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Should random drug testing be allowed
Effects of drug testing in the workplace
Should random drug testing be allowed
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The work place is not meant to be boring. For most working is a way to provide for themselves and their families. Drug testing for employees will solve many problems that not only occur at work but as well as in society. Drug testing is only performed on about 1/3 of all applicants in America. The effect of substance abuse in the work place is a large problem employers face when issues arise with new employees or veteran employees. Although there are many factors and limitations that employers must consider and inform their employees of, the bottom line comes down to finding the best workers to produce a good service or quality product. Completing this task is much more enjoyable for coworkers and (higher up officials) when a worker is able to so, without the influence of a substance effecting their productivity and personality. The effects of any type of substance on the human body will affect it in some manner. Since work is a vital part of most American lifestyles; The issue of a drug or substance related incident is something that many are not willing to take th...
As much as 95% of employers favor urine testing as a method for drug testing, and this one piece of statistic may have positively affected the trend and demand for synthetic urine over the years.
The chapter, Selling in Minnesota, had some disturbing information about the low wage life. As I read, I learned that every place the author went to apply, such as a Wal-Mart and a Home Depot type place called Menards, required the applicant to pass a drug test. The author went out and had to buy detox for $30, but can be up to $60. Also, I learn that 81% of employers do drug test their future employees. I don’t like this statistic, in part because I tried getting a job at Marshall Field’s restaurant and they required me to pass a drug test. Luckily, another employer called me before my scheduled drug screening (which I had planned on passing by being really sneaky and using the urine of a friend of mine), so I took that job offer and everything worked out well. The reason I don’t agree with the drug testing required to access most entry-level jobs, is because the only drugs they actually test for is Marijuana. Cocaine and heroine leave the body within three days, and other drugs aren’t even tested for. So that leaves the most commonly used illicit drug, and one that has the least affect on the user, to be tested for.
...ult, and some times it does not give a result at all. It is unfair because it only targets certain workers; mainly low wage employees. It is unjust because people are automatically accused of using drugs, and that is why the drug test is given. Drug testing should not be abolished, but it should be a more controlled issue since it is something everyone in the US must go through.
The environment includes everything around you. Good and bad things are a part of the environment. People and substance abuse is something that is a part of our environment. Therefore, people abuse substances such as drugs, alcohol, and tobacco for different and complex reasons, but it is clear that our society pays a significant cost. Drugs can be injected, snorted, smoked, or ate (Mental Health Center: Substance abuse, 2013). Abusing drugs and alcohol can lead to job loss, family feuds, homelessness, and even death. In big cities you are most likely to see a person who suffers from substance abuse and they are on the street for one of those three reason. Death is not far away if they keep up with this bad habit. This problem not only affects the individual but also the organization they are currently in. Drugs such as, cocaine, crack, marijuana, inhalants, club drugs, heroin, steroids are all examples of illegal drugs any individual could be using while in an organization that require all individuals to work in a drug free environment.
While employment screening in the healthcare sector is decidedly standard, the law does often not require drug and alcohol testing. Substance abuse is one of the leading causes of disciplinary action against a nursing license in the U.S. Random drug screenings are used to detect the use of unapproved or illegal drugs for the purpose of upholding patient safety (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2006). The American Nurses Association (ANA) estimates that six to eight percent of nurses use alcohol or drugs to a degree that would impair professional judgment (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2011). Approximately one-third of the one percent of actively licensed nurses are disciplined each year for their substance misconduct (Kenward, 2008). Protecting patients from unsafe practices and personnel is the primary responsibility of each supervisory board of nursing. However, the fear of punishment from the board or termination keeps many nurses unwilling to come forward (Maher-Brisen 2007). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the viability of mandating random drug testing for nurses and other health professionals. The objective of this would be to address the rooted issues of substance abuse and decrease the risk of harm to patients under the healthcare provider’s care.
The consequences of substance abuse as a practicing nurse are endless. According to the Alabama Board of Nursing Administrative Code, the Board will take disciplinary action toward a nurse who is proven to be negligent from the use of alcohol or has been proven to be addicted to any habit-forming drug (2017). Either of these criteria render the nurse unsafe and or unreliable to practice as a nurse (Alabama Board of Nursing, 2017). Depending on the extent of the offense, the Board may discipline the transgressor in several ways including reprimand, fine, and suspending or revoking their license (Alabama Board of Nursing, 2017). Any nurse facing these charges also must endure the embarrassment of having their name permanently put on the Disciplinary Action Reports page of the Alabama Board of Nursing website for all of the public to review (Alabama Board of Nursing, 2017). Thus, if said nurse loses his or her job in the process, future employers will access this database for hires, leaving the nurse to be scrutinized by any possible employer. Not only do nurses risk their own credibility, they also risk the lives of their patients when under the influence. A study recorded by Cares shows that substance abuse rates were highest among nurses working in specialty fields (2016). The nurses working in the fields such as adult critical care and
Today, approximately 62% of all employers in the US have a mandatory drug testing program. Drug testing in the workforce has been a very controversial topic ever since. Drug testing should not be in the workplace since it does not measure on the job impairment, does not prevent accidents and is an invasion of privacy. There is no clear evidence that drug testing at work has a significant deterrent effect. Drug testing is not a measure of current intoxication and will reveal information about drug use that can have no impact on safety, productivity or performance.
Substance abuse in the field of nursing has become a serious problem. Every day exposure to drugs in addition to other factors have contributed to the issue of substance abuse among nurses and the impact on patient care. Some may still be unaware of the substance abuse problem nurses struggle with, and they don't realize until they see the consequences on overall patient outcomes and work productivity. Learning to recognize the chemically impaired nurse has allowed the health care field to expand its awareness and begin to take action on this issue. “To ensure productivity, safety, and quality of care, most hospitals have instituted drug-free workplace programs...that identify prohibited behaviors and the consequences of violating the policy” (Epstein et al., 2010, p. 515). In hope of change to this issue, further action continues to be a work in progress.
Employers may want to consider combating the stigma which haunts its addicted workers with a resourceful drug rehabilitation education system to both its addicted and non-addicted employees including the scientific facts surrounding addiction and dependence. This education may develop a positive perception of management, trust and introduce an efficient employee assistance program for all those in need to utilize.
The ethics of drug testing has become an increased concern for many companies in the recent years. More companies are beginning to use it and more people are starting more to have problems with it. The tests are now more than ever seen as a way to stop the problems of drug abuse in the workplace. This brings up a very large question. Is drug testing an ethical way to decide employee drug use? It is also very hard to decide if the test is an invasion of employee privacy. “The ethical status of workplace drug testing can be expressed as a question of competing interests, between the employer’s right to use testing to reduce drug related harms and maximize profits, over against the employee’s right to privacy, particularly with regard to drug use which occurs outside the workplace.” (Cranford 2) The rights of the employee have to be considered. The Supreme Court case, Griswold vs. Connecticut outlines the idea that every person is entitled to a privacy zone. However this definition covers privacy and protection from government. To work productively especially when the work may be physical it is nearly impossible to keep one’s privacy. The relationship between employer and employee is based on a contract. The employee provides work for the employer and in return he is paid. If the employee cannot provide services because of problems such as drug abuse, then he is violating the contract. Employers have the right to know many things about their employees.
One significant aspect is that the workers belonging to this industry are of various age group starting from 18 to 50 years of age (Cassidy, 2006). Among those various age groups, the use of drugs is positively correlated with the workplace death rate (Caplan and Goldberger, 2001). Consequently, varied working organizations in this industry have employed inventiveness to significantly investigate the exploit of drugs and their impact in the construction industry with the intention of coming across a scheme for emerging a course of action that could diminish the number of serious confrontations taking place mainly because of drug use on construction sites. 1.1 RATIONAL OF THE STUDY: Construction industries are classified largely as those which comprise skillful employees and general workers.
Drug abuse and the use of illicit substances is one of the biggest problems that our country faces today. Our youth are being faced with drugs at younger and younger ages. An epidemic has arose with heroin in communities big and small. Community leaders and those in power seem helpless and are constantly trying to find ways to control and stop this crisis. One common proposition is the institution of random drug tests at schools. The goal of these random drug tests is to make students less likely to try drugs or continue doing them if they had been previously. Random drug tests in schools have many positive and negative outcomes and people have very strong opinions on the subject, making it an extremely controversial topic.
I. Drug testing is meant to help clean our communities and the schools from drug related problems. Drug testing is an easy yet complicated test for many people. Statistics have shows a dramatic decrease of drug use and abuse in between the years of 2000-2006 (University Services, 2009). The U.K.’s country wide drug testing have helped show scientists all over the world the improvements that drugs testing at schools can make.
Perhaps most substance abuse starts in the teen years when young people are susceptible to pressure from their peers. One of the main concerns when dealing with substance abuse is the long term problems with substance such as addiction, dependency and tolerance. The physical state of an individual, who is addicted to a substance, will deteriorate over a long period of time. This is due to the chemicals that are being put into an individual body. One of the most important aspects of the effect of substance abuse on society includes ill health, disease, sickness, and in many cases death. The impact of substance abuse not only affects individuals who abuse substances but it affects our economy. Our government resources are negatively impacted by individual who abuse substances. According to (Lagliaro 2004) the implication of drug users extend far beyond the user, often damaging their relationships with their family, community, and health workers, volunteer and wider
Long working hours are associated with increased use of illegal drugs. Many people who own their businesses have been said to work for long hours in order to get higher returns. In order to achieve this success, they have turned to hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin and even marijuana. They are also using drugs to reduce fatigue and make them to remain alert for long hours. This is having an adverse effect on their bodies especially their vital organs such as heart, liver and kidney. Majority of them end up suffering from chronic diseases (Sutherland, Cooper & Palgrave Connect, 2000: 83). Once they are addicted, they are unable to control their feelings. In extreme cases, they get fired from their places of work or their ventures collapse due to poor management. As a result, they end up becoming depressed and some even commit suicide.