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

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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.

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I beg to differ that smoking pot is more dangerous then speeding. How many people have been seriously injured or died from accidents resulting from speeding??

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It's more like dumping toxic waste and racing your friend on the freeway. Possession of narcotics is a serious crime.

Where do you get your facts???

In MOST jurisdictions possessing less than an ounce of MJ is a minor misdemeanor and in MOST jurisdictions now they merely confiscate it and give you a ticket or a summons.

Please...

Serious crime... ROFL

Murder is a serious crime. People can be killed by speeders. I've NEVER seen anyone die from pot. Serious indeed.

Of course, I have NO problem with a nurse that smoles pot at home. However, I can't feel sorry for them if they get caught. They knew the score. Pot or job? Easy choice...

ETA:

I DID smoke pot for years. Where I am now though it's discouraged due to random drug screens, plus screens at school, plus I can live without weed so eh, no more weed. No big deal. It's JUST weed. I can wait until retirement! ;)

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OK, so I'm not even reading all the previous replies. Forgive me if this has been stated but...

Having a few beers isn't illegal. While I believe drinking maybe more determimental than smoking pot, it really doesn't matter what I think because I didn't make the rules-and neither did you. So, as sucky as it is; I think if you want to be a nurse you need to know that smoking pot is illegal and that you will be tested and caught at some point.

I am sorry for the OP's predicament. I sincerely hope that he doesn't lose his license and can learn and move on from this.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Where do you get your facts???

In MOST jurisdictions possessing less than an ounce of MJ is a minor misdemeanor and in MOST jurisdictions now they merely confiscate it and give you a ticket or a summons.

Please...

Serious crime... ROFL

Murder is a serious crime. People can be killed by speeders. I've NEVER seen anyone die from pot. Serious indeed.

Of course, I have NO problem with a nurse that smoles pot at home. However, I can't feel sorry for them if they get caught. They knew the score. Pot or job? Easy choice...

Well said! I won't feel sorry for someone that looses their job for failing a drug screen. It's a choice you make. I also won't judge someone that occasionally smokes pot either. Yes they are breaking the law, I myself break the law many times a week, not bragging about it but being honest, most times I am going over the speed limit by at least 5mph over. Some times more on the HWY. So who am I to look down my nose at someone else. Should I berate the person who smoked a joint with a few friends at home, and applaud the drunk when the kids have to come home and see mommy passed out or belligerent because, hey, it's legal.

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ok nurses... especially you flighline... you can relax now. We've got your shift report on how horrible and criminal I am. As a recipient of that abuse, all i can say is "you're crazy baby". I'm human, I made a mistake, I learned from that mistake... Some of you wouldnt know anything about that because you're perfect human beings and have never, ever done anything wrong in your lives.

time to work on your compassion... and please stop judging people you don't know.

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News Brake! You can test positive if you have inhaled second hand smoke from "pot"!

Not true at all. I worked in a program with pregnant women who tested positive and claimed they didn't smoke it, but were in a room with others smoking it. We looked up the research. In one study they put people in a room with marijuana smoke so concentrated they had to wear protective glasses to avoid damaging their eyes, and those people still tested NEGATIVE. So if a someone tests positive it then they were smoking it.

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f course, I have NO problem with a nurse that smoles pot at home. However, I can't feel sorry for them if they get caught. They knew the score. Pot or job? Easy choice...

That sums up my feelings as well.

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News Brake! You can test positive if you have inhaled second hand smoke from "pot"!

Not true at all. I worked in a program with pregnant women who tested positive and claimed they didn't smoke it, but were in a room with others smoking it. We looked up the research. In one study they put people in a room with marijuana smoke so concentrated they had to wear protective glasses to avoid damaging their eyes, and those people still tested NEGATIVE. So if a someone tests positive it then they were smoking it.

Actually, it is true.

The only thing that makes a difference is how sensitive the test is. Many marijuana tests have a sensitivity cut off. Anything below that threshold and you test negative. That DOESN'T mean that you are actually negative.

Second hand smoke indeed can get you high AND can result in having THC in your system. Though the levels are usually pretty low.

If someone has a high level of THC and claims second hand smoke then they are lying but they can pop dirty merelyt on second hand smoke.

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Specializes in ICU,CCU,CVICU,SICU.
is it okay to take ativan while working? wouldn't that impair someone, even if there is a prescription?

well, i don't know what the rules and regulations say about that.....but my opinion is : if taking ativan doesn't impair your judgment, i don't see why it would be an issue?

once again, i don't know if it is indeed allowed.... but seriously, i think my judgment is more impaired when i work 12 hours on an empty stomach/without a break, than yours would be for taking ativan..... additionally, if you were prescribed ativan, i would believe that it is to help you with anxiety issues...right?

i think that having anxiety (beyond the "normal" adrenaline rush when coding a patient) at work would be more detrimental to your thinking abilities than taking what might help you keep your anxiety in check.

many people are on some kind of medication that can potentially impair their judgement. the question is: does it really?

if you are taking your medication on a long term basis and know the effect it has on your brain, you should be able to judge if it does indeed impair your faculties.

last time i checked, b-blockers weren't in the category of meds that are illegal to take while working....let me tell you that when i started b-blockers, i was totally useless!!!!

even after a few weeks of treatment, it still had the same effect on me.

i had to stop.

bet you that if i did make a mistake while on b-blockers, i wouldn't have been able to blame it on the medication!

yet, i consider that i was a walking danger then....

about the post of flatline (right name?).... i was completely, utterly speechless to read your extremely rigid feelings about occasional post smokers... really?? no really? criminals?

with these kind of beliefs, i don't think that you belong in nursing!

so, what happens when you get to take care of an alcoholic or a drug abuser, or even say, a chronic pain patient? do you refuse them pain meds? if their tolerance to pain meds is higher than the average patient, what do you do? do you actually advocate for them to have their dose adjusted to their needs, or do you let them suffer on 2 mg of morphine after a total knee replacement?

if you were that perfect, you wouldn't be so quick to judge so harshly!!! i think that people with your attitude are more dangerous than many "criminals"!

in my book, narrow minded, judgmental nurses are criminals!

sad for you, even sadder for your patients !

crazy world! :bugeyes:

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Specializes in ICU,CCU,CVICU,SICU.

if marijuana was legal and sold like ciggarettes, then it would be just like booze. you wouldn't have to have a criminal mind to use it, you wouldn't be putting your family at risk (so long as you used it responsibly). there might even be benefits to it. we don't know; and that's not the world we live in. not yet. so the only ones doing it as described in the op are criminals who hang out with criminals and buy from criminals.

imho:typing

oh yeah, and by the way, as a health care worker you might be interested in the actual damages etoh inflicts! yet it is legal...

why don't you question that!?

please do your homework and check out the stats on all diseases and traumas associated with alcohol! that should be a greater concern to you than occasional pot smokers! i can't remember ever reading or being taught that occasional pot smoking constituted a health threat of any kind.

nope! i can go back to all the classes and certifications i ever took, and i still can't find a 2 liners about that..... alcohol on the other hand.... tobacco? yeah, tobacco never killed anyone either right!? tobacco is legal, so let's smoke our heart content!

maybe you should get together with alex and see if he'll be generous enough to let you try a joint? see if it loosens you up a bit?

i am seriously ashamed for you....

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I am so sorry.. Please except my apologies.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

I believe smoking Pot 3x a month is very little indeed, however considering the consequences of losing an RN license, foolish behavior.

The big worry for me about this pot business is the fact that it supports these drug cartels in Mexico that don't care about anything but the money and the power and won't give it a second thought to killing someone if they're in the way. And how this business is spreading beyond our borders (yikes!)

I wish people would consider the source (the criminal source) of marijuana and not imbibe period!

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