Pre-Employment Drug Test

U.S.A. California

Published

Hello. I recently got a position at a hospital that is requiring me to do the pre-employment drug test. Now, I had surgery back on April 2nd and was prescribed Darvocet and I medicated obviously for the pain till April 4th. Now, since I have to submit a urine sample on Thursday, I'm concerned that this may cause some problems? I'm not sure... But do you think I should let the HR manager know that when it comes back, it might come up and the reason was I had a prescription for it after surgery? Or just leave it alone and assume, it won't come up? I'm not quite sure how to go about this situation.

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Specializes in Hospice, Case Mgt., RN Consultant, ICU.

I would not speak to HR about it possibly coming back as positive. When you take the test there should be a place on the form where you list any medications you have been taking. Good luck. :)

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Specializes in ER.
Hello. I recently got a position at a hospital that is requiring me to do the pre-employment drug test. Now, I had surgery back on April 2nd and was prescribed Darvocet and I medicated obviously for the pain till April 4th. Now, since I have to submit a urine sample on Thursday, I'm concerned that this may cause some problems? I'm not sure... But do you think I should let the HR manager know that when it comes back, it might come up and the reason was I had a prescription for it after surgery? Or just leave it alone and assume, it won't come up? I'm not quite sure how to go about this situation.

you should have an opportunity to disclose this at the time of submission of the urine sample - bring the prescription bottle.

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Oh okay, Thanks. I'll do that then. :)

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Hello. I recently got a position at a hospital that is requiring me to do the pre-employment drug test. Now, I had surgery back on April 2nd and was prescribed Darvocet and I medicated obviously for the pain till April 4th. Now, since I have to submit a urine sample on Thursday, I'm concerned that this may cause some problems? I'm not sure... But do you think I should let the HR manager know that when it comes back, it might come up and the reason was I had a prescription for it after surgery? Or just leave it alone and assume, it won't come up? I'm not quite sure how to go about this situation.

If you have a prescripion, you don't need to worry about a drug test.

You also want to protect your privacy.

Bring with you your evidence of the prescription and ASK the examiner when you take the drug test, NOT the HR person, what the procedure is if you are taking prescription medications that will most likely show up on a drug test.

They will inform you at that time what their policy is...it used to be that they asked for a drug-list up front, but with HIPAA, drug testing companies are asking ONLY for evidence of a prescription only after a positive test, but if you have a prescription, they turn a "pass" into HR...thereby protecting your privacy.

I have had to take tons of drug tests with every job I have ever had, long before I got into nursing and so many people over-analyze what is needed or what they must/need to disclose.

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Specializes in Hospice, Case Mgt., RN Consultant, ICU.

Recently went for an interview and the recruiter gave me an application to complete and lots of other paper work including my references and permission to do a drug screen. The drug screen asked me to list any meds l was on. I questioned this. It seemed an invasion of privacy. Where this occured was in a conference room with the CEO who was going to interview me. I did not feel comfortable with their process. The interview seemed to go ok, but I think I don't want that job. More stress than I need at this time in my life. Don't know what they thought, but having done lots of drug screens don't think that was right. When I questioned it he (the recruiter) said paperwork OKed by attorneys. That did not reassure me. What do you think??

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Recently went for an interview and the recruiter gave me an application to complete and lots of other paper work including my references and permission to do a drug screen. The drug screen asked me to list any meds l was on. I questioned this. It seemed an invasion of privacy. Where this occured was in a conference room with the CEO who was going to interview me. I did not feel comfortable with their process. The interview seemed to go ok, but I think I don't want that job. More stress than I need at this time in my life. Don't know what they thought, but having done lots of drug screens don't think that was right. When I questioned it he (the recruiter) said paperwork OKed by attorneys. That did not reassure me. What do you think??

Yes, it is an invasion of privacy.

There are many medications (non-opiate, etc) that people are on that they don't necessarily want their employer to know about.

Among these are perhaps treatment for things like herpes, HIV, antidepressants, etc.

Nope, sounds invasive to me and I have run into more than one attorney in my life that didn't know their you-know-what from a hole in the ground.

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Specializes in Psych, CICU, Ortho, Army Medic.

Even Aspirin can show up on urine tests as Opioids.

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What exactly do hospitals test for in a pre-employment drug screen?

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Hello,

I have letter from CA Board of Nurse that I need to take extra Psychiatric Courses and Clinical hours ,in order to Start RN -NCLEX please send for me information if you know the school's in Los Angeles that provide this course only.

I have tried all of them in the list but they dont have any space, I need only this course.

thank you

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