Published Jul 10, 2014
marmac
1 Post
I just got home from my pre-employment drug screen for my first year of nursing school and I'm so distraught! I went in after having some cereal, drank some juice, and felt like i was good to go! I go into the place and the nurse asks me if I can provide the specimen, and I say yes, because my bladder felt like I could do it! She told me to pee up to the line, so I go in, and I just can't do it! I would lie if I said I was "just under the line", because I wasn't, I had a ways to go. so I sat there for about 8 minutes stressing and trying to force out some more urine. She knocks on my door and says "you know you have a limited amount of time in there, right?" NO! I didn't know that! And so I start freaking out and rushing and asking her why? It may have looked suspicious, but I don't do drugs, I don't smoke, I don't drink, nothing! I just was stressing to get up to the line because she seemed so strict about it (it also doesn't help that I have anxiety, let's throw that into the mix). I just wanted this drug screen to go perfectly...
I come out and she tells me that the amount is just enough, but she can't read the temperature, and that I'll probably have to re-do it!
Has anyone else experienced this? This is the third drug screen I've ever done in my life, and I've never had a problem with peeing, so I didn't know all this temperature and time stuff. I just feel really stupid, like I should have known. I just don't want them to be suspicious about me when I literally don't do any drugs. Has this happened to anyone else?
Thanks for any input or insight.
P.S. The nurse wasn't very nice to me either
Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN
4 Articles; 7,907 Posts
The nurse likely wasn't warm and fuzzy because she has dealt with more than her share of applicants trying to scam the drug test. So I can't blame her one bit if she didn't pat your arm sympathetically and go, "there there." Don't take her attitude and actions personally because it wasn't personal.
Temperature is very important because urine is a certain temperature when it leaves the body. Anything too hot or too cold means it's been tampered with.
All you can do right now is see if your sample is acceptable. If it's not and you have to redo it, be sure not to offer to do the test until you are absolutely sure you can "fill to the line." Be sure to drink enough fluid, but don't overdo the fluid as a too dilute sample can be rejected as well.
And try to stay calm during the test...easier said than done, I know. But as I mentioned earlier, the nurse running the test had dealt with all sorts of shenanigans and heard all of the excuses. So even if you come bearing a letter from your psychiatrist stating that you have GAD and that's why you're stressing out as you pee, that isn't going to cut you one inch of slack during the exam.
But hopefully your first sample is fine. Best of luck.