Pre-employment drug screen suboxone

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I will be graduating from nursing school in a couple of weeks, and I have a pre-employment drug screen already scheduled. I have not been in active addiction for over 10yrs and am on suboxone therapy. What would happen if tested positive for suboxone with a legitimate prescription, and I have never not followed the prescription?

Specializes in Pre nursing.

Wow never really knew that you had to do a test for that. Does this apply to get into a nursing major as well?

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Need advice. New nurse pre-employment drug screen first thing next week. Worried about disclosing this info if not needed. Can I ask prior to screening what substances are included on the test? And if I disclose this prescription, will they inform BON?

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Specializes in Justice ⚖️ Nursing.
On 12/6/2019 at 9:22 AM, bgirl123 said:

Nurse-Megan, thank you for your reply. Do you know if the lab reports to the employer, which is a hospital, what medication you are taking?

I know this is an old post, but just for future readers....anywhere you apply will do a drug screen and you'll have to disclose it. Yes, they can refer you to the BON. 

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Specializes in STEP DOWN.

No you don't have to disclose and no employers don't test for it.  Standard Panel is used almost exclusively. 

 

You have your right to your privacy on Healthcare. Subxone does not alter your mind like say oxycodone or xanax. There is no reason you can't perform your job while taking it. I know people and they have never had a single issue. 

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Specializes in Justice ⚖️ Nursing.
5 hours ago, FootballRN1 said:

No you don't have to disclose and no employers don't test for it.  Standard Panel is used almost exclusively. 

 

You have your right to your privacy on Healthcare. Subxone does not alter your mind like say oxycodone or xanax. There is no reason you can't perform your job while taking it. I know people and they have never had a single issue. 

I understand what you are saying and I agree with you, in that it does not impair your ability in any way, once you've reached a therapeutic maintenance level. I am a RN with a suspended license because of my addiction. I have been on MAT for many years now, and not with the help of my states alternative program or BON. I recovered in an intensive program outside of the nursing program. My license was suspended for mandatory 10 yrs because my place of employment charged me and I got a felony. Ultimately the alternative program wouldn't be able to help me get a job at home depot, LOL. I am able to petition the BON for my RN license in a little over a year. It's been 10 hellish years. However, unless they change their guidelines I will likely never be able to practice again, as long as I am taking bupe. I know all states are different and none can discrimination OUTRIGHT about employing you...if they see that you have tested for that substance or catch wind of....they will either find a different reason not to employ you, find a reason to drug test you, OR refer you to the alternative program. I'm absolutely not trying to scare or deter anyone. However, I was so naive when this all happened to me. I learned that when it comes to addiction (which they will assume was/is your disability if on bupe), they don't want you practicing, like AT ALL and make it extremely difficult to do so. If your state has an alternative program, that's great, but the programs are so wrong in many ways and need an over haul. Imo, they set you up for failure and only exist because the duty of nurses is to help, so why wouldn't they offer to help another nurse. It's not out of compassion and understanding. I feel everyone in nursing school should understand the legalities inside out! It was never explained to my class...I knew it existed and don't do bad things...that was the extent of the "teaching", but most, like me, think it will never happen to them. 

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Hi,

Arizona nurse here on the boards monitoring program. The board does approve MAT treatment. Meaning the board of nursing in Arizona now approves nurses in recovery to be on approved Suboxone and because of the fact that you are not impaired while on it, they approve nurses who use Suboxone to work while taking the medication 

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Also, while applying for jobs you have to let them know you are in the boards program. I was hired by a facility that knows I am in the program and in recovery. The drug test either did not test for bup or if it did because it is board approved they could not turn me down for that reason. If the board does not know and an employer test for that then that's different and I can't advise you on anything there. But with my situation the board is well aware that I am on Suboxone, approves MAT treatment, and allows you to work while using Suboxone. 

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ALSO I have met plenty of nurses through this program who have successfully completed the three years. It's not easy, but you're not set up for failure by any means. It's actually the opposite, you're set up to better yourself and succeed. I was approved to go back to work, on suboxone, about one month into the program and go a wonderful job at a behavioral health hospital with in a week. If you're in the program and have a narc restriction for a period of time like I do I would suggest looking into behavioral health or rehabs, they're very friendly with hiring people in the program. Once your narc restriction is lifted other areas such as regular hospitals will open up to you. I have plenty of friends in this program now, one of which is an ICU nurse, one's an ER nurse, etc. Your doors are not closed.

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Specializes in Justice ⚖️ Nursing.
KalDellz said:

Hi,

Arizona nurse here on the boards monitoring program. The board does approve MAT treatment. Meaning the board of nursing in Arizona now approves nurses in recovery to be on approved Suboxone and because of the fact that you are not impaired while on it, they approve nurses who use Suboxone to work while taking the medication 

That is wonderful news, in my opinion! Are they able to stay on it indefinitely, or until they decide to come off of it, or is it only approved for a short time while in recovery treatment, or while working with the monitoring program?

I wish this would become the standard across the board of all states. It would have changed so many lives of good nurses, who became addicted. 

The fact that you point out that a nurse is NOT impaired while taking it is HUGE. That is the very thing that some state BONs have argued, that impairment and safety is unknown. However, it is still relatively a misunderstood, stigmatized medication. It really doesn't cause impairment. 

I believe that a nurse who is taking a med, like buprenorphine, is likely to look at any narcotic just as they would any other medication. The temptation to even think about diverting is gone. If anything, it should be viewed as an additional safegaurd in place. 

Do you know if all state BONs are taking the same position as Arizona? I know Indiana has. 

Thank you for replying!! 

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Specializes in Justice ⚖️ Nursing.
KalDellz said:

ALSO I have met plenty of nurses through this program who have successfully completed the three years. It's not easy, but you're not set up for failure by any means. It's actually the opposite, you're set up to better yourself and succeed. I was approved to go back to work, on suboxone, about one month into the program and go a wonderful job at a behavioral health hospital with in a week. If you're in the program and have a narc restriction for a period of time like I do I would suggest looking into behavioral health or rehabs, they're very friendly with hiring people in the program. Once your narc restriction is lifted other areas such as regular hospitals will open up to you. I have plenty of friends in this program now, one of which is an ICU nurse, one's an ER nurse, etc. Your doors are not closed.

That is really great news. In PA the BON did not approve taking any maintenance as it considered as an abstinence based program. So, 10 years ago, I would have been fine with staying in the program, jumping through hoops, and doing whatever I needed to do. However, that wasn't the case. Most nurses in PA feel the same as I do about it being for profit and a set up for failure. Here, it is very hard to reenter. Once they deem you non-compliant, you can be charged with a felony for diversion, if that's the case. That in PA is a 10 year mandatory license suspension.  Period. So, I went through that and received treatment in spite of that. I am recovered now, but not financially, nor as far as working goes. Once the 10 years has passed, I can petition for reinstatement, but I'm likely to be turned down if I'm taking buprenorphine or just because they see me as not fit for whatever reason. I won't be reintroduced to the program, and I'm not a fit for it anyway. I've been sober for many years. I just don't know what to expect, but I pray for a break and to be able to nurse again. 

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Hi,

They told me I can stay on it indefinitely if I choose. The minimum length of time they want me in it is a year. I was not even required to provide a prescription when I took my drug test for work. I'm not sure if it's because they know I'm in the boards program or they just don't test for Bup. As of now I'm following my doctors recommendations. Arizonas board of nursing has been great. It's by no means an easy program but that fact that I get to keep my license, be on suboxone while working, etc. is amazing. I feel insanely lucky. No one can find out I'm in the program other than my employer, it's totally confidential. And in three years when I graduate it no one can find out I was on it. 
 

They've made it very clear nurses on Suboxone are NOT impaired 

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Specializes in Justice ⚖️ Nursing.

That is wonderful, I'm so happy for you! Continue doing that next right thing!!

Maybe this will lead to all BONs being accepting of it. I know that employers can't not hire you because you are on a prescribed medication for an illness which is now outlined in ghe Americans with Disabilities Act. It would be illegal for them to do so! Which is what was founded to be the case in Indiana and the board changed their policy. 

 

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