The best excuses for positive drug screens

[rnaturcervix]

I have recently had a lot of positive UDS pts, and the excuses I hear as to why they are positive simply blow my mind! Anyone have any good stories? I'll start with my favorites.....

+ marijuana: I was trapped in a car with 10 other people smoking and the windows were broken

+methamphetamine: I don't use it, I just cook it, and usually not at my own house

+cocaine: I was asleep, and my boyfriend blew it up my nose. The 2 gay men that live next to me put cocaine in their air vents, and it must have got into my apartment.

**my all-time favorite: well, of course my wife is positive for cocaine, you have no idea how many cokes she drinks everyday**

Anyone else??? :)

[morte, LPN, LVN]

so committing battery is ok with you?

Then I don't know I've never heard of that ever happening. Although my guess would be it would be covered under something since their is an infant involved. Or there's the possibility of just doing all the steps that would be followed after a positive uds which would just include a social work consult. They would take it from there too.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I am so opposed to performing any type of test or procedure on a person, against their will, who is mentally capable of decision-making.

The field of obstetrics is still so paternalistic, unfortunately.

[OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN]

so committing battery is ok with you?

Battery really ?????? Lol

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

so committing battery is ok with you?

I wasn't aware that you needed a signed Informed Consent form to ask someone to pee into a cup.

I don't know that I've EVER been told EXACTLY what my urine would be screened for at the doctor's office or hospital (aside from actual employment urine drug screens where the whole purpose of the drug screen is to check for drugs). Ditto for blood draws... they put a needle in my arm and fill up a bunch of vials, but they don't sit there and tell me "this vial will check for anemia, this vial will check for thyroid function, yada yada yada".

When I was hospitalized briefly for severe dehydration due to N/V/D in my eighth month of pregnancy, they gave me a cup to pee into, but they never said what they were looking for. I assumed that they were checking for glucose and ketones and such, but nobody explained beforehand exactly what tests would be done on the urine.

When I presented with a UTI / blood in the urine before, they handed me a cup and I provided them with a sample, but they never told me what all they were going to be looking for. I assumed they were checking for bacteria and blood and such, but nobody explained beforehand exactly what tests would be done on the urine.

I would assume that the fact that I handed them the urine of my own free will is, in effect, giving them consent to do with it whatever they want with the urine. If you're not cathing the patient -- they're just handing you the cup after they peed into it on their own -- I don't see how it would be considered battery.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

inflicting testing/treatment without consent, is for the most part, not legal.

[Helori]

inflicting testing/treatment without consent, is for the most part, not legal.

Yes but there is implied consent. If you have to hold a person down to take blood and insert a catheter you'd better have a court order or something to back you. But like brillohead said if you say I need to take some blood and urine and they willingly pee in the cup and stick out your arm their consent is implied.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

that only applies to that which is medically nec for treatment!

Yes but there is implied consent. If you have to hold a person down to take blood and insert a catheter you'd better have a court order or something to back you. But like brillohead said if you say I need to take some blood and urine and they willingly pee in the cup and stick out your arm their consent is implied.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

that only applies to that which is medically nec for treatment!

And you don't think it's important to know if your patient (and their baby) is under the influence of drugs?

[morte, LPN, LVN]

my wanting to know, is not the point.

And you don't think it's important to know if your patient (and their baby) is under the influence of drugs?

[klone, MSN, RN]

In what tangible way would it change your care for this woman if you knew she had THC or meth in her system?

[OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN]

And you don't think it's important to know if your patient (and their baby) is under the influence of drugs?

He or she has most likely not taken care of baby that is withdrawing. It's not just like having a cranky baby many times are babies that are withdrawing have to be transferred to nicu. So yes it is incredibly important information to know to give safe care.

[OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN]

In what tangible way would it change your care for this woman if you knew she had THC or meth in her system?

Well as we have done often at my work we would help and support mom getting of drugs. Provide safe administration of any medications needed for withdrawing. Ensure baby is okay during this timewith daily or more frequent NSTs. We would also offer any help she may need such as counseling or help finding a safe place to stay. There are a million good things that can come from knowing. I work in an area that we see a lot of drug abuse, domestic violence, homeless mom's and super young teen mom's. Any info about their home life can help us give them the best start they possibly can which is all most us really want. Some stories end up heart breaking but I've also seen great outcomes. And as far as babies that are positive for drugs, well most of them still go home with mom and they get extra support so it is still a good outcome. And lastly, in my opinion if you're using drugs while pregnant well then maybe you do need some outside help there's obviously a reason or something going on.