Medications on a drug screen

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 23, 2017

So I'm taking a drug screen in 8 days..I usually take temazepam once in awhile for sleep...I know at my old job it showed up in my urine, but as long as I was able to produce a prescription bottle they said it was fine since half the nurses she knows are on something for anxiety or to sleep..Can someone tell me if this is true for majority of facilities???9

If you have a valid script, usually you will be fine.

As far as reporting that you're on the med in the first place, some companies will ask you to disclose medications before the test. Others will contact you if you are positive and request a medication list and necessary scripts, and/or conduct a more intensive test to determine what the exact substance causing the positive is.

And some companies will see a positive screen and not even give you a chance to explain. When I was doing my drug test for a job at a well-established multi-state healthcare corporation, it was their policy that if you were on a controlled substance, you had to provide a valid script BEFORE the drug test; otherwise if you popped positive, it was considered a fail.

And if this corporation did it this way, I imagine there are others that might do it this way as well.

So IMO, I'm of the camp to disclose everything prior to the test. I'll report any medication--prescription, OTC and herbal--that I took within the last 10 days. And if I'm on a controlled substance, I'll bring the bottle or the pharmacy contact info so they can verify it. I don't care what they think of the medications I'm on...if anything, no one has ever said a word to me about them, not one.

And yes, I'm on a long-term prescription med that routinely causes me to pop positive for something that I've never taken in my life. But I've always disclosed beforehand I'm on that med and provided scripts when asked, and it's never been a problem.

tamaraaustin197 · Feb 23, 2017

Thanks so much I appreciate the reply.. I will definitely disclose this information

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 23, 2017

Thanks so much I appreciate the reply.. I will definitely disclose this information

FWIW, there are others who will argue that it's not the employer's business what medications you are on...and they have a point. But then again, I've seen firsthand a company ready to drop-kick someone for a positive if they didn't provide the script prior to the test. So personally, I'll always err on the side of disclosing.