How is drug testing done at your facility?

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · May 22, 2018

This topic has been discussed here recently, and I'll say now what I said then. I am not against its use at all in theory, but if you're a nurse, or planning on being a nurse, you cannot use marijuana in any form EVER. The penalty for a positive test will be so harsh that it will basically force you out of the profession. Any THC on your test will prompt a call to the BON who will put a lien on your license and place you on probation. You will be expected and required to take random urine tests very frequently at your own cost for up to 5 years. You will find it difficult, if not impossible, to find a job, and you will have restrictions on your license. You won't be able to drink alcohol for the duration of your monitoring. I understand that you find it helpful, but marijuana is federally illegal and at odds with your professional standing as a nurse. Go on over the the Nurses in Recovery board and see what those folks are going through. It will hopefully show you what your future faces if you keep doing what you're doing. There are other natural legal options for pain, anxiety and depression like kratom, akuamma and others. Look into those instead. You don't want to have wasted your time and money on a license you can't use.

Editing to add, that you'd be better off not placing yourself in this position by applying for a job and risking a positive test, until you have refrained from using marijuana for an extended time. It stays in your system for several weeks. A positive test is not a small thing. Once you are asked to test you cannot refuse or you will have your job offer rescinded. If you test positive the ball will start rolling with the BON and your problems will then begin.

And editing again because I remembered one more point. If you are ever at work and something happens, like your patient falls out of bed, or someone else makes a scheduled medication error, you may very well be spot drug tested without warning at any time. This is a nightmare scenario because you would not be able to have any warning and if you'd recently used an edible you will test positive and face the issue I talked about above. If you refused to test you will be instantly fired and walked out of the building. Just food for thought.

bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN · May 22, 2018

I would highly recommend you not use marajuana in any form while working as a nurse. You are literally risking your nursing license and career by using.

To answer your question, for the initial drug test at my facility you use a bathroom in employee health. They turn off the water to the bathroom, put the blue dye in the toilet and make you empty your pockets and roll up pant legs/sleeves before you go in. You cannot bring anything into the bathroom with you, they even made me take off my suit jacket (all I had on underneath was a camisole=awkward).

They do random drug tests occasionally. They come to the floor and gather whoever is being tested and take them down to employee health where they all sit as a group under supervision until they've given their sample following the same process as above. Mine are always negative so I just go back to work, I'm assuming if it is positive then your manager has to come down to employee health and deal with it.

Our facility uses the rapid testing on the urine so they have results within 5 minutes. One of the disclaimers they make you sign upon hire is that if the rapid is positive then you must submit a blood or hair test and cannot work until results come back.

Sour Lemon · May 22, 2018

Hi, I am just curious how drug testing is performed at your job facility? Does someone go into the room with you? How do random tests work? Does someone accompany you to the lab? Are they done at your facility, or do they send you to another facility?
I'm curious because I've been using marijuana edibles daily (except for clinical days of course) throughout nursing school in order to cope with the stress, to sleep, and to focus on studying. I've done very well in nursing school, and now it's time to search for a job. Let me be clear, I do not intend to work under the influence, and I never have. On clinical days, I simply eat a quarter of a cookie after dinner (after clinical hours have ended) in order to wind down and sleep well. And on other days, I eat a quarter of a cookie after I've attended to my daily responsibilities. I do not drink alcohol, and I will never take prescription narcotics unless ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY (which is, hopefully, never).
In the past, I have been able to use artificial urine in order to pass drug tests, but that was because I was alone in the bathroom. Which is why I ask, will someone be in the room with me?
As a precaution, I have quit my habit while I job search, and I intend on using my own (clean) urine for my pre-employment drug screen because I'm not playing with my career/license like that. But, I plan to pick my habit back up after I learn the inner workings of my facility's drug testing procedures, because anxiolytics simply aren't an option. I'm just curious, and planning ahead. Rest easy, if isn't a possibility, I will do without.

Here are a few forums you should consider checking out:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-licensure-criminal/

https://allnurses.com/nurses-recovery/

A simple, "minor" mistake can cause you MAJOR problems. If you want to be a nurse, find another way to unwind and sleep. Don't risk the time, money and effort you've expended for a fourth of damn cookie.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · May 22, 2018

You would be better off seeking treatment for anxiety than using marijuana as a nurse, even if you won't be using it while working.

There are many threads on this site about the craziness that comes with being in a monitoring program, not to mention how costly it would be to comply with the testing.

Any time there is a question about possible diversion, and this could be from a missing narc in the med box/pixis, anyone who has access to that med during this time will be tested, without warning. As you probably already know,THC can stay in your system for over a month. I would recommend self testing first to make sure it's completely out of your system before submitting a sample to a potential employer.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · May 22, 2018

Here are a few forums you should consider checking out:
https://allnurses.com/nursing-licensure-criminal/
https://allnurses.com/nurses-recovery/
A simple, "minor" mistake can cause you MAJOR problems. If you want to be a nurse, find another way to unwind and sleep. Don't risk the time, money and effort you've expended for a fourth of damn cookie.

Exactly. There are LEGAL ways, both pharmaceutical and non pharmaceutical, that one can address these issues with their HCP. I had insomnia really bad prior to days that I worked that I literally did not sleep the entire night. Then I would have trouble staying awake driving to work (the car would start to put me to sleep). Going through this five days a week started to make me go batty and would make the pre-shift anxiety even worse. I was so afraid of being labeled as seeking that I put up with this issue for several months before going to my doctor. Later I found that I was crazy for waiting so long. When I finally went in for an appointment and described what was happening my doctor asked me how many days I worked each month, wrote a script for that many doses of a sleeping pill, and told me that if it worked just to come in for a refill when I needed more. I don't abuse it and only use it when I cannot fall asleep by a reasonable time before working. My employer is aware of the med during pre-hire screening and it has never been an issue. The key is actually having a script and not being impaired at work.

Triddin · May 22, 2018

How does it work in the states that have legalized marijuana? It wouldn't t be an illicit substance then. I find the American culture of drug testing odd. I've never been tested, even when starting a new job. I don't see how having an edible is any different that a beer or wine after work, on your own time.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · May 22, 2018

And you falsified your school drug tests? Wow! you like playing with fire?

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · May 22, 2018

How does it work in the states that have legalized marijuana? It wouldn't t be an illicit substance then. I find the American culture of drug testing odd. I've never been tested, even when starting a new job. I don't see how having an edible is any different that a beer or wine after work, on your own time.

Marijuana is federally illegal. Remains so.

Janecollective · May 22, 2018

Until marijuana can be rescheduled from a schedule I narcotic it will remain illegal, as the states are unable to completely "legalize marijuana," instead it has been "decriminalized" in these states meaning that a person can't be arrested/cited/charged with a crime for possession. BUT, hospitals follow federal law, therefore it is illegal. I do know that certain facilities, and the BON honor a medical marijuana card, but those facilities aren't at the top of the pay scale, if you know what I mean.

Until the old snoots get voted out of congress, marijuana will remain a schedule I narcotic, meaning it has no approved medical use. (BS!)

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · May 22, 2018

In the past, I have been able to use artificial urine in order to pass drug tests, but that was because I was alone in the bathroom. Which is why I ask, will someone be in the room with me?

Wow...just...wow.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · May 22, 2018

Wow...just...wow.

Right