What kind of pre-employment drug screen do most employers do?

Nurses Career Support

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I want to apply for jobs but I'm worried about getting a hair test for the pre-employment drug test. I made a stupid decision at a party so I'm just worried about failing a hair test (yes I know it was dumb and I would never do it again ever). What if I just walk out of the place if they want to test my hair? Is that a refusal and automatic fail and would they report that to the board? The nursing community in my town is kinda small so I would be worried about getting blacklisted/getting a bad reputation if I did something like that and never getting hired in this town

I'm not worried about a UDS at all and know I can pass that, is that what most employers do these days? just test urine?

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

Never had my hair tested, only my urine.

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I just had my urine and blood test. Never heard they would need to test your hair. Maybe there is such thing but I probably missed it.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

OP, it doesn't really matter what anyone else here has experienced ... it only matters what hurdles you now face as an applicant.

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well I'm unsure of what to do. Don't most hair tests only detect up to 90 days? It's been longer than 90 days so I wonder if I'm fine and just paranoid about nothing? I want to apply for jobs but the thought of a hair test terrifies me

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Specializes in ICU.

I've never had a hair test. I wouldn't worry about it.

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I would just hang out until I thought the coast, or in this case, the hair, was clear. You are ahead of the game to be aware enough to be concerned, so it might not be a bad idea to take the easy remedy.

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Can't it stay in your hair though for up to a year? That would mean I'd have a long time to wait until I could apply for jobs. I took one of my klonopins that I had saved from a past rx (I was having anxiety issues that day), I'm sure that rx isn't current (probably a year old or something), what if that shows up in my hair too even though I had an old rx for it

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Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

certainly, when i was hired they did the urine, and blood test, however, now a days they do the hair as well. consequently, i was told by one of the reps. that was doing the testing that for a 1/2 inch of hair it goes back 30 days, and they have a 5 panel screening or a 10 panel, and you're correct they mostly go back 90 days. wishing you the best always...aloha~

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so that 1 klonopin I took 2 weeks ago with an expired rx could affect it :\ I guess I'll just wait on applying for now

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Specializes in MedSurg, OR, Cardiac step down.

shave your head :lol2:

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Depends on the substance to which you are referring. If you are in fact referring to 1 klonopin pill, I would not worry about that at all. Apply for the job!

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