random drug testing

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I am a CNA at a hospital. Where I work they give out random drug tests. I started working this year and got a urine and blood test done for my pre employment qualifications. I was wondering when do they usually give out those random drug tests in hospitals? Also.. if you pass the urine test, do they still do the blood test to double check for drugs in your blood system.. And do they warn you when you will have to take the test.. any info on this would be great

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Specializes in ER.

If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't worry about random drug tests, urine vs blood tox screens, etc.

Sorry if that is harsh or judgemental, but it is what it is.

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I agree with PAERRN20, and if you take medication that may set off an alarm from on a drug test, you need to be forthcoming with it.

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Specializes in Emergency, neurology, cardiology, renal..

Urine drug screen only tests for certain drugs in the system so to test for all they also need to do blood test. But as Paerrn20 says "if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't worry". And if you do, you shouldn't be working...sorry also for sounding harsh but pt's rely on us to be clean and sober.

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well, i have to disagree with the previous poster. i was taking a medication (prescribed) when i took a physical for a job at a childcare center and i was honest and wrote it down on the paperwork i had to fill out that asked what medication i was taking.

the doctor came in and said it "wasn't safe to work with children while on that medication" at which point i started crying - especially when i found out they weren't even going to drug test me so i would've been better off lying by omission. i ended up passing the physical/drug screen bc the doctor listened to my spill and let me come back for a drug screen after advising me not to take my medicine for a few days (i think what i said to her made sense, but she had to be in compliance).

fast forward - i had to take a physical/drug screen for a job at the hospital not long ago so do you think i was going to be honest about my medication this time? HECK NO! i stopped taking it for about 5 days before my appointment - wrote down that i wasn't taking any medications on my paperwork - and passed my drug screen. i was a nervous wreck "just incase" it was still in my system IF they even tested for that med.

am i doing anything illegal by taking a prescription drug that's ordered by a doctor? NOOOO. should i not be allowed to work bc the medication "MIGHT" cause drowsiness, etc, etc? NOOOO.

so just because the OP is asking this question doesn't mean she smokes crack.

but to answer the OP - i really don't know when they give the random screens - that's why they're called random. also, they will NOT check your blood if you pass your urine screen. it costs a lot more money to do a blood test.

why is it that you're concerned?

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i am a cna at a hospital. where i work they give out random drug tests. i started working this year and got a urine and blood test done for my pre employment qualifications.
i was wondering when do they usually give out those random drug tests in hospitals?
also.. if you pass the urine test, do they still do the blood test to double check for drugs in your blood system.. and do they warn you when you will have to take the test.. any info on this would be great

ok, well, by definition, "random" would mean there would be no specific pattern of testing. which means none of us can help you know when your "random drug screen" will take place. so if they truly want their drug screens to be "random", there is no way they will "warn you when you will have to take the test."

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

It is called random for a reason.. They want it to be a surprise so nope, they won't tell you when it is coming.. Kinda defeats the purpose KWIM.

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Specializes in Emergency, neurology, cardiology, renal..

In regards to backatit2,

"the doctor came in and said it "wasn't safe to work with children while on that medication" at which point i started crying" Does this tell you nothing...

"i stopped taking it for about 5 days before my appointment - wrote down that i wasn't taking any medications on my paperwork - and passed my drug screen". What will you do if they come in for random drug testing?

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Backatit2 the op is a CNA and if you are as well that is a horrible statement to make. The nurse in charge of CNAs while they work are responsible for them. It is not right to endanger a nurse's license. I truly am sorry that you take a drug that probably will not do anything, but drug screening is in place for a reason and it also tests for legal drugs. It is not ok to use even legally prescribed drugs during patient care without having it approved by those that are responsible for your actions. I truly hope you are not a CNA, because if that was the job you had when a doctor told you to cheat the test it was probably someone else's license he was risking and not his own.

This is unethical behavior that should not be allowed in patient care.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Backatit2 the op is a CNA and if you are as well that is a horrible statement to make. The nurse in charge of CNAs while they work are responsible for them. It is not right to endanger a nurse's license. I truly am sorry that you take a drug that probably will not do anything, but drug screening is in place for a reason and it also tests for legal drugs. It is not ok to use even legally prescribed drugs during patient care without having it approved by those that are responsible for your actions. I truly hope you are not a CNA, because if that was the job you had when a doctor told you to cheat the test it was probably someone else's license he was risking and not his own.

This is unethical behavior that should not be allowed in patient care.

Does that mean I should have been asking the CNA's on my floor for a complete med list every night? And what if I find out they are taking prescription strength niacin? Does that mean I should send them home?

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Clean and sober is good. It is the only way to go!!

But what about someone with an anxiety disorder who has to take a benzo on occassion if life'e trauma amps up their symptoms? And what if their PCP or psychiatrist has mandated and promoted this? And what if the drug does its job so the worker may perform his/her job more effectively? I think things need to be rethought in general. If the worker shows no s/s of being obtunded or incompetent, if there is no problem with missing drugs from the pyxis..or bad documentation r/t commonly abused drugs......random drug screens are a violation of constitutional rights. I have a feeling the OP was talking about a benzo...and people have very misunderstood feelings about these drugs. There are many people who do not do well with the myriad of SSRI and Trycyclics..etc's...all they really need is a small dose of a benzo...and benzos have MUCH FEWER SIDE EFFECTS than all the aforementioned....I have never understood why just because a drug MAY be abused by SOME, we have to label the patients who NEED the drug to perform at their fullest capacity. Brilliance and good care from a nurse can be easily obliterated by crippling anxiety disorders...I would feel much safer knowing my nurse was medicated with whatever her physicians feel is appropriate than have her/he be a mental case because their employer is making judgement calls about people's POC....this really burns me up...sorry........

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addendum whoops....I was talking about the poster Backatit re: my hunch of benzo tx...sorry got a little "anxious"...: )

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