random drug tests?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm unsure if I'm in the right place.

Does anyone experience random drug tests at their hospitals? I know some places say they random test but is it just a scare tactic? If you have or have not please explain your experiences, thank you!

:mad::confused:

Two farmers were busted for pot here in this county. They had a MJ burning party at the courthouse, and the picture was on the front page of the newspaper. I wasn't the only person who thought it a little odd the sherrif and his deputies were standing right around that fire without their biohazard suits and filtered masks on for their protection from that horrible toxic "substance."

ooooh, did you see me in that picture?

i was the one w/the mask in my pocket.:bdyhdclp:

leslie

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If you do not use illegal drugs, the workplace can test whenever and you do not have to worry. Only if you use do you have to worry whether they test or not. As far as doing whatever you want on your time off, the Board of Nursing frowns on all kind of things that your license can be in trouble for all of which would be on your time off. If what you do on your time off can impact your ability to safely perform your duties your employer has a responsibility to prevent harm. If drug use were not so rampant employers would not have to drug test in the first place.

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Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
If you do not use illegal drugs, the workplace can test whenever and you do not have to worry. Only if you use do you have to worry whether they test or not. As far as doing whatever you want on your time off, the Board of Nursing frowns on all kind of things that your license can be in trouble for all of which would be on your time off. If what you do on your time off can impact your ability to safely perform your duties your employer has a responsibility to prevent harm. If drug use were not so rampant employers would not have to drug test in the first place.

what about all the "legal" drug use?? I personally know of nurses on Prozac, Wellbutrin, Oxycodone, Zanax, etc. etc.........how do they get away with that???? just 'cuz they have a script, I guess...still impairs them I think...........:eek: is all Ok as long as they have a script???

I don't know, we never test in my facility except upon new hires...I don't know how they got away with it unless it is OK with a script...

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Specializes in Acute Care.
what about all the "legal" drug use?? I personally know of nurses on Prozac, Wellbutrin, Oxycodone, Zanax, etc. etc.........how do they get away with that???? just 'cuz they have a script, I guess...still impairs them I think...........:eek: is all Ok as long as they have a script???

I don't know, we never test in my facility except upon new hires...I don't know how they got away with it unless it is OK with a script...

If you can provide a script for it, it should be Okay. Now, if you're at work, falling asleep, making constant errors, thats one thing..

But a lot of anti depressants, anti-anxiety meds can make one sleepy... but in the same right, should people with Anxiety/Depressive disorders remain untreated if they want to work in nursing?

Drug tests also tests for barbituates, so should a nurse with a seizure disorder not take her phenobarbital?

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Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.

I know, there is a fine line here....some definately DO need their medications, but there are many that don't....same ole, same ole, over-medicated...pts. and staff......

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
hmm, i wonder if anyone here gets a nose bleed from taking the high road all of the time?

we don't have random drug testing at my hospital. two managers must agree to drug test an employee if there is reasonable suspicion.

my personal opinion: i don't think it should be anyone's business what you do on your own time, away from the hospital.

i also pose this question to you guys: let's say i'm normally clean as a whistle. something traumatic happens and i decide to take a friend's valium. a few days letter i am randomly drug tested and it comes back positive. do you really think i should lose my job for that??

Well, taking a medication that is not prescribed for you IS against the law, any medication.

That being said, my hospital does drug testing on all new hires and random ones also. The computer pulls up so many tests every month, HR gives the notification to the staff member's supervisor. And you have a couple hours to get to the lab to give your specimen. I've been "the chosen" one 3 or 4 times over the past 20 years.

And as to that it isn't anyone business what you do on your own time, yes your time off is yours but each time you renew your nursing license ,you confirm that you haven't broken any laws, Right?

I don't think drug testing applies to just nursing. Read the want ads in papers and it will mention one of the qualifications for such and such a job is passing a drug test.

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Specializes in Med-Tele, Internal Med PCU.

Both sides have valid arguements.

Is MJ any worse than alcohol? No, infact it's less addictive and has fewer long term effects.

Is MJ a "gateway drug"? Probably, it is the "bike with training wheels", that too frequently leads to deeper more dangerous drugs. Only very few follow this path, but it does happen. Same could be said for alcohol.

As Borat said, you have a choice; do it and risk being caught and losing your career, or don't do it. It's really pretty simple.

For the record I am not a user nor have I ever been, though I did experiment in HS. I am a beer drinker and would say that I have seen more folks ruin themselves with alcohol than with marijuana.

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Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.

I definately agree that MJ is less offending than ETOH....I work in a dual diagnosis unit and we don't get any pts. detoxing from MJ...but too many detoxing from ETOH, and it isn't pretty....seizures, erratic B/P, multiple medical problems coming off ETOH....as for MJ....if the gov. could collect taxes on it, I think it would be legal...have seen no harm from it....I personally do not smoke it or I would be 300#..!!!and feeling stupid all the time.....but would much rather be around someone on MJ than ETOH any day....

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

As Borat said

. . .:banghead:

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Specializes in Med-Tele, Internal Med PCU.
. . .:banghead:

Sorry about that ... I noticed it after the 5 minute edit period.

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Specializes in OR, ICU, Med-Surg.

I am just going to go ahead and say what a LOT of people on here want to say. I smoke marijuana. On a fairly regular basis; 8-12 x / month. I don't drink alcohol at all and unlike the diverters in our midst I don't even take aspirin (thankfully, I am only 28 so haven't had much need :p ). I have been an RN for 5 years in an ICU. I don't come to work under the influence as that would be incredibly irresponsible. It is a controversial issue in our society as well as within our profession (as we are just a small ccongregation of the larger whole). The author obviously smokes marijuana as I have had your concerns from time to time in my work history (not particularly at my current employer). You should have had this disclosed to you when you first started and filled out your employeee paperwork. Depending on your state's legislation, your facility may not be able to do pre-employment and/or random drug screening at all, some states select certain drugs which are ok to test for and which are not, and some states pre-employment and post-injury drug screen almost w/o exception. I have lived in a couple different states and as yet Mary is still illegal for unprescribed consumption in all 50 so, just like Catholic priests in several states throughout prohibition I am forced to learn the intricacies of my current states legislation and my facilities policies prior to gaining employment. I just take a break for a month or so prior to interviewing periods in my life and since I don't come to work UTI (haha--under the influence) I never worry about being asked to take a drug test. I know there are 3 kinds of people in this world when it comes to this issue. Those that smoke, those that judge smokers, and those that have no opinion. The former tend to find each other, and let me assure you in this corner of the liberal west there are many of us...management on down. To close before I start to rant, I just want to say to the author, before you subject yourself to a drug test and test positive you may want to think about resigning your position, taking a smoking sabatical (sorry for using religious references) and going looking for new employment (all-be-it one reference shy on your updated resume :( ).

Hope all works out well for you. I know loads of EXCELLENT fellow RNs who smoke pot that are just as good at clinical skills, advocacy, leadership, and ethics as those that don't.

..ps Don't even get me started on the LEGAL drug, alcohol.

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Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.

I don't smoke, I don't judge others, but I do have an opinion.....so BaRNs- there are 4, not 3 kinds of people regarding this issue...my husband has been a regular smoker forever it seems....don't see any long term effects, acts much nicer than when he drinks, so I have No problem with it at all....I choose not to, I do not like the effects for me personally but many people I know do smoke...

and Yes, don't get me started on the harm of all the "legal drugs" either.....Alcohol, Xanax, Prozac, (anti-depressents and tranquilizers) are the worst... just my opinion, nothing more, nothing less

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