Random Drug Screens

Nurses General Nursing

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How do you as nurses feel about "random" drug screens ? Especially when it is a "third" (unidentified) party making the request? The memo stated that a person might be picked once or several times and another person might never be picked. When this facility had several nurses under the jurisdiction under the Board of Nursing (drugs), random drug screening was never done except on hire and twice (in almost 9 years) when the count wasn't correct. The census drops, several nurses have capped out as far as raises and now all of a sudden the random drug screens appear. If I thought they were looking for street drugs, that would be one issue. Most people are not going to come to work under the influence of prescription drugs without a legal script. (Okay; I take that back. Some will.) My point is this: if the Director of Clinical Services is aware of a medical condition for which an employee takes appropriate prescriptions in an amount so as not to influence job performance why does a "third" (unidentified) party have an interest? Are employees medical records not protected under HIPPA ?

Don't get me wrong; I have no problem with drug screening of the entire staff if there is a suspected problem. It just seems wrong for a facility with employee records (including medical records) to start "out of the blue" with no explanation. Is this really "random" or trying to intimidate employees. I think at the least, an explanation is warranted.

It is no wonder nurses are getting out of the profession. It is not enough to take crap from doctors, managers and patients. Now unknown "third parties" are getting into the act. As some of us age and have chronic medical conditions, we have to take prescribed meds to function. No one wants a nurse who is dangerous...but as I keep going back to, how would a "third" party know?

We live in a non-union state and workers here have no rights. Personally, I believe this facility is trying to get rid of the nurses with tenure so they can hire nurses with less experience for less money.

Opinions, please. :angryfire

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Specializes in CRNA.

I don't understand what you are so worried about. If you get caught up in the random drug test gimmick and you pop positive for opioids okay. Either you have the script for your sufentanil friend or you dont. If you do... you keep your job. If you have been poppin' Uncle Rico & Aunt Edna's vicodin to get through your shift...you get fired. Seems fair to me. If you are one of those nurses in your golden years (your description dude) with a chronic medical condition taking a medication that was prescribed to you, then there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

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Specializes in cardiac.

Hummm.......Random drug tests really don't bother me. If a person isn't using then they have nothing to worry about. I don't know about the third party thing. I've never paid that much attention to it. Never been tested except upon hire. :smokin:

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

I empathize that there people who are on prescribed medications for their various ailments.

However coming to work under the influence is just that, a person taking a narcotic while at work is still considered under the influence even with a prescription. That is the sad truth.

How an individual employer might feel about it. I suspect might be decided at each facility. Perhaps it is the BON who has a clearer answer regarding it.

I have worked with co-workers who have prescriptions for ex. loratab. Our DON has said this is working under the influence if they take them while at work. They offer that nonnarcotics can be taken while at work, and yes they understand the person who takes loratab at bedtime as due to their pain they need to sleep restfully.

I often wonder ( have not seen it tested as such or anyone being in trouble for it) but how would they truly determine someone having taken it at night as opposed to while working?

Not everyone who takes them on the surface appears impaired at all. I would not know which of my co-workers take what unless they specifically told me even then I might only think shoot I would be fast asleep if I took it , but they are functioning, walking talking. Something I would not be able to do.

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Specializes in CVICU.

How can you prove when someone took the med? What if they took a benzo the night before to help them sleep? Or how about a Vicodin for a toothache the day before? It's still going to be positive on their drug screen, and it would not be fair for those individuals to be punished for taking a prescribed drug while not at work.

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

You need to get some more info from your employer about drug screens. If you have a Rx for the med you don't fail a drug screen. The drug screen is a qualitative result, pos or neg. It doesn't show how much or when you take the med, and again if it is prescribed for you it is legal. Now, coming to work impaired is a whole other issue. If you are impaired and unable to safely care for your pts then you shouldn't be working, Rx or no Rx, but again, that is a whole separate issue from a drug screen.

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Specializes in CVICU.
You need to get some more info from your employer about drug screens. If you have a Rx for the med you don't fail a drug screen. The drug screen is a qualitative result, pos or neg. It doesn't show how much or when you take the med, and again if it is prescribed for you it is legal. Now, coming to work impaired is a whole other issue. If you are impaired and unable to safely care for your pts then you shouldn't be working, Rx or no Rx, but again, that is a whole separate issue from a drug screen.

Exactly

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"Golden years"...umm. What is going to happen, "dude" when all of us "golden years" nurses get fed up and retire? If your post is any indication, hospitals will turn into "Romper Room" (we old folks will get that one).

My concern is that even though random drug screens are absolutely needed (sadly) at times and even appropriate, power in the hands of some is dangerous. Especially when you don't have a clue as to who that entity is. If a facility determines that for the good and protection of patients a random drug screen is warranted then it needs to be done. However, when an entity other than the facility has an interest, it seems suspicious. Especially since administration at the facility won't name the third party.

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.
"Golden years"...umm. What is going to happen, "dude" when all of us "golden years" nurses get fed up and retire? If your post is any indication, hospitals will turn into "Romper Room" (we old folks will get that one).

My concern is that even though random drug screens are absolutely needed (sadly) at times and even appropriate, power in the hands of some is dangerous. Especially when you don't have a clue as to who that entity is. If a facility determines that for the good and protection of patients a random drug screen is warranted then it needs to be done. However, when an entity other than the facility has an interest, it seems suspicious. Especially since administration at the facility won't name the third party.

So who do you think this "third party" is and why do you think they have no right to request a drug screen? I'm missing the "suspicious" part here.

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merri are you in florida? i think someone posted a while back that according to that state bon, no opiates are allowed even with script

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That's just it... who are they? Just because we are in the nursing profession doesn't mean that anyone and everyone has a right to do to us whatever they please. If it is all one the up and up why should the facility mind identifing the third party? Random drug screens are a fact of life. That is understandable. I will pee in the cup every day with a smile on my face but I want to know who, what and why I need to.

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No, I am not in Florida. Supposedly, if you have a script and are working "unimpaired" it is no problem. At least that is what administration at the facility says. I guess I shouldn't have opened this can of worms. I don't have alot of faith in what administrators tell me. (This facility changes administration frequently). We have had some good administrators but the bad ones have been really bad... the young, climbing the corporate ladder on the backs of whomever it takes type. I don't mind doing whatever: I just want to know why and who on the outside has an interest.

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