Random Drug Testing

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Specializes in ER.

What do you think of it? The new for profit owners of one of the hospitals I work for is doing it. The staff nurses are exempt because of the union contract. I was talking to one of the house supervisors, they aren't included in the contract, and she's been tested 3 times.

That sounds excessive, since this company has only been in charge a little over a year. A lot of nurses have been leaving, since the company is also obnoxious in many other ways, and the hospital is just getting difficult to work for all around due to decreased staffing, micro managing, general increased disorganization, etc.

I don't mind drug testing if someone seems impaired, but this random drug testing seems demeaning and a waste of resources, especially after someone has tested negative.

Thoughts?

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If it were truly random or the employer had a good reason, it wouldn't bother me. If I felt like I were being targeted for no valid reason, it would bother me. Three negative tests in a short amount of time (I assume) does seem excessive ....especially if others are not being subjected to similar treatment.

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Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

I have always been eligible for random drug testing, although I have never actually been asked to submit a random screen. I do think it is completely ridiculous to have an entire group of people in one hospital system ineligible for testing because they happen to be unionized. Clearly, they are having to "make their numbers" by repeatedly testing other people. What a farce.

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Specializes in Oncology.

My facility doesn't do drug testing...at all. Sometimes I think it's warranted.

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We allegedly have random drug testing but I've never been called. It wouldn't bother me though as I don't have anything to hide. I have seen impaired nurses working and do think that there should be a policy in place for it because........I've seen those nurses working.

However, in the case that the OP is bringing up, it seems unfair to those who are not in the union to be repeatedly singled out. I'd be mad about it and it does seem to be a making up the numbers game based on who they are allowed to test.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

I am essentially a libertarian, so I do not approve of this sort of testing.

I believe in testing for cause. I have seen too many good nurses lose their employment and even their licenses because they dropped dirty for marijuana even though they had NEVER been impaired at work. I have also worked with too many nurses who were so hung over on Monday morning that they could barely complete the tasks necessary for their jobs.

I think that mandatory "drug" testing for employment is a violation of our rights although the court system doesn't see it that way. I would bet, however, if legislators or justices had to submit to themandatory and random testing that the laws would change to exempt them and other "special" people.

The "war on drugs" needs to stop. We cannot afford the casualties any longer.

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The drug testing is just an example of the micro-managing. I worked at ONE for profit facility for 6 months.. in that time I saw 30 percent of the staff fired for a myriad of minor infractions.

For profit.. is NOT a place for any professional to work.

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Specializes in ER.

i never had random drug tests, so cannot say... but sounds like your work place had a turn on its own. decreasing staffing, micro-managing, un-appreciating your employees, yeah time to move on

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Specializes in Infection Prevention, Public Health.

Well, any federal employee is subject to random drug testing so that is a huge number of nurses. I haven't been asked to come in for random testing in the 12 years I have been in the system.

It is definitely on my mind and makes me walk the straight and narrow. I do take meds which would show on a urine drug screen, but I have valid prescriptions and a prescriber who knows I am a nurse.

It might sound silly, but the only illicit drug I ever used was pot and only a few times over 30 years ago! When I retire in 8 years I might just grow myself one plant and check it out without fear.

I flew home for Christmas one year and after the 6 hour flight and a 5 hour drive, my back was killing me. My Mom offered me a pain med she had been unable to tolerate , but I didn't take any because I could be in trouble having a drug in my urine that was not prescribed to me.

One of my co-workers got called in for random drug testing. She had 2 hours to report for the test and her clinic was a 45 minute drive from the testing site.

So, I take the random testing thing pretty seriously.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
Well, any federal employee is subject to random drug testing so that is a huge number of nurses. I haven't been asked to come in for random testing in the 12 years I have been in the system.

It is definitely on my mind and makes me walk the straight and narrow. I do take meds which would show on a urine drug screen, but I have valid prescriptions and a prescriber who knows I am a nurse.

It might sound silly, but the only illicit drug I ever used was pot and only a few times over 30 years ago! When I retire in 8 years I might just grow myself one plant and check it out without fear.

I flew home for Christmas one year and after the 6 hour flight and a 5 hour drive, my back was killing me. My Mom offered me a pain med she had been unable to tolerate , but I didn't take any because I could be in trouble having a drug in my urine that was not prescribed to me.

One of my co-workers got called in for random drug testing. She had 2 hours to report for the test and her clinic was a 45 minute drive from the testing site.

So, I take the random testing thing pretty seriously.

Yup

Our corporate masters have every right to interject their sensibilities about what we are allowed to do on our free/unpaid time away from the workplace. Our legislators and court system agree with them.

Consequently, people conduct their personal lives not based upon what THEY need, what THEY think, what is best for THEM in that moment. Rather, the people live in fear of the power of the mandatory search and seizure of bodily fluids or hair samples to discover and punish citizens for not following the social requirements of their employers.

That is not a feature of a free society, in my view.

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.

I think quotes around "random" drug testing should be required by law, and administrators should be required to use air quotes whenever they discuss "random" drug testing. And maybe wink after they say it.

In 10 years I've never been randomly tested, only during the hiring process. Seems expensive to test people multiple times... I'm willing to bet after the first two that supervisor has probably stopped even eating poppy seed muffins.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

It doesn't bother me...then again, I don't have anything to hide. If they want to spend the resources randomly testing me, then so be it.

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