--- Question about job related policies related to UA's ---

[SukitTrebek]

I just recently passed my pre-employment UA. Already signed all the legal documentation that comes with getting a job and received the 'Employee Handbook'. I read the handbook, but it doesnt really specify anything about being subject to random UA's. It talks about have to take annual TB (Tuberculosis) test. I know if you get hurt on the job you have to take a UA, but apart from that how would it maybe be worded? I could see the place I work at not really doing UA's (VERY small hospital), but the fact I work in the health field makes me just want to assume they do in fact do random UA's. My only advice so far as been " make a couple friends on the inside thats been there awhile and DONT just straight up ask, but find a clever way to bring it up". I just dont want ANYONE to know or at least have that over my head. I have a family member that works in HR at another facility and she said 'legally' if they dont have anything in the handbook about it then it cant be done. Is that something that could be pushed aside if they wanted to random drug test me? Or ..... I mean Im clean right now because I got clean for the job I now have, but I would LOVE nothing more than to smoke again. All I pretty much do is sit around listen to music, play Xbox, and watch sports. Smoking just goes hand and hand with my life and I WANT IT BACK! haha any input/ advice would be awesome though! Thanks! :)

[wholapola]

Just a quick message about small hospitals and UA's. More specifically tox screens. I was employed at this hospital (remember small hospital, small town...) It astonished me how many ER tox screens were performed on patients who a) didn't do anything to help diagnose their problem and b) were not aware they were tested. But as true health care professionals can be more than once i've overheard in the hallway "I see J.J. Jones is here again, Oxycontin again?" My respect for health care professionals is dwindling to shit. New grads (not all, but most) are far to cynical to be privy to a patients diagnosis and uphold the rule! Forget any belief of privacy.

[webdox]

Just a longer message about ER UA's in general. We run them sometimes, not necessarily as a tool to diagnose anything, but to RULE OUT drugs because imagine this, some people don't tell the truth even after being Medivac'd in with their life on the line.

Sometimes it is imperative to ascertain this information because being doped up can mimic/mask many other symptoms. Giving Narcan and/or charcoal to someone is not something we take lightly.

I have never in my years in the ER seen one malicious UA ever drawn where it was not in some way, shape, or form indicated. It is that simple, but then again this is a 1000+ bed University hospital's Level 1 Trauma, not a small place, we don't have the time or resources to UA everybody willy-nilly.

As for breaking HIPAA, never cool and in this litigious society, not something we hardly ever see any more "in-house". People these days are far more apt to break HIPAA via Facebook than at their place of work. I've seen more than a handful of people lose their jobs over Facebook postings. They are smart enough to toe the line at work but get retarded and forget the rules when they get home.

But... it's not a HIPAA violation if both people are involved with the patients care and the conversation is not in earshot of non-staff. Not sure why two RN's or MD's discussing someone's drug seeking should diminish your opinion of health care workers in general to be honest? I'm there to take care of sick people and don' have time when we are slammed to have to deal with someone who is there for no other reason than to have their pain med addiction fed. Take that for what you will.

[wholapola]

Hospital workers are just people-some can be trusted (confidentiality) others are gossips.
And I agree-When working at SUNY Upstate Medical Center over small town hospital, you don't have time for willy-nilly stuff.

[SukitTrebek]

Just a quick message about small hospitals and UA's. More specifically tox screens. I was employed at this hospital (remember small hospital, small town...) It astonished me how many ER tox screens were performed on patients who a) didn't do anything to help diagnose their problem and b) were not aware they were tested. But as true health care professionals can be more than once i've overheard in the hallway "I see J.J. Jones is here again, Oxycontin again?" My respect for health care professionals is dwindling to shit. New grads (not all, but most) are far to cynical to be privy to a patients diagnosis and uphold the rule! Forget any belief of privacy. Yes I will agree with that. Did you ever get a random UA when working there?


Just a longer message about ER UA's in general. We run them sometimes, not necessarily as a tool to diagnose anything, but to RULE OUT drugs because imagine this, some people don't tell the truth even after being Medivac'd in with their life on the line. Yea thats true. Especially with young girls w/ the pregnancy thing in front of her parents...like she is going to admit it even if she was lol. But anyways did you ever get a random UA at work? I passed the pre employment UA so I got 1 out of the way at the least