Weed and work.

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A classmate of mine is a heavy cannabis user. To the point where he has not even applied for any positions yet because he is certain that his pre-screening drug test will come back positive. He says that he just has to stay clean long enough to pass the drug screening because "hospitals hardly ever drug tests to nurses."

How true is this? How often are nurses screened at YOUR facility? I was going to ask my preceptor, but I think me asking will look weird..

Drug tested EVERY time narc count is off because of nurse error or charting error, which I can tell you happens a lot.

That sounds terribly costly. Urinalysis tests aren't cheap!

I wonder how they can justify the cost of it. Pass it on to the consumer/patient, I suppose. SMH

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Specializes in Critical Care.

There seems to be a general assumption that if someone uses marijuana that they are always stoned. I like an occasional beer, would it be safe to assume I'm always drunk?

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I know that I test "dirty" and usually will opt out of a urine and request a blood test in the lab since I can give my prescriptions and it nullifies those that came back positive.

Should clarify I have ADD/ADHD, SLE, RA, fibromyalgia and CFS/ME so I test positive for legitimate prescriptions in treating my health issues

Now with the testing I've been in healthcare 20yrs from volunteering, NA, CNA, EMT, LVN and now in the ADN program. I've only ever been tested with pt or staff injury, counts off or erratic behavior. I did get tested once when I had a bad reaction to a new med and spent almost a hour in the bathroom dying, so yeah erratic.

But my best friend(RN) went to europe for her honeymoon and spent a week in Amsterdam then another week in Greece. Came home and first shift coming in the counts were off so everyone got tested. Mind you impossible for it to be her stealing drugs when she was on coming shift. She tested positive for marijuana. License pulled and she had to go before the board threatening at the very least a restricted license. Fortunately for her she had ample photographic and receipt proof that she was in Amsterdam and doing it legal. She did pay out of her own pocket for a hair follicle test just to prove she wasn't an addict and had no history of illegal drug use.

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Marijuana has helped many people I know with depression, migraines, insomnia, ADHD, etc. I don't look down on your friend for using! Give it a couple years, it'll be legal and all those closet smokers will be coming out. Besides the fact that he's high, what is he doing that's wrong? Keep an open mind!

Ive had about 5 different health care jobs and never got tested, not even pre-employment. The only job I've been drug tested for was a grocery store! Ha!

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I just read another post saying that even if it's legal they will still fire the person for using.

You know what I'd do? I'd leave that place regardless if I smoked or not, I'm not letting my employer dictate what I do at home. It's legal! Back off!

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There seems to be a general assumption that if someone uses marijuana that they are always stoned. I like an occasional beer, would it be safe to assume I'm always drunk?

From your posts? No.

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Marijuana has helped many people I know with depression, migraines, insomnia, ADHD, etc. I don't look down on your friend for using! Give it a couple years, it'll be legal and all those closet smokers will be coming out. Besides the fact that he's high, what is he doing that's wrong? Keep an open mind!

Ive had about 5 different health care jobs and never got tested, not even pre-employment. The only job I've been drug tested for was a grocery store! Ha!

Ha! Are you high now? Do you really want a high nurse taking care of you and yours?

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You don't know much American history, do you?

America tried to outlaw the sale and use of alcohol. It was called Prohibition. All it did was create a very large and lucrative black market for the product.

Alcohol may be legal, but I don't know any employers who would allow their employees to work while under the influence. Your logic is incredibly flawed.

Also, your comparison to Middle East practices is simply ludicrous. What US state prohibits women from being out in public without an escort?

Seriously, you really should think things through a bit more before you risk embarrassing yourself.

wow, someone's cranky today.

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Ha! Are you high now? Do you really want a high nurse taking care of you and yours?

Who said that? Not me. Do you care if your nurse goes home and drinks a glass of wine? Nope. Me either. Pretty comparable to a hit of weed. Like I said, keep an open mind.

For nurses, you guys sure are judgy! Keep pointing that finger!

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Who said that? Not me. Do you care if your nurse goes home and drinks a glass of wine? Nope. Me either. Pretty comparable to a hit of weed. Like I said, keep an open mind.

For nurses, you guys sure are judgy! Keep pointing that finger!

A "hit of weed" is not what OP is talking about. *points at you then the OP*

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Ok.. well it's what I'm talking about. Cause I had originally said that I didn't look down on ppl who smoke weed and you said something about having a high nurse so I'm just clarifying what I had meant. I think we need to ease up a bit on what ppl do in their spare time.

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I encourage all people to smoke weed. It make it much easier for me to take your job and outwit you in business and take your money

Carry on............

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