I m in big trouble! I think I failed my drug screen

[alex68]

Here's the scoop. I was told by another nurse that the facility I work in (I work agency) didn't do pre employent Urinalysis drug screens. Now, I m an occasional pot smoker(never before work. usually about 3x a month), I don't drink, I don't do any hard core drugs. SO anyway, to my surprise, when I went to the physical on Monday... they drew labs, xrays and did a Urinalysis. In about 2 hours I have to go in and get the update of the physical and test results... Guess what? I know they're gonna find thc in my urine. Now, I m not only looking at definitely not getting this job but I might even be turned in to the state boards. I m screwed. I didn't sleep at all last night. My wife's panicked and so am I. There's nothing I can do now. I don't consider myself an addict in any way shape of form. some people drink a couple beers, some do a couple puffs once in a while. Had I been smarter about it, i would have abstained from it.... but being gullible and stupid.. I didn't. God help me!I smoked the day before the test. lesson learned.

[NamasteNurse, BSN, RN]

PS it IS decriminalized in several states including NY where the first two instances are just tickets, like for speeding. The third time you can do jail time which is ridiculous. And how about those nurses who don't give their patients their meds but take them for themselves...ha, like that never happens! Or the students in my class who show up to clinical STILL drunk from the night before and puking in the bathroom, that's ok I guess? No one ever got that sick from weed unless they were also drinking. give it up.

[RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN]

I've been following this thread....very interesting. My two cents.....I use to like to smoke pot, but not anymore and simply because it's illegal. If it were legal, I'd still smoke it, especially if I knew it was clean.

For the poster saying it could be "pure" or not. If my memory serves me correctly, (after all that pot smoking I did way back when LOL) it seems like I use to hear stories of the pot being laced. I've heard several things like it being laced with PCP from jerk sellers trying to get their kicks and being laced with pesticides. No telling what the cartel are doing.

BTW.....google marijuana chemicals. Very interesting. I saw one site from Webmd that says it may fight MRSA.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

Did they specifically tell you that they were performing a drug screen? I have had jobs that required drug screens but I was always told this up front. Since I take one medication that shows up in a screen I had to bring in my prescription for them to see.

However, that being said, using any kind of drug when you are a nurse is a dangerous proposition. Each state has their own rules about that is to be done with a positive drug screen. Unless you have a valid prescription from a physician, you should not be doing it. And even if it is prescription, you should probably not be taking it at work unless absolutely required. I take Xanax 1 mg at night for sleep. My manager knows this and knows that it is the only time that I take it. If I were given pain medications for some reason, I would stay home and would certainly not work on the floor while I was under the effects of a controlled substance.

[waitingforthedream]

Since we are on the drug screen subject, here is a question. A friend nurse of mine smoked marijuana last week and was offerered a position today. :angryfire She needs to take a drug test of course and went to drugstore to buy an over the counter test. This test came back negative. I seem to think that urine tests at lab might be more in depth and now she is worried. Does anyone know about OTC tests dependablility?? I am so mad at her for even putting herself in this situation.

[alex68]

what your friend needs to do is to either postpone the drug test for a few more weeks OR look for another job. When the facility does her drug screen and it comes back positive for THC... they will probably have to report that to the state's nursing board... Then your friend will have even greater problems ... Those OTC drug tests aren't dependable at all...

[waitingforthedream]

That is what I told her, and then she got nervous. She starts on Monday with training, and I think because she passed OTC one, she thinks she is ok. She can't put it off, they want it before orientation. Her thought is that since she has not smoked in years and she only smoked alittle last week, it will be out of her system. I feel bad for her!

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

Can she put off orientation for a month??

The risk is not worth it. really.

To risk her WHOLE CAREER for a job. Or I could put it another way,, to risk her WHOLE CAREER for getting high and then wanting a job.

Chances are, since she took the otc drug test and it came out negative,, then her pre employment drug test will come out negative too. BUT if she wants to take that chance, that is HER license. I wouldn't do it. BUt then again, I wouldn't be smoking marijuana knowing I am a nurse and could lose my license over it.

[southernbeegirl, BSN, RN]

i agree with mags...the risk isnt worth it!!

i'm not advocating cheating but when i was in active addiciton, every time i had to take a drug test i used something from GNC that works within one hour. i never failed a drug test.

[BradleyRN]

Her thought is that since she has not smoked in years and she only smoked alittle last week, it will be out of her system.

She is correct. 30 days is for a heavy smoker. If she barely smoked any, i doubt she will have a problem after 10 days, or so i have read.

[waitingforthedream]

I feel the same way, I worked to hard to get here! And no she cannot put off orientation. But OTC came back negative so she is moving on, I am just worried for her. She has been drinking alot of H2O, but they also do a creatinine clearance. I hope she is OK.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Tell her to drink lot of pickle juice. I have no idea if this really works or not but I know people that swear by it.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

It is not the mission of allnurses.com to instruct anyone on how to beat a drug test.

Thread closed.