Our hospital pushed hard for random drug testing in our latest contract. The union gave in, in favor of some other items.
They have started pulling people from their sfifts, escorting to employee health nurse, and demanding urine.
My feelings are mixed. I'm against drug use generally, but actually don't care what people do on their days off. As long as you aren't diverting or impaired on the job, that's good enough for me. I don't see how random testing people who aren't acting suspiciously helps.
There are a lot of things that can impair you at work that don't involve drugs. Sleep deprivation comes to mind. Personal turmoil in one's life can distract a person from doing a good job at work.
Another thing, I've read on the recovery site here that there are things that can interfere with an accurate drug test. Eating certain foods can cause a false positive. It seems like it might be a big complication for innocent people.
As a side note it seems like the union gives up more and more every contract.
I dont smoke, do any drugs or anything. Im in pain and have a script. That being said, there are 3 things i drop for 1) police and courts 2) military 3) pre employment tests/ accident tests, thats it. I happily bring this up to every employer, and have yet to have anybody say anything other than "fair enough". Just my little 2 cents on the subject.
Has no one seen Myth Busters and the poppy seed muffins affecting the drug test? Well, it was no myth - poppy seeds will make you test positive for opiods. The first lesson I learned in Statistics was the high rate of false positives in drug testing, poppy seeds or not. Any sort of random testing is weak and sets the facility up for a lawsuit. It's foolish administrative overreach; begging for a skillful lawyer to show their client was shamed and unlawfully terminated for having a false positive, or for being on their legally prescribed prescription medication that their hospital had no right to violate their privacy about. There should be CAUSE to investigate employees, not random searches or testing, this is Management 101. Tell us the name of the corporation running your hospital so we can name and shame THEM for harrassing their nurses.
Enough with this "I don't work off the clock" and "my time is my business." Nursing is a profession, not a job...therefore you are a nurse 24/7.
However, in cases of natural disaster or public emergency, war, terrorism, election outcome tantrums, whatever, ALL nurses are on the clock. Yes, at the beck and call of public need. So it is in the public interest that you are not impaired on your "time off."
Completely separate from the whole random drug testing issue, I dispute your contention that because nursing is a profession, we are nurses "24/7." Certainly not "ALL" nurses work in hospitals, and even ones that do are not subject to being on call 24/7, 365 days a year.
I'm going to a wedding in a couple of days. By your logic, I shouldn't have any champagne because I would be impaired, and I have some duty to be completely sober 24/7 because I'm on call in the event of a public emergency or natural disaster. No, I'm not. I'm NOT a nurse "24/7."
If I am expected to organize my life so that I am "on call" 24/7, someone best be writing me a check for that. That being said, were I at a social function where alcohol is involved and I were say, going on call the following morning, than no I should not drink.
If I am expected to organize my life so that I am "on call" 24/7, someone best be writing me a check for that. That being said, were I at a social function where alcohol is involved and I were say, going on call the following morning, than no I should not drink.
Quickbeam, BSN, RN
1,011 Posts
THC is usually the most problematic issue since it lingers. Any prescription drugs can be reviewed by the MRO.