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?
Specializes in Home Care, Psych, Education, Case Management.
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.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
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.
Considering the OP isn't even a nursing student yet, I can completely believe that they didn't grasp the potential consequences of taking someone else's prescription. To the average Joe, they don't think like someone with a license to protect. It's a mistake, sounds like they've learned from it. I'd be more concerned if this were someone who was looking to cheat a drug test.
The reason I took the medication is because I believed it was a very generic prescription for anxiety. That's the only reason. I was obviously wrong and won't make another mistake like that.
It is a very generic prescription for anxiety. It is also a controlled substance and can be highly addictive.
Specializes in Med Surg/ICU/Psych/Emergency/CEN/retired.
Considering the OP isn't even a nursing student yet, I can completely believe that they didn't grasp the potential consequences of taking someone else's prescription. To the average Joe, they don't think like someone with a license to protect. It's a mistake, sounds like they've learned from it. I'd be more concerned if this were someone who was looking to cheat a drug test.
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
Really the drug testing company called me to say that they require documentations from me saying that I was prescribe the medicine. Otherwise they will go ahead and send it to the school. Wouldn't my school ask for a copy of my prescription as well?
It it is against TOS to recommend, but I might sugest to me, to seek RX fom my provider
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.
Yes, it's harsh. And not necessarily true. For Heaven's sake, have you never messed up? There are no perfect people in this world.
We don't know anything about this person except he or she was given bad advice, by her Mom no less. If that isn't ironic I don't know what would be. Unfortunately, or perhaps it's really for the best, she took the advice.
She might or might not be admitted to the school. The school might miss this when they review her as a candidate. Stranger things have happened.
President Clinton and I think Pres. W smoked dope and they are billionaires. Obama, too? Not sure. And everyone alive has somehow, at some time, fallen short of perfection. Give OP a break.
Yes, it's harsh. And not necessarily true. For Heaven's sake, have you never messed up? There are no perfect people in this world.
We don't know anything about this person except he or she was given bad advice, by her Mom no less. If that isn't ironic I don't know what would be. Unfortunately, or perhaps it's really for the best, she took the advice.
She might or might not be admitted to the school. The school might miss this when they review her as a candidate. Stranger things have happened.
President Clinton and I think Pres. W smoked dope and they are billionaires. Obama, too? Not sure. And everyone alive has somehow, at some time, fallen short of perfection. Give OP a break.
This, 100%! Also, not everyone knows that Ativan is a benzo, or that everything ending in -epam or -olam is for that matter. Most people think only of narcotics as controlled substances, so to tell someone that they're not nursing material just because of one mistake like this is quite a huge assumption.
So from what I am hearing from everyone is that I messed up. My only question is if I should go ahead and e-mail the administration office to explain my situation and ask for a drug retake. Or rather should I just wait until they say something? I personally think it better for me to e-mail them.
I was once tested too and came back positive for Vyvanse (ADHD medicine and much higher in the rank of controlled substances). They never told me that I was positive (which I already knew I would), they sent the results straight to my school. They requested proof that I was being prescribed this medicine. I showed my prescription bottle with my name on it and the capsules inside the bottle. They said unless I had a dr's note stating that I was their patient and they had been prescribing this medicine for me I would not be able to continue. Fortunately I was able to obtain that note fast. I hate to say it, but if you admit to have taken somebody else's controlled substance (even with their permission) it's not going to look good for school. I really hope you can find a way to make it work without bad consequences.
Sorry OP but you've blown your chance at your school's nursing program. I'm sure that you didn't realize the consequences of taking an Rx med that didn't belong to you but that doesn't change your current situation. IMO your best option now is to withdraw from your current school and begin applying to other schools in the area. Future employers and schools will not have access to the results of this drug test so you are not likely to face more any more severe consequences at this time. However, I hope that you have learned from this situation. If you do become a nurse then this type of mistake could cost you your career. Be warned.
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NewenglandMSNRNBC, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN
71 Posts
Oh god.... Who is this, the nursing police?