Pre-employment THC

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I'm a registered nurse who tested positive for a pre-employment drug test. I'm a traveling nurse who just came from New York to pick up and assignment in Texas. I did pre- employment screening and the urine testing came back clean, I was ready to start with no issues. The night before my orientation, I was stressed out and could not sleep well so I took CBD edibles to help me relax and fall asleep. The morning of orientation, they took us to employee health and said that it's hospital policy they test onsite again. I had no idea. I came up positive for THC, got let go from my assignment, got let go from the traveling agency, and the employer is now going to report me to the board of nursing. What could be my outcomes? I never had any offense before, I never in my life even thought about coming to work high, I don't smoke weed. I'm so lost and I don't know what to do or how to prepare if the medical review officer calls me

If you really like marijuana after this is over they don't routinely test for it in New York unless you smell like it or appear high.

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Healer555 said:

If you really like marijuana after this is over they don't routinely test for it in New York unless you smell like it or appear high.

And they should stop testing for it everywhere because it's a freaking joke at how many careers it's ruining.

I blame the Democrats. Bunch is sorry azz Liars who talk a great game and say "we are on the side of weed," yet the Obama administration had 8 years and Joe sociopath Biden had 4 years and not a one of them legalized marijuana at the Federal Level which would have ended this mess. They can't be trusted and that's why the hypocrites lost in November. I'm not a political person, but I bet Trump might legalize it by the time his term is done. It should have been done 30 years ago, but I don't trust any of the political parties. They are both just like the BONs. Corrupt

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NurseJackie69 said:

And they should stop testing for it everywhere because it's a freaking joke at how many careers it's ruining.

I blame the Democrats. Bunch is sorry azz Liars who talk a great game and say "we are on the side of weed," yet the Obama administration had 8 years and Joe sociopath Biden had 4 years and not a one of them legalized marijuana at the Federal Level which would have ended this mess. They can't be trusted and that's why the hypocrites lost in November. I'm not a political person, but I bet Trump might legalize it by the time his term is done. It should have been done 30 years ago, but I don't trust any of the political parties. They are both just like the BONs. Corrupt

They shouldn't test for anything unless one appears impaired.  One shouldn't go to work impaired on anything.  

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

The brutal truth is that cannabis is not legal in every state.  And even in states where it is legal, some employers test for it and it can be a basis for not getting a job or losing a job.  

If you are looking for a job, then don't use cannabis!  You're better off having a drink, because ETOH is out of your system quickly.

Once you get a job and know your employer's policy on testing for drugs, you may be OK using cannabis.

I live in Calif and most employers don't care about cannabis use, but some do.  In addition, the federal government tests for cannabis use no matter what state you are in.

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FullGlass said:

The brutal truth is that cannabis is not legal in every state.  And even in states where it is legal, some employers test for it and it can be a basis for not getting a job or losing a job.  

If you are looking for a job, then don't use cannabis!  You're better off having a drink, because ETOH is out of your system quickly.

Once you get a job and know your employer's policy on testing for drugs, you may be OK using cannabis.

I live in Calif and most employers don't care about cannabis use, but some do.  In addition, the federal government tests for cannabis use no matter what state you are in.

Alcohol isn't tested for unless there's suspected impairment correct? I mean outside of monitoring 

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TIMFY said:

How is another positive urine/nail/hair test going to help her.....

Yeah, she admits to eating the gummies.

This whole thing makes no sense. Weed is legal with a card in many states and legal for recreational use in many more but they continue to persecute people for it while a raging alcoholic is okay because EtOH doesn't remain in our systems. You can get falling down drunk and be OK in the morning but a puff you took months ago will end a job.

I was on a jury, turned out to be a monkey trial but I didn't know that at the time, and it came out in testimony that the brother victims, one deceased and the other the shooter missed, smoked pot. When the coroner took the stand he was asked if the autopsy showed evidence of weed. We don't test for that. Oh?, why not? Because it's meaningless.

 

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State Boards on occasion do receive federal funding and because of that it does not matter if weed is legal in a certain state, for example, California. California still penalizes nurses who test positive for weed and you can read the stories on here told by nurses to verify that. If you receive federal funding, then federal law still supercedes state law.

When weed is made legal at tje Federal Level, this madness ends for about 1/3rd of nurses across the country who are in monitoring for weed.

It's legal for citizens to open there own porn website at the state and federal level and broadcast yourself. Nurses and Doctors can't do that because the Board has standards they can set and legally get away with it. Same for weed. Doesn't matter if it's legal to the public in certain states, BON policy prevents it and they win every time in court when this issue is challenged. 

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
Healer555 said:

Alcohol isn't tested for unless there's suspected impairment correct? I mean outside of monitoring 

I'm not sure.  However, once when I had a drug test, out of curiosity I asked if ETOH would show up.  The tech said that if someone drank the night before the test, it would not show up.  That led me to believe they might be testing for it.  Someone could have a Bloody Mary for breakfast, not seem impaired, then get a drug test, and I'm assuming it would show up then.

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FullGlass said:

I'm not sure.  However, once when I had a drug test, out of curiosity I asked if ETOH would show up.  The tech said that if someone drank the night before the test, it would not show up.  That led me to believe they might be testing for it.  Someone could have a Bloody Mary for breakfast, not seem impaired, then get a drug test, and I'm assuming it would show up then.

For peth it should show up, blood alcohol level probably wouldn't depending.....

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For any hair test, the average time it takes for the drug to enter the hair and the time it takes for the hair to break through the skin to be collected is 10 days on average and up to 14 days. So, whatever drug it is being tested for,from the time you take it, a good 10 days, maybe 11 or 12 and up to 14 days before that drug can Possibly test positive because it takes 10 days for the portion of the hair in which the drug enters to break through/ above the skin.

For any drug in the world, if you haven't been doing it and you take a massive amount the night before a hair test, there is absolutely ZERO chance you test positive the next day, unless your hair grows like a Sasquatch or Werewolf.

 

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For marijuana, understand that ALL states test for it. All employers who receive federal funding or participate in Medicare (which is most of them like 99 percent) have to comply with DOT very basic drug testing standards when hiring employees. The most basic DOT standard is the basic 5 panel drug test of which marijuana is one of those 5 panels. Have you ever seen a drug panel basic urine dipstick done by the Employee Health Nurse or Occupational Health Nurse that does your hiring screening test for drugs except marijuana? No, you haven't because they don't make 5 panel drug kits that do not include THC. THC is in every basic panel 5 drug kit.

Now, we can/could argue or debate as to whether the employer Cares or Considers THC as a positive drug test if it shows up. All employers vary some, but I can assure you that it is tested for. As to whether the employer Cares about what the THC result is...is certainly up for discussion. Also, employers can actually get drug testing exemptions for a period of time for things like critically low staffing, Covid outbreak, etc. There were actually hundreds of nurses during the peak of Covid that didn't take incoming employer drug tests due to the employer being able to get a temporary exemption, but even this was very rare and shortlived.

Always assume you are tested for everything and even if one or 2 states "rarely test for something, " the word Rarely is not the same as Never. So, do you really want to play with your life, your license, your ability to make a living, your social relationships, years of monitoring by taking the risk that something is "rarely" tested for? I don't like those odds at all and don't like that risk, and I speak from being in monitoring for nearly 5 years now. It ain't worth taking the chance.

Until we hear the words, "THC is NEVER tested for and is allowed for nurses inn this state," only then would I not worry about it. I've yet to hear those words from any Board of Nursing and I keep reading and meeting with people in online recovery meetings from states that are liberal like NY, Mass, California are still being entered into monitoring due to positive THC tests.

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