I am shocked!!!!

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I met one of my classmate I had last semester. I asked her how she did, and said: about a b+ average. Not bad for a pothead, huh?

I was like WHAT?!? She said: yeah, I smoke in the evening sometimes.

I couldn't believe it! Being a nurse, according to the McGill model, is about promoting health. How can marijuana promote health? Also, I don't think that her attitude is professional. Am I right? What do you think?

Specializes in Cardiac.

WHAT!...... no drug screens at that nursing school?

At our school we are subjected to a MANDITORY drug screen test and background check and passing both are conditions of acceptance.

This person is most likely not in a clinical rotation yet - as I was under the impression that in order to attend clinicals drug tests were pre-requisite, so if this be the case for her, she could be in deep trouble when the time comes.

Leash

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Specializes in OB, lactation.

They do drug screens at my husband's work (medevac, for pilots and med crew), they don't do drug screens in my BSN program.

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WHAT!...... no drug screens at that nursing school?

At our school we are subjected to a MANDITORY drug screen test and background check and passing both are conditions of acceptance.

This person is most likely not in a clinical rotation yet - as I was under the impression that in order to attend clinicals drug tests were pre-requisite, so if this be the case for her, she could be in deep trouble when the time comes.

Leash

We don't have drug screens at our school either. Pretty unecessary if you ask me. MY opinion. I'm not here to argue.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Why do you think unnecessary?

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Specializes in L&D.
WHAT!...... no drug screens at that nursing school?

At our school we are subjected to a MANDITORY drug screen test and background check and passing both are conditions of acceptance.

This person is most likely not in a clinical rotation yet - as I was under the impression that in order to attend clinicals drug tests were pre-requisite, so if this be the case for her, she could be in deep trouble when the time comes.

Leash

No, as far as I know we don't have drug screening in my program. I mean, we might, but I've never been asked to do one, maybe other people have...don't think so though.

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Never touch the stuff myself (I hate smoke!), but I think it should be legalized. How many people smoke pot and beat their wives? How many people smoke pot and crash their cars? Pot doesn't lead to violence, it leads to mass little debbie consumption! Alcohol is the drug that leads to the most ED visits. Would the OP report being "shocked" if her fellow student admitted drinking a glass of wine with dinner?

Many municipalities (oakland, ca for one) have voted to decriminalize pot. Many states have provisions that allow for mj use with an RX.

It is just as illegal to work impaired by pot as it is to work impaired by any substance at all. Just because a nurse has a prescription for a narcotic, does not mean he can work while under its influence. That should be the standard to judge by. Is this affecting pt care? If yes, report it now. If not, keep it to yourself.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

And people thought cigarettes were harmless once, too.

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My school included a drug test as part of the routine physical we had before beginning classes.

The jury is still out for me on the "whether marijuana should be legalized" debate. Regardless of how one feels about alcohol vs marijuana, the point remains that for now, one is legal - and the other isn't. That's enough for me. :)

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

No matter where one stands on the issue of MJ, it's just plain stupidity to risk losing one's license for anything like that. Random drug testing is a fact of life.

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That seems a little over the top to me. I don't have a problem with occasional marijuana use (a couple times a year). Is smoking a little weed every few months really any worse than resident physicians who are working in hospitals 48 hours or more without sleep?

Your comment surprises me if you practice in the US. I thought this was common knowledge.

And for all those who endulge in a little cannabis from time to time...I know someone who was reported by a McDonalds drive-thru worker to the BON. I lost touch with the nurse before I found out what her punishment was.

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It is just as illegal to work impaired by pot as it is to work impaired by any substance at all. Just because a nurse has a prescription for a narcotic, does not mean he can work while under its influence. That should be the standard to judge by. Is this affecting pt care? If yes, report it now. If not, keep it to yourself.

Extremely well said. Same for the nurse who's constantly falling asleep on the job. I'd rather the occasional potsmoker take care of my mom than the chronically sleep deprived, over worked nurse. If you provide safe, competent care, what you do at home (illegal or otherwise) is of no concern to me.

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We don't have drug screens at our school either. Pretty unecessary if you ask me. MY opinion. I'm not here to argue.

I was told that the drug test they do only checks to see if you have taken drugs in like the last 24-48 hours which does seem pretty pointless.

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