Pre employment urine drug screen for nursing home, will they test for alcohol?

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This is my first RN job offer so I had no idea I would be drug tested when I went in that day to sign paperwork (I would not have drank at all had I have known this). I thought they would give me a 3 day heads up and send me to a lab corp. So my employment at this nursing home is contingent upon me passing a drug and background check.

The night before I drank about 10 or 11 beers, I probably went to sleep around 1am and the drug test was around 11am the next day.

Is this going to show up in the urine drug test? I'm a small person (5'8, 130 llbs) so I don't know if it had metabolized out of my system yet. I did feel a little buzzed that morning.

I'm freaking out, will they report me to the BON if alcohol shows up? :(

I wish they would've told me that I'd be taking a drug test when I went in to sign paperwork :(

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Specializes in L&D, OR, postpartum, pedi, OBGYN clinic.

Alcohol is not illegal nor do they care unless you show up drunk for work. The drug test is for illegal substances. The BOR doesn't care.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Depends I guess, but my current position did.

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I think they're only looking for alcohol if you have a mishap at work that results in injury or serious error.

But other than that I don't see why they'd test for ETOH because it's not illegal to drink alcohol.

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Specializes in Professional Development Specialist.

They may test for alcohol, since if you show up to the facility currently drunk just to sign papers it might be an indicator of how you will show up to work. Was it a blood test or urine? Either way, the point of random drug testing is that it's random. If you knew it was coming and did drugs regularly you would have time to think about ways to get around the test. Good luck, either way.

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It was a urine test.

If it's positive will they report it to the BON?

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Ten or eleven drinks??? Get thee to a 12-step program, immediately.

I am not kidding, or being mean or sarcastic. You probably drove in that condition, as well.

You are scaring me.

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I'm more interested in how often 10 or 11 beers in a single evening is routine....if you still feel buzzed, you're impaired. It may not show on a drug screen, but you are not safe to work.

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No, I didn't drive. My friend had a party and I spent the night there.

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Ten or eleven drinks??? Get thee to a 12-step program, immediately.

I am not kidding, or being mean or sarcastic. You probably drove in that condition, as well.

You are scaring me.

:up: Not a joke from me either. Women metabolize ETOH differently than men, and become alcoholic faster, and with less (though the second part isn't an issue here :uhoh3: :).

You are not describing "social" drinking.

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I'm more interested in how often 10 or 11 beers in a single evening is routine....if you still feel buzzed, you're impaired. It may not show on a drug screen, but you are not safe to work.

Hardly ever

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.
Ten or eleven drinks??? Get thee to a 12-step program, immediately.

I am not kidding, or being mean or sarcastic. You probably drove in that condition, as well.

You are scaring me.

I wonder what you would say about me if I told you about my weekends.

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