it probably won't change things. I see no benefit in pursuing it any further, but that's just me.
My hope for you is that you identify that you got caught up in something and the outcome was bad. This didn't happen because you did anything wrong. If you believe this happened because you messed up, you will either not move forward or you will do so feeling guilty. This is not good. You need to be able to move forward with a clean conscience so you don't sabotage your next opportunity.
I have spoken with this recruiter many times and she was speaking to me differently than our previous conversations. However, regardless of how I perceived it, she called to tell me my offer was being rescinded because of my drug screen results. I had to discuss my private medical information, which was not appropriate.
The person I spoke with in the clinic was able to make the change in the system, which was an immediate update.
My "clouded perception" and "extreme anxiety" aside, my employer was notified that I had failed a drug screen. I did not create that.
You seem quite insensitive. Critiquing my emotional response to the situation was not helpful.
I agree with you here and sorry you got judged once again. I have been in your shoes. I know how people make assumptions and jump to conclusions without actually having the whole story. We CAN tell in a person's tone and how they respond to us that we are being judged and we can tell when we aren't being believed. I'm sorry you are going though this, especially as you reach out for help from the Nursing community.
There are processes in place when it comes to hiring and drug tests. Having said that - it does not matter much now because your offer got rescinded. To be honest though - if I was hiring and got a call about a failed drug test including which substance, I would be concerned as well and probably consider not hiring that person. If an error happens, I would always think that it could be due to impairment because of medication.
I am not judgmental - people may need medication that is a controlled substance - but I am not free of bias and I do wonder how a controlled substance influences performance and safe working.
Your point is well taken. However, you also have to remember that the substance is still detectable long after the effect has worn off. A responsible nurse would not take the medication that possibly impairs them while at work. Just because someone is a nurse, does not mean that they have to give up their career once they develop a health problem. If every nurse who occasionally takes a prescribed medication were expected to stop working, we would loose half the working nurse population. It is only fair to consider the individual and their performance.
Kooky Korky, BSN, RN
5,216 Posts
Disembowelment would be more appropriate.
Just kidding.