Urine test

Nurses General Nursing

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I am going for my physical this week to be an employee at a hospital. They are giving us a urine test and I was just wondering would smoking cigarettes cost me my chance for the job? I know its not marijuana or nearly as bad, but i was just wondering would they cut me once they find nicotine in my system? Just curious =/ because this is my dream job

Sorry to tell you but cotinine is a urine test to determine tobacco use. It is a metabolite of nicotine.

Many hospitals in my area are not hiring smokers (the test for smokers is a urine cotinine test) and charging higher insurance premiums for smokers (as evidenced by a positive cotinine test). However many facilities offer tobacco cessation programs for their current employees.

Wow, so I may not get the job. This is difficult to deal with esp. since there are worse drugs out there, although I do understand nicotine kills. Idk what to do now =/

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Specializes in Renal, Tele, Med-Surg, LTC, MDS.
Nicotine isn't a controlled substance, nor do they test for it in a drug screening.

Just an FYI you can test for nearly anything, drugs or otherwise in the right lab... Our hospital has begun testing for nicotine also, due to the fact that employees sign statements saying they are non-smokers for the lower insurance premiums.

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Specializes in PICU.

I suppose i should have been more clear, i realize they Can test it but as of now most places of employment do not. I'm not sure a business is going to pay to have the test performed if they didn't give you some type of paper to sign stating you do not smoke (if thats what they wanted). Most hospitals now will not let you smoke on their property and enforce that regularly but I haven't heard of one saying if you smoke at all you cannot work here. The insurance premiums on the other hand are different. It would be similar to an employer saying that if you drank alcohol at all, even outside of work, you could not work here. I'm not sure thats legal since it's not a controlled substance.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Acute Rehab.
i suppose i should have been more clear, i realize they can test it but as of now most places of employment do not. i'm not sure a business is going to pay to have the test performed if they didn't give you some type of paper to sign stating you do not smoke (if thats what they wanted). most hospitals now will not let you smoke on their property and enforce that regularly but i haven't heard of one saying if you smoke at all you cannot work here. the insurance premiums on the other hand are different. it would be similar to an employer saying that if you drank alcohol at all, even outside of work, you could not work here. i'm not sure thats legal since it's not a controlled substance.

i have an interview on wednesday and the recruiter asked me if i smoke because this hospital has a "no smoking" policy. this is different than a facility that has a "non smoking" campus. he told me that they do not hire smokers. they just started this policy and they test for nicotine during your drug screen.

so while it may not be an illegal substance, if a hospital has this policy, they will not hire you.

if i were you, i would just ask them to clarify their policy. is it just a non smoking campus, or do they not hire smokers at all? a simple question before you go in for the physical and then you will know.

good luck!

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Specializes in ER/Ortho.

My life insurance company once told me it takes a few months of not smoking before you will test neg, so it wouldn't matter if you quit right now or not. My company recently started charging more for insurance, but hasn't started testing people yet.

Why would you job call your parents or vice versa? Your an adult so unless you guys share an answering machine you have nothing to worry about. I once had a prescription drug show up on my drug test (I had a prescription for it), and the drug test company left a message on my machine that I failed my drug test. This was very amusing for the teenagers in my house. They don't leave specifics so then you will be left to explain to your confused family. If you are still living at home I would give out my cell phone only as your home number.

I wouldn't worry right now as you do not even know if its a deal breaker or not. My company hired me a few months ago, and I was a smoker. I work with a ton of nurses and Dr's who smoke.

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The hospital I'm working just instated a no smoking policy for all people who are seeking employment there. Obviously people who smoke who already worked there when the policy was passed are exempt.

They stress repeatedly that you will be tested for nicotine use and if found positive you will not get the job but, can begin submitting applications again in 6 months.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

just quit that garbage and you won't have to worry about it! if my nurse came in stinking like smoke i would tell her to find me a new nurse!

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The hospital I'm working just instated a no smoking policy for all people who are seeking employment there. Obviously people who smoke who already worked there when the policy was passed are exempt.

They should do that at every hospital IMHO. The hospital I work at (one of the top private hospitals in the city) have a non-smoking campus so you regularly see nurses smoking outside the hospital on the side of a main road. Everyone who drives past can see them. Its not a good look :uhoh3:

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well i am reading on their website that they are a smoke free campus. and they provide programs for their employees to be tobacco free.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
well i am reading on their website that they are a smoke free campus. and they provide programs for their employees to be tobacco free.

Generally the tobacco cessation programs are for current employees not new employees. Nearly all the smoke-free facilities/campuses in my area will no longer hire smokers. (Some are upfront about it (smokers need not apply) while others are not & you find out when an offer of employment is rescinded after a pre-employment physical.

If they told you they are testing for cotinine at your pre-employment physical, odds are they will not hire smokers. Quit now and you won't have to worry about it. Think of all the money you will save.

Good luck.

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Nicotine isn't a controlled substance, nor do they test for it in a drug screening.

However many hospital now do NOT hire smokers and they DO test for it and will not hire you. Some will put you on probation and tell you that you may try for rehire in 6 months but freeze your application for 6 months. Yes I know it is not a controlled substance however many hospitals are no longer hiring smokers....Sorry to break it to you smokers!:eek:

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I'm not a smoker nor do I do drugs.. HOWEVER- This is the problem I have with pre-employment urine/blood/hair tests. Things ARE starting to slip down the slope..

The original purpose of these tests were to determine if the candidate was an addict and therefore a safety risk to the company or patients.

Now they test for nicotine which is NOT an illegal or controlled substance nor does it pose a safety risk now that everything is designated non-smoking in most hospitals/office buildings.

If they do it strictly from a standpoint of higher health and insurance risks it's just a matter of time before they won't hire people with high cholesterol, triglycerides, anemia, and a host of other diseases, disorders or conditions easily found in the blood, urine or hair.

It's going to get out of control..

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