So I am getting ready for bsn nursing school to start in the summer. One of the things that was required was a drug test. I took it without any hesitation, since I do not take any drugs. However, I did messed up before the drug test. Because of all the stress of moving, getting ready for nursing school, and personal life things my mother suggested I take one her lorazepam pill to help me calm down. I took it without hesitation because it a pretty universally used drug.
The part that I messed up at is that I took it before the drug test and it showed up. I obviously have no documentation saying that I have a prescription. So now I am kicking myself in the head and I don't know what to do.
What are the consequences for this? Will I be prevented to start? Are there any legal problems I should worry about? Can I retake it to show I am not an addict or have a problem with drugs? I am thinking of e-mailing my programs director to explain my situation and tell him "I am an idiot, I am not an addict, and I am very sorry. Please don't kick me out". Thoughts?
Everyone makes mistakes once in their life. Now just learn from it. I will tell you that getting your anxiety under control prior to starting nursing school is a big thing. I've always had anxiety but when I got pregnant during nursing school, my husband was deployed at the time and I had no family around to help so my anxiety increased tremendously. But I got help and it was the best decision that I ever made. I was able to finish school with a newborn, working and being alone.
I wish you the best of luck!!! And remember to breathe :)
So yes you messed up. I'm not sure on your schools policy but honesty is always best but you will have to deal with the consequences. We can all see you have learned your lesson. Those saying she has to be 20 not true. I applied to nursing school right after high school and was enrolled in a nursing program at 18. A lot of my class mates were 17 when we started. I did take a drug test for my new job. I had to disclose the medications I take one being an anxiety med and I was nervous about positive results and I have a prescription. Well they never ended up saying anything to me and I know it had to have been positive. It all comes back to your schools policy. Here is the positive you have not taken your nclex you have no board to report to. Learn from this and grow. Add me as a friend if you need some more support.
Most offices have (and all offices should) have a signed controlled substance agreement which details the risks of use and that sharing medication is considered a breach of contract.
Are you talking specifically about pain management clinics rxing opioids, or any provider rxing any schedule drug? I don't know how it works where you are, but the internal medicine and family practice physicians I work around hand out benzos like they are M&Ms, to pretty much any client who is having a bad day. I spend half my time (on the psychiatric C&L service in a major academic medical center) talking to people who have no idea that the little pill they take to help them sleep, or for their "nerves," is a controlled substance or potentially addictive. (The other half of my time I spend talking to people who know exactly what they are doing when they con their PCP into rxing benzos for them ...) If there has been any "patient education" (other than "take this, it will help you feel better"), the individuals certainly don't remember it, and I am pretty sure that none of these providers have ever even considered the possibility of a "signed controlled substance agreement" and would laugh heartily at the idea.
I take Clonazepam and it doesn't seem to even help! These drugs are a joke.I'm still scared of the way Salt Lake City is coming along! Ativan seems to be good on the physical aspect The way to control Anxiety is being in the Redwood Forest in California and not being bothered by the people in Florida!
This may sound a little harsh, but you are NOT nursing material. You took a controlled substance without a prescription. And to top this off, your mother gave it to you.
This attitude represents the worst of our profession. This is someone wanting to enter our field who learned a tough lesson, like every one of us either has or will. Be constructive and supportive.
Unless, of course, you're God and have chosen allnurses as the venue through which you are to spread your word. But you're not so let's try a little respect and maturity.
Really? Yeah it definitely is harsh. Don't act like you have never made a mistake in your life. I'm a nurse and I have popped an adderall or two back in high school, does that mean I should have never become a nurse? Who cares. This person hasn't even started nursing school yet. Everything is going to be just fine.
They might allow you to retest. If so, allow enough time for it to be out if your system
Honestly, if you needed a Lorazepam now, you will probably need it during nursing school! More stress than you can imagine. That being said, if I were you, I'd get in to my Dr right away and actually get a script for it- then you're covered as you'll have a legitimate script if you need to take it again and you have a script to show them that might work for this instance.
I would caution you against contacting them and giving any excuse. It really really wouldn't go over well.
Ask for a retest and/or actually get a script for yourself
They might allow you to retest. If so, allow enough time for it to be out if your system
Honestly, if you needed a Lorazepam now, you will probably need it during nursing school! More stress than you can imagine. That being said, if I were you, I'd get in to my Dr right away and actually get a script for it- then you're covered as you'll have a legitimate script if you need to take it again and you have a script to show them that might work for this instance.
I would caution you against contacting them and giving any excuse. It really really wouldn't go over well.
Ask for a retest and/or actually get a script for yourself
A retest would be a rerun of the initial blood sample. No school or employer is going to let you keep submitting new samples, until you test negative:banghead: Obtaining a prescription today, will not cover OP for a previous drug test:banghead:
OBRN7512
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Everyone makes mistakes once in their life. Now just learn from it. I will tell you that getting your anxiety under control prior to starting nursing school is a big thing. I've always had anxiety but when I got pregnant during nursing school, my husband was deployed at the time and I had no family around to help so my anxiety increased tremendously. But I got help and it was the best decision that I ever made. I was able to finish school with a newborn, working and being alone.
I wish you the best of luck!!! And remember to breathe :)