How often do you get drug tested?

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How often are you drug tested in your program?

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Just want to clear up one thing: If you are taking a prescription medication that shows up on a drug test you CANNOT get clearance ahead of time.

Not entirely true: a lot of places will ask you before the test to list all medications you are taking. I'm guessing the policy varies by laboratory/facility because I've had tests where I couldn't list what meds I was on beforehand, and tests where I could list my meds and provide scrips before I "filled the cup".

If you can, it's wise to list all the meds you're taking beforehand, as it's a lot easier to do that than to try to clear up a false positive after the fact.

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Not entirely true: a lot of places will ask you before the test to list all medications you are taking. I'm guessing the policy varies by laboratory/facility because I've had tests where I couldn't list what meds I was on beforehand, and tests where I could list my meds and provide scrips before I "filled the cup".

If you can, it's wise to list all the meds you're taking beforehand, as it's a lot easier to do that than to try to clear up a false positive after the fact.

Yep, I was going to say the same thing. In my area, you are asked to bring your script bottles with you.

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Specializes in Family Medicine.

I know I said I was retiring from this post...

I shouldn't have spoken for all drug tests. My apologies.

With that said, in my experience (including a drug test for employment at a hospital and drug tests for nursing school), they do indeed ask you for a list of medications you are taking (like some of you have experienced) but you can't verify or get cleared for your prescription until after you fail the drug test. I think it has to be verified with a MD that calls you and notifies you of the failure. I am unsure on the exact policy, so, I emailed the company that does the drug tests at my school and asked for them to clarify their policy. If they respond, I will let everyone know.

I feel pretty passionate about this because I've had some pretty horrible experiences with doctors calling to tell me I failed a drug test and being pretty rude about it. You feel criminalized for your learning disability and it sucks.

Happy Weekend :)

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
I feel pretty passionate about this because I've had some pretty horrible experiences with doctors calling to tell me I failed a drug test and being pretty rude about it. You feel criminalized for your learning disability and it sucks.

Can't blame you. It sucks even when you have the scripts beforehand and they want to call to clarify things--you still feel like you're under suspicion, especially when you're on a schedule med.

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Specializes in Family Medicine.

Here is the email I sent the lady at the drug testing company:

Ms. (blank) (blank),

Hi, my name is (blank) (blank) and I am a nursing student at a school that utilizes the (blank) (blank) (blank) for its annual drug tests.

I am prescribed (blank) (blank) and was wondering if I could verify that I am indeed prescribed (blank) (blank) prior to the drug test to avoid the phone call from the doctor notifying me that I failed the drug test. This phone call makes me feel criminalized for my learning disability (to the point where I don't take my medication for a few days prior to the test to avoid the unpleasant feelings it produces).

If you have a chance, could you please inform me of your company's policy regarding prescription verification. I appreciate any information you can provide.

Sincerely,

(blank) (blank)

Here is her response:

Hi (blank)-

I'm sorry that you feel this way, perhaps you should take it up with the school you attend since this is their testing policy?

This is the standard industry process.

If you're contacted by the doctor simply provide your prescription to him at that time and he'll make the final determination of your test result.

Sorry I can't be of more assistance to you!

Thank You,

(blank) (blank)

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, ED, Nurse Instructor,.

This was an open-ended question that maybe should have been posted in the student forum. I agree with most posts. Just don't do drugs then you dont have to worry about it. If you take legal medications make sure you let the testers know before hand. My mother worked for a school systems and she randomly tested three times in one year. She passed with flying colors. She drove school bus for a long time. When you dealing with people lives it shouldn't matter how many times you get tested. I will feel very secured if they did random testing more often. Not because someone is high, fell doing shift, and/or found sleeping. Every nurse should be on their P's and Q's because their are other nurses who want and need a job. This would help nurses from slipping on the job and maybe better nurses. Just a thought.

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Specializes in E.D..

Neither my school nor clinical sites do any drug screenings whatsoever.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

My school does not do drug testing. I find it odd that any school would do drug testing. Clinical sites I see a reason to do so -- patient contact and all.

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I've been screened once and it was a huge one, they took urine, blood and hair...

I don't mean to get off topic butI have a question about the hair screening. I've got to do my test for the upcoming semester and I have no idea how they screen. I've heard hair screens show anything you have EVER done. Is that true? Hmmm. Perhaps I should just google this. I'm long since grown up and don't do drugs. I was just curious what may show up but not in the least bit worried that it may affect me. Going to google. I'll check in to see if anyone knows.

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Specializes in Junior Year of BSN.
I know I said I was retiring from this post...

I shouldn't have spoken for all drug tests. My apologies.

With that said, in my experience (including a drug test for employment at a hospital and drug tests for nursing school), they do indeed ask you for a list of medications you are taking (like some of you have experienced) but you can't verify or get cleared for your prescription until after you fail the drug test. I think it has to be verified with a MD that calls you and notifies you of the failure. I am unsure on the exact policy, so, I emailed the company that does the drug tests at my school and asked for them to clarify their policy. If they respond, I will let everyone know.

I feel pretty passionate about this because I've had some pretty horrible experiences with doctors calling to tell me I failed a drug test and being pretty rude about it. You feel criminalized for your learning disability and it sucks.

Happy Weekend :)

You are absolutely correct. I was the drug test coordinator at my last job and had to take the DOT drug testing class. There are different methods of collection requirements, like Non-DOT (more lax not as stringent) and DOT. Most places now a day do not ask you to bring your prescription medications such as Labcorp or Qwest. Reason being it still must be verified if you have a false positive. Lets say you are prescribed a schedule II drug well we all know that these drugs don't have refills and the written scripts must be picked up from the patient at the doctors office or whatever the physician and the patient has worked out.

For example, employee has a bottle of Percocet it has their name, doctors name whatever. They get a false positive but just because they brought that script in does not mean anything. Lets say that script was from a dental procedure they had 9 months ago. They left 3 pills in the bottle well legally they shouldn't still have Percocet in their system from a script filled 9 months ago because they it's not treating the dental pain because realistically dental pain doesn't last 9 months and the dentist wrote the script specifically for their dental procedure.

That is why a MD calls and verifies with the Primary Care that the script is CURRENTLY being used by the patient. For all I know the person could have been taking Percocet for everyday for the last 9 months. This makes the test go from a false positive to a positive. Listing meds and bringing them to the collection site does not really count any more. False positives still must be verified. That happens when an MD calls your primary care or whoever the person is who wrote the script and they verify that your own it, and if it is a current script.

I take Dexedrine so I've had this happen to me many times. I NEVER tell the collector that I take Dexedrine and I NEVER bring my script reason being it's useless and I always come up with a false positive for Amphetamine abuse. They call my doctor and voila within 3 days everything is done my false positive turns into a negative. The lab coordinators will even tell you that you don't need to bring a script in or list your meds. You can call Labcorp or Qwest but they don't verify the false positive their investigative MD does.\

Also most tests are done by rapid testing methods unless it's DOT standard then the urine is sent off to be analyzed. Rapid testing is cheaper and is the dip stick instant result type that most places use since most are by Non-DOT. You don't get the results in the office since the client gets the results. If the rapid testing is positive it is then sent to lab to get further tested by gas chromatography method.

Also hair based testings window of detection is up to 3 months.

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