What type of drug tests do nursing schools do?

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Urine, Blood, or Hair? I'm just curious, as I've had a hair test done before and they cut 2 chunks out!! Not sure how that would look now considering my hair is so short!!

What is there reasoning for this, it doesn't make any sense? I mean I can understand doing it before entering the program, but what is their reasoning for requiring all these times before you are even in nursing school?

Usually it's facility requirements. You can only release the results to one agency--thus the multi times. Again, try suggesting that you have only one a year done & release it to the school & they can cc the results to each agency you'll be at each semester.

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Mi Vida -

I think they did this because they changed everything around in Colorado. I know that you went through the same changes too, or were you in before the competitive change? So, it was a drug test and background check for the CNA class, one drug test and background check for putting my name on the waitlist (2 months after CNA), then they changed the policy to competitive, which at first, they said that we could use the background check and drug test that I had just done two months prior, but then they said I needed another one because it was competitive and they were trying to weed out people that were already on the waitlist (applicant pool). Then, when I was accepted, we had to do another drug test and background check to start this semester. They are going to do that every semester because that PCT that infected patients because she was injecting herself with the patient's drugs, then filling them with saline solution so the patient got injected with saline solution, instead of their pain meds. A lot of those patients were infected with Hep. C....I'm not sure if you heard about that or not. So, the hospitals where we do our clinicals at changed their policies. Which I understand. I don't want to go to school with a bunch of druggies either and I certainly don't want them around the patients!

And I'm not complaining at all. I'm just glad to have a seat. It is getting a little expensive though and it adds a lot of running around. But, like I said, I will jump through all hoops just to get my place in the nursing program!

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Mi Vida -

I think they did this because they changed everything around in Colorado. I know that you went through the same changes too, or were you in before the competitive change? So, it was a drug test and background check for the CNA class, one drug test and background check for putting my name on the waitlist (2 months after CNA), then they changed the policy to competitive, which at first, they said that we could use the background check and drug test that I had just done two months prior, but then they said I needed another one because it was competitive and they were trying to weed out people that were already on the waitlist (applicant pool). Then, when I was accepted, we had to do another drug test and background check to start this semester. They are going to do that every semester because that PCT that infected patients because she was injecting herself with the patient's drugs, then filling them with saline solution so the patient got injected with saline solution, instead of their pain meds. A lot of those patients were infected with Hep. C....I'm not sure if you heard about that or not. So, the hospitals where we do our clinicals at changed their policies. Which I understand. I don't want to go to school with a bunch of druggies either and I certainly don't want them around the patients!

And I'm not complaining at all. I'm just glad to have a seat. It is getting a little expensive though and it adds a lot of running around. But, like I said, I will jump through all hoops just to get my place in the nursing program!

When I was in school--between school & work & the several different places I volunteer with children I had to have 11 a year. Now I'm back down to 7.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Mi Vida -

I think they did this because they changed everything around in Colorado. I know that you went through the same changes too, or were you in before the competitive change? So, it was a drug test and background check for the CNA class, one drug test and background check for putting my name on the waitlist (2 months after CNA), then they changed the policy to competitive, which at first, they said that we could use the background check and drug test that I had just done two months prior, but then they said I needed another one because it was competitive and they were trying to weed out people that were already on the waitlist (applicant pool). Then, when I was accepted, we had to do another drug test and background check to start this semester. They are going to do that every semester because that PCT that infected patients because she was injecting herself with the patient's drugs, then filling them with saline solution so the patient got injected with saline solution, instead of their pain meds. A lot of those patients were infected with Hep. C....I'm not sure if you heard about that or not. So, the hospitals where we do our clinicals at changed their policies. Which I understand. I don't want to go to school with a bunch of druggies either and I certainly don't want them around the patients!

And I'm not complaining at all. I'm just glad to have a seat. It is getting a little expensive though and it adds a lot of running around. But, like I said, I will jump through all hoops just to get my place in the nursing program!

What area of Co are you in again? We haven't gone competitive here yet, but it's right around the corner. Now that I think about it I think I have had the background done twice. (not drug) I got on the wait list in March 2006. When I moved here they were changing things up for new people. I moved here 7/06. So I had to do the back ground and prints to stay on the list. It was 35$ just for that and I didn't have to pay for the prints because they didn't cost if you had them done on the campus.

Then this summer before starting the program I had to do the 88 dollar package for the back ground and drug. I didn't have to do prints again since they were on file. But yeah having to do that a lot would get expensive. This summer they had said our school system (front range) plans on going competitive by 2011 but they have started the process over the the past 6 months slowly. I am so glad none of that effected me. When I got on the WL you didn't even have to have Micro done yet, it just had to be completed the semester prior to starting the program.

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When I started 8 years ago, it was like that as well. You only had to do Psy 101, A&P I, English and another pre-req. Then you got on the waitlist and could do the rest of the pre-reqs while waiting. But I didn't get on the waitlist before they changed it to add a lot of the classes so I ended up taking a year off while I had my son and then completing the rest of the classes. Then they changed everything again! At least I'm finally in!

I'm in Colo. Springs.

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I don't know about nursing school but almost all hospitals will require a urine drug screen.

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