Illegal Drugs At Work?

explorer · May 11, 2005

Thought i'd see what you guys think about this....
I was in class today and some of the girls were talking about their CNA jobs....one gal brought up drug testing and how if they implemented drug tests in her LTCF then they would lose half the staff!! She goes on to say that not only do atleast half the staff use cocaine, heroin and marajiuana they do it on their breaks at work! If that isn't enough the LTCF she is talking about is the one my grandmother lived in for awhile before she died (she lived there about 10 yrs ago). I don't understand how these people get away with this! How do their managers not know, especially if they are doing it on their break at work??? Also arent drug tests mandatory at all health care facilities?? Years ago when my grandmother was cared for there the nursing staff seemed great...i was there atleast 2ce a week and my mom atleast 3-4 I never noticed this...we live in a great neighborhood and have never encountered anything like this before...what do you guys think I should do? I haven't seen this directly, just heard from the girl in my class. I would hate for anyone to get hurt (patients) if it is true though....

Make sure that you can back up the accusations with facts. Do you know

how factual this CNA is with what she is saying?

VeryPlainJane · May 11, 2005

I used to work at a priv. lab and had a health worker come in for a pre. emp. drug screening. She asked me with the straightest face that she smoke cocain 2 week ago and would it come up pos. for cocain? I got asked those kinds of questions all the time. FREAKY & SCARY!

z's playa · May 11, 2005

Well..I can honestly say..what a nurse does on her day off..as long as it doesn't affect her performance at work and she isn't stealing from the cart..I will turn the other cheek. Who in this world is an angel?

My .02.

Z

TCASII, ADN · May 11, 2005

Well..I can honestly say..what a nurse does on her day off..as long as it doesn't affect her performance at work and she isn't stealing from the cart..I will turn the other cheek. Who in this world is an angel?
My .02.
Z

I agree to some extent. If someone smokes pot like a maniac on their days off, no telling what their mental status will be while working. I've been around my share of potheads, and most of them were very slow and plain stupid. Some, of course, seem to do it and never appear affected, but still. As far as a lot of other drugs go, it just depends.

I will say, I always get a kick out of people who blast those who might occasionally take an "escape" pill, like Vicodin or Valium when they don't clinically need it, but then talk about how they can't wait to get home and drink. (ETOH) :icon_roll

**SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN** · May 11, 2005

i would contact the state/ombudsman (sp?)/jcaho/osha & ask them how such accusations can be investigated. tell them what you were told & that you're concerned having had a grandparent live/die there some time ago & are concerned for the patients there now. if you don't want to *call* the state....you can certainly write them an anonymous letter. someone from one of those organizations should be willing to make an investigation into the manner. i can't imagine them not ~

good luck - cheers,

moe

p.s. often times...drug screenings only occurs during pre-employment physical...& in some cases...during annual examinations...that's it!

pricklypear · May 11, 2005

moe
p.s. often times...drug screenings only occurs during pre-employment physical...& in some cases...during annual examinations...that's it!

that is my understanding, too. but people can be tested anytime if there is an accusation, or witness of drug use. i worked with a guy once who had a patient accuse him of smelling like alcohol. the house sup had him urine tested on the spot. turned out negative - he had just used the alcohol hand cleaner inside the room. i'll have to dig out my good old employee handbook and check our policy on random drug screens.

sassynurse78 · May 11, 2005

My facility only tests employees if they get hurt on the job. I have always wished that they would at least test when someone is hired, then maybe some random testing throughout the year. Although I do feel like what an employee does on their own time is their business. I would wonder how it affects pt. care if their business was the use of some types of drugs on their own time. Nursing is like any other profession and there are people with drug problems, just like factory workers, lawyers, teachers etc. No profession is exempt from it.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · May 11, 2005

Your concern is valid. You should analyze how credible the employee is. If you feel that she is saying the truth, then you can make an anonymous complain. I am sure that they can come in the next day or so un-announced and screen everyone. No one will get hurt in the process and it will be painless.

Jessica

z's playa · May 11, 2005

I agree to some extent. If someone smokes pot like a maniac on their days off, no telling what their mental status will be while working. I've been around my share of potheads, and most of them were very slow and plain stupid. Some, of course, seem to do it and never appear affected, but still. As far as a lot of other drugs go, it just depends.
I will say, I always get a kick out of people who blast those who might occasionally take an "escape" pill, like Vicodin or Valium when they don't clinically need it, but then talk about how they can't wait to get home and drink. (ETOH) :icon_roll

True. Looking back yeah..I'vv known many pot heads and wow were they ever slow.

Z

SmilingBluEyes · May 11, 2005

You need be really careful of "he said", "she said" allegations. Many have been hurt by rumors and false allegations in the past. If this is truly credible, a random screen will probably "out" the ones who are truly guilty. Also be careful for yourself.

And I disagree with those who say using a few recreational drugs off-duty is harmless. But I won't get into a huge debate on that. That is not the intent of the OP's thread.

Good luck and proceed with caution, is all I can say.

GrnHonu99, RN · May 11, 2005

Well..I can honestly say..what a nurse does on her day off..as long as it doesn't affect her performance at work and she isn't stealing from the cart..I will turn the other cheek. Who in this world is an angel?
My .02.
Z

yes what people do on their day off is one thing but this girl was telling me that these employees were doing these drugs AT WORK ON THEIR BREAK!..that is what shocked me the most... She even stressed that they were doing heroin, heroin is a pretty serious drug and even if someone only did heroin on their days off then i cant see how that wouldnt effect their work.....the only reason I hesitate to say something, like i said in my original post, i obviously did not see this first hand, i only know what this girl said in class. Actually every time I had been there in the past the staff was great! I never noticed anything but again, that was about 10 years ago when my grandmother lived there, she was not in that facility when she passed away but lived there for quite awhile. Every LTCF and hospital here that I have applied to (which is a lot lol) have requested drug tests so i just assumed that they were manadatory everywhere..theres usually this paper you sign or box you check that says you will submit to a random drug test...even my last waitressing job said that! MY ADN school required a drug test before we started clinicals but my new program doesnt.

anyway....what my origianl question was, was that should I say something about this even though I did not see it first hand or have anything to document? For all I know the girl could be lying, like i said before i never noticed anything and i think that if CNA's were running around high on heroin someone would notice? maybe not but then again that was a long time ago when i was last there, who knows what the CNA's there now are like.