I know there are some threads on this subject, but every situation is different and I'm looking for specific advice on my current situation.
I was in a accelerated nursing program for about 6 months and needed to take a drug test (through Advantage Students) for my second clinical rotation. As you can guess, I failed due to smoking marijuana. I don't smoke much, and I know it's not worth it, but I did this time and got caught. I was expelled from my program/school with no hope of re-admission. A large part of their decision to expel me was because it would be very difficult to find clinical sites that do not use "Advantage Students" drug/background screening. Many of the hospitals in my city were bought by a large healthcare organization and that organization uses Advantage Students, so my failed test would show up at any of their sites. Also, apparently Advantage Students is a national company.
I'm starting to wonder if I will ever be able to complete a nursing program anywhere on the chance that a possible clinical site might use Advantage Students, and thus promptly send me on my way. I'm live in the south east part of the US wondering if I move to the west coast, pacific north west, Canada, or Virgin Islands if the failed test result would mess me up somewhere along the way. Also, who does the NCLEX use for there pre-test drug testing?
I have been so committed to my career in healthcare and nursing, over the past 5+ years, I don't know if can start something else. I'm beginning to freak out and am desperate to find any solution that would allow me to continue on my journey to becoming a nurse.
P.S. I'm not looking for a lecture about my poor decision, or the negative effects of drugs. I know I f*ed up bad. Now I'm trying to be positive, move on, and find a solution to get back on track.
Thank you all in advance. Any constructive advice would be greatly appreciated.
That really sucks. However, now that it's happened I'm sure there are some ways you can get back into a nursing program. Is there a way to retest? Maybe appeal with your old school or apply to another, explain you know you made a dumb mistake, and with completion of a certain amount of consecutive clean urine samples or hair samples, be allowed admittance into another program? I'm not sure how administration works in these kind of situations/cases, but that's just my two cents.
Clearly, OP DID do something wrong. That's why he got kicked out of the program!
Gabriel13 said:
While you are entitled to your own opinion, I strongly disagree with your post and the tone of it. The OP KNOWS they made a major mistake and is already facing serious consequences. Everyone makes mistakes in life, things we wish we could take back. I don't think it's at all helpful to heap judgment and condemnation upon them for it. And just because marijuana is detectable in your urine for up to 30 days, it doesn't mean that person is impaired for that long, or even necessarily the next day. I happen to know a couple of ER nurses that smoked it, responsibly, and they are very good nurses and I would trust them completely. I choose not to use, athough I have before my nursing career, and I respect their decision of those that do. It's just not a risk I'm willing to take.
You stated that he's sorry he got caught. Of course he is, I would be too in his situation. But he didn't do anything morally/ethically wrong, and he faces consequences that are disproportionate to the gravity of his offense. As nurses, we should have each other's backs, lift each other up, and realize we are all human and suceptible to making the occasional error in judgment. We should not be so quick to judge someone based on one poor decision. That's were I have the issue.
I know there are some threads on this subject, but every situation is different and I'm looking for specific advice on my current situation.
I was in a accelerated nursing program for about 6 months and needed to take a drug test (through Advantage Students) for my second clinical rotation. As you can guess, I failed due to smoking marijuana. I don't smoke much, and I know it's not worth it, but I did this time and got caught. I was expelled from my program/school with no hope of re-admission. A large part of their decision to expel me was because it would be very difficult to find clinical sites that do not use "Advantage Students" drug/background screening. Many of the hospitals in my city were bought by a large healthcare organization and that organization uses Advantage Students, so my failed test would show up at any of their sites. Also, apparently Advantage Students is a national company.
I'm starting to wonder if I will ever be able to complete a nursing program anywhere on the chance that a possible clinical site might use Advantage Students, and thus promptly send me on my way. I'm live in the south east part of the US wondering if I move to the west coast, pacific north west, Canada, or Virgin Islands if the failed test result would mess me up somewhere along the way. Also, who does the NCLEX use for there pre-test drug testing?
I have been so committed to my career in healthcare and nursing, over the past 5+ years, I don't know if can start something else. I'm beginning to freak out and am desperate to find any solution that would allow me to continue on my journey to becoming a nurse.
P.S. I'm not looking for a lecture about my poor decision, or the negative effects of drugs. I know I f*ed up bad. Now I'm trying to be positive, move on, and find a solution to get back on track.
Thank you all in advance. Any constructive advice would be greatly appreciated.
In my opinion if you were committed to your career in healthcare. You wouldn't have made such a dumb decision to smoke something you know you shouldn't be smoking. Whether it's legal or not. It's a requirement that you are supposed to abide by. So if you can't abide by one thing as little as smoking weed, what makes you think the "healthcare" field you've been so committed to for 5 years will accept u in any nursing program again knowing your background/drug history???? Sorry if it's harsh but you need the truth!!
I believe some nursing student sins are forgivable. Before I started my pre-reqs I ran a red light with a camera, and got a ticket. Went to traffic school and got it all taken care of. When I applied for NCLEX I had to declare that I'd had a traffic violation over xyz amount of dollars. I wrote a personal statement about how I had changed, and had a friend write a personal reference to my character. Now I've been a nurse for 4 years.
A nursing school may be willing to take you if you can demonstrate how you have changed and have references that attest to your character (volunteer service for example). You will have to sell it, maybe meet with the dean. You might also get some good answers from the Nurse Addiction forum. Good luck!
I can attest to this however I live in a different country. My colleague got caught driving over the blood alcohol limit and it was listed on what we call a Police Clearance (lists any crimes committed including DUI's). All jobs here request a Police Clearance. To register with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency) as a nurse, he wrote a statement outlining how long ago he obtained this infringement (it was 10 years), how he understood his actions put not only himself but other people in danger, how he understands that being a nurse means his actions both in and out of work are accountable and also how he has refrained from any illegal activity since the one listed and will do so in the future. The board had no qualms about registering him.
Perhaps you may be able to do something similar when applying for another course? Be transparent, honest and don't make excuses. You could also outline positive things you've done to pursue your passion for nursing?
Good luck and keep your chin up. You'll look back in years to come and be proud you persevered ?
I don't think anyone answered you about NCLEX and their testing so I thought I'd chime in. I don't know for sure, but it seems NCLEX is pretty standardized. Based on that assumption I will say I was never drug tested for NCLEX when I took it in 2013. However, your last concern should be NCLEX. You cannot take it until you graduate, they won't allow it. They do ask about your background etc. but drug test results are often kept between the lab and the entity requesting the test. They may not have access to your results, but you never know, often times you sign away many of your privacy rights on the form you're given prior to testing. Good luck with everything, I hope you end up where you belong, whether that be a nursing career or otherwise.
OP, do you know if your school reported this to the state BON? In some states (like mine), there are some nursing student issues that must be reported - including anything that is illegal. If this has happened, the issue is a lot more serious than expulsion from a single program.
Based on my own knowledge, when prospective schools discover that you have been expelled from a nursing program, they're going to automatically reject your application. If they allow an appeal process, it will include full disclosure & evidence that you have taken concrete steps to remedy the problem. It won't be easy & will probably involve some sort of voluntary treatment program - most of which include random testing. Is it worth the hassle? Only you can answer that.
I am in California and graduated with my BSN last year. I do not recall any drug tests for my clinicals or school, though I did take a pre-employment drug test for my current job. In my part of the state, all of the clinical sites had some sort of agreed-upon background check and insurance, physical, etc. that we all carried as a packet to our sites. I just dug mine out, out of curiosity, and there is nothing about a drug test and the physical exam was just a basic pre-employment physical.
I do not recall any drug-test required for NCLEX-RN.
You might be able to get a lawyer to void your test on a technicality, such as chain of possession, etc.
I would start by contacting your local Board of Nursing and discussing the issue with them. I would think they would be your best source of information for such a sticky subject. Best of luck to you!
I didn't have to take a drug test before starting clinicals nor did I have to take one before the NCLEX. And I just graduated 18 months ago. I'm in Florida
You do not take a drug test for the NCLEX. Nor did I have any drug tests for clinicals so that must be something that has to do with the program you were in or a regional type thing.
As has been said, contact your BON and talk with a community college in your area. See what they have to say about it. BUT, first of all, I god along with those who have said to do a treatment program to prove you are serious about this now.
Specializes in Labor and Delivery; Case Management.
I went to school in NYC and got drug tested every semester at the start of a new clinical rotation. One of my classmates tested positive for THC and lost the semester. He wasn't able to register at all. However, in NYC, each hospital does it's own testing and he was able to register the following semester at a new clinical site. From my experience, each hospital does the drug testing through their Employee Health department. Look into it and good luck.
tiny_nurse
118 Posts
That really sucks. However, now that it's happened I'm sure there are some ways you can get back into a nursing program. Is there a way to retest? Maybe appeal with your old school or apply to another, explain you know you made a dumb mistake, and with completion of a certain amount of consecutive clean urine samples or hair samples, be allowed admittance into another program? I'm not sure how administration works in these kind of situations/cases, but that's just my two cents.