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.
I'm all for it, if it starts with the CEO and goes all the way to the guys taking out the trash. My dad worked for Home Depot, and they got tested at his site monthly after someone was stoned and driving a forklift in the store.
I'd be for it for those people too- but I'd wonder what the real point would be for those not dealing directly with patient care...
Although if the CEO takes a forklift for a ride through the hospital... well... the test would be a little redundant at that point
Equinox_93
528 Posts
I'd be for it for those people too- but I'd wonder what the real point would be for those not dealing directly with patient care...
Although if the CEO takes a forklift for a ride through the hospital... well... the test would be a little redundant at that point