Drug Testing

I'm going to get raked over the coals for this one...
But I just HAD to ask this question.
At any point in your nursing career were you drug tested?
I'll say no more.
And no, I'm not a pothead.

Shel
Everytime I have started a new job except for the last 2. One was a small company- air ambulance- only tested the pilots and my current one- unionized nurses. RJ

Almost every hospital does drug testing of its new employees.

Quote from shel_wnyI'm going to get raked over the coals for this one...But I just HAD to ask this question.At any point in your nursing career were you drug tested?I'll say no more.And no, I'm not a pothead. Shel

in order to get 2 of my jobs, yes I was drug tested.

Quote from CCU NRShmmmmm interesting: you know with my kids I usually take immediate denial as admission of guilt...I am probably a bad parent LOL

I Believe That Drug Testing Has Become Routine With The Impact Of Litigation These Days. It Protects Those Of Us That Are Working, Not Just The Facility.

Every single job that I have ever had required drug testing.

Thanks to all for your replies.I had to drug test for the first time ever for the job I currently hold.I didn't really agree with the principle but I complied because I wanted the job.I'm ever curious about drug testing and how it conflicts with a right to privacy.I suppose now it's just a standard procedure though my husband argues that in Canada they have more respect for a person's privacy and it is rare that you are asked to take a drug test. Can anyone vouch for this?Shel

I don't know about Canada, but I've never hard of anyone here - unless they already had a drug abuse history and were being monitored - being drug tested.

Every time I changed jobs...and after being out on maternity leave

Yes, every single nursing job I've had...and that runs the course over the last 12-13 yrs.

Same for all my nursing jobs. My current hosp also has a policy that they can ask you to do another one anytime they want and if you don't do it before you clock out for the day then you are terminated. They also randomly screen x amount of workers every month, I got one of those last year while i was pregnant and just laughed!:chuckle Really, i'm in small town georgia! One place I went to did hair testing, as drugs stay a lot longer in your hair i guess, months. They cut a strip of my hair across the crown of my head, you know i never even worked a day there-it was ltc and not my cup of tea and couldn't make it even through orientation. So much for the hair! i could always feel it growing back, a line of spiky hair under all the rest of it!