I started nursing in 2010. In 2011 I took a break to explore other career options (I was still 20 at the time). I recently decided that nursing is what I want to continue doing, so I started brushing up on skills, called my old school to get some skill practice, case studies, the whole 9 yards to where I felt comfortable again. I was offered a position with a home health agency. Now during my time off, I became a heavy marijuana smoker :/ upon applying for different positions, I quit smoking which wasn't that hard, and have been smoke free for about a month. I took a home test, came up negative, so I thought I was in the clear. During orientation, they hit us with the drug screen (which I expected). The human resource manager pulls me out of orientation, takes me to her office to deliver the news of my failed drug test... I was kind of shocked, but at the same time I took complete responsibility for it, no matter how embarrassing it was. She even gave me pointers about cleansing systems, home drug test :/ etc. So my questions now are, since I was not yet employed, are they going to report this to the state? And why did the home test give me a false reading? I feel so defeated, ashamed, and mostly disappointed in myself. Any comments are welcome, I can't feel anymore terrible than I already do, I'm just worried about what might happen. Is this on some secret record I don't know about? I'm kind of freaking out.
You guys are all so well educated about pot, honestly I am impressed.
I was at a concert and could small pot in the air. I wondered if someone could say.....oh my test came up positive....I don't smoke....but I was at a party or concert last night....people next to me were smoking?
You would essentially have to be hot boxing (be in a very, very confined space with folks smoking a lot of pot) to test positive. However, someone on reddit linked to a court case where the BON got in trouble for not considering that a nurse could test positive falsely after having cared for someone over several days in a mobile home where there was heavy pot smoking...
I am not quick to judge, but you are considering faking a urine test> As others said, you will lose your license. I sincerely if you do this, you get caught!!
If it's already been over a month, I'm guessing you're on the very tail end of the time you'll test positive. It's rare people will test positive much after that. Drink a lot of water and go exercise and it will also speed up the process of ridding your body of the THC.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
If it's already been over a month, I'm guessing you're on the very tail end of the time you'll test positive. It's rare people will test positive much after that. Drink a lot of water and go exercise and it will also speed up the process of ridding your body of the THC.
Water will not expedite the process for fat soluble drugs like THC. Only time and refraining from the drug.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Every time I've taken a pre-employment urine test, it is in a cup that measures the temperature of the urine. so how does one get away with using other people's urine brought in?
Sent from my iPad using allnurses
Having work with lot's of recovering addicts I can tell you how they do it but I don't want to give anyone ideas.
1. Time is the ONLY way to clear THC out of your system. Most people are clean by the 30-day mark; however if you were a heavy user, your body's got more THC stored that will need to clear. Whether you should go on this interview is up to you...unless they're planning to hire you on the spot and start you the next day, you'd probably have 2-3 weeks between the interview and getting the job offer.
2. Home tests are usually not as sensitive to lab tests, which may be why you tested clean at home but dirty for the facility.
3. Don't even attempt to scam a UDS. No, you're not a horrible person for having the thoughts cross your mind--I'm sure those thoughts have occurred to more nurses than they'd care to admit. But it's when you actually do it that you breach ethical/moral code. Plus, you're more likely to get caught than you'd think: those of us involved in administering the test aren't fools--we know almost all of the tricks.
4. IMO, the odds are low that you'll be reported to your BON. It can't be ruled out though. Attempt to scam a UDS though, and being reported will almost be guaranteed.
5. Do whatever it takes to stay clean now, especially if you want to have a career as a nurse.
Thanks everyone for all the comments. I suppose my thought process is a little unethical for a nurse...but I was just frantic and a little scared. I didn't mean to break any rules on the forum, that wasn't my initial intention. I decided not to go to the interview, I declined two more interviews I received calls for. I'm thinking the best thing for me to do now is going back to school to receive my RN. I talked to a few administrators from a couple of prospective employers, and both places were worried about the huge gap in my employment as a nurse. They were very off putting, and they made me feel as if I had no business looking for a nursing job...I know I can still perform well, I just need the chance to do so, but I guess that's life, you live and you learn. Can't believe how much trouble this has caused.
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
i am more concerned with your inquiry on potentialy using/ submitting fake UDS.<....that is a siginificant ethic consideration that could get you in even more troubles with bons>
Faking tests are commonplace, and there is a cottage industry on faking tests the methods are very simplistic. My friend is a parole officer and he has people that have ways to fake their test even when monitored. Faking tests from an employer is easy to do for anyone wanting to do it, drug testing is a waste of time.
I am not quick to judge, but you are considering faking a urine test> As others said, you will lose your license. I sincerely if you do this, you get caught!!
Faking tests are commonplace, and there is a cottage industry on faking tests the methods are very simplistic. My friend is a parole officer and he has people that have ways to fake their test even when monitored. Faking tests from an employer is easy to do for anyone wanting to do it, drug testing is a waste of time.
No, urine tests are a waste of time for drug screening. Blood tests on the other hand are not. I can't understand if an employer is serious about drug testing why do they even bother with urine?
Thanks everyone for all the comments. I suppose my thought process is a little unethical for a nurse...but I was just frantic and a little scared. I didn't mean to break any rules on the forum, that wasn't my initial intention. I decided not to go to the interview, I declined two more interviews I received calls for. I'm thinking the best thing for me to do now is going back to school to receive my RN. I talked to a few administrators from a couple of prospective employers, and both places were worried about the huge gap in my employment as a nurse. They were very off putting, and they made me feel as if I had no business looking for a nursing job...I know I can still perform well, I just need the chance to do so, but I guess that's life, you live and you learn. Can't believe how much trouble this has caused.
If we went by a person's thought process as the sole indicator of nursing ethics, I could guarantee that there would be precious few nurses in the world. Even if they didn't think of scamming a UDS, most of us have had a less-than-ethical thought about something at least once in our lives...perhaps it wasn't a thought related to nursing, but I'd bet they had such a thought. I will admit I have.
At least you recognized that and didn't act upon it. Learn from this and move forward.
And do a few things to help offset the damage of that employment gap: volunteer (once you know you're clean), take some CEUs, join some professional associations, look into getting some skills/certs under your belt, maybe start working on the the BSN if you don't have it.
dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN
1,571 Posts
You would essentially have to be hot boxing (be in a very, very confined space with folks smoking a lot of pot) to test positive. However, someone on reddit linked to a court case where the BON got in trouble for not considering that a nurse could test positive falsely after having cared for someone over several days in a mobile home where there was heavy pot smoking...