Drug Testing - The Definitive Guide
Now That It’s time, What Can I Expect?
Employer, Off-site
Upon first entering a collection facility for a pre-employment test, if you aren’t accompanied by an employer representative, you will be asked for your identification. If you don’t have any, you don’t get a test. Simple as that. You will be asked to leave. No test, no job. Your prospective employer will be called and told that you could not conduct the test because the presumed donor had no identification. You will need a piece of Government issued photo identification. (i.e.: Drivers License, Military ID Card, State issued ID card, Passport, you get the idea).
Once your ID is checked and it is determined that you have not sent your brother-in-law’s best friend in to test for you, you will be asked your Social Security Number. If you prefer, you could use your Driver’s license number, but since it is a Pre-employment test, your prospective employer only has your SSN on an application to identify you with. They also use your name on the CCF, but the SSN is the big identifier.
Urine
You may be asked to wash your hands. This is to ensure there is no adulterant on your hands like bleach under the fingernails. You will be asked to empty your pockets and remove all outer clothing such as jackets, extra sweatshirts, hats, scarves, gloves, etc. You cannot be made to put on a gown for the purpose of urine collection. If you are there to also have an employer based physical, then you will need to put on a gown. The collector will ask you to remove all things from your pockets. I mean everything including your cell phone, car keys, change, pocket knives, lighters tobacco containers, machetes, guns, lip stick, eye drops, coin purse, pot, pipe, pens, lint, wallet and your lucky rabbits foot. You will be allowed to keep the items that cannot be used as an adulterant or weapon. The remaining items will be put in a locked cabinet. You should have the key to the cabinet or safe in which your purse or other valuable are placed. You cannot be “frisked”, although the collector may ask about any obvious lumps in clothing like objects left in pockets, things attached to belts, etc.
You will then be taken to the restroom, where you will be instructed in how to give a specimen. The collection kit must be factory sealed and opened in front of you. The instructions are:
Please shut the door, urinate into the collection cup at least 1 inch deep to ½ cup full (this may vary depending on the collector). Please set the cup on the counter and open the door when you are finished. Do not run the faucet (it should be disabled) or flush the toilet. Any extra urine should be put inside the toilet.
For females, add: You may use toilet paper as you normally would. Just don’t flush the toilet. It doesn’t matter if you are menstruating, or get blood in the cup, we will just make a note on the CCF stating that you claim to be menstruating, accounting for the reddish color in the urine.
Then, after you have filled the cup to the desired depth and opened the door, the collector then checks the temperature of the urine. There is a small temperature strip stuck to the outside of the collection cup about ¼” from the bottom of the cup. The temperature needs to read between 90 – 100 degrees when read within 4 minutes of the void (peeing in the cup).
Laboratory test
The collector will then pour the urine in one or two vials, depending on whether the employer has arranged for a single or split collection. Seals from the CCF are then put over the vial(s), dated by the collector and initialed by you AFTER THEY ARE PUT ON THE VIAL. This proves that you were present when the urine was poured into the vial. Do not initial the seal while it is still attached to the CCF. The collector will sign the CCF and note the time of the collection. Also, the temperature box should be checked at this time if the collector did not do it right away after checking the temperature. Then you will be asked to sign and date the CCF. The top copy of the CCF will be inserted into the shipping bag with the specimen and the bag will be sealed. You should be present when the bag is sealed. The collector will then give you the last copy (usually the green copy) of the CCF. Keep it. It is your proof that the temp was checked or not, that you actually took a test and has the specimen number on it. It also has the MRO listed at the top right hand corner.
After giving you your copy of the CCF, the collector should inform you that if you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications to list them on YOUR COPY of the CCF. Be sure to list the substance taken, dosage, time last taken, prescription number (listed on the bottle) and any prescribing physician name and number. If a banned substance is found in your specimen, the MRO at the top right hand corner of the CCF should call you to determine if any substance found, is in your system legally or illegally. The MRO will determine this by reading the laboratory report and listening to what you are saying. If you say you are taking a prescription for adderal, for example, and the lab report shows positive for cocaine, you are in trouble. If the lab report shows positive for adderal, and you have a prescription for adderal, your urine should show the amount consistent with your prescribed dosage. The MRO may also call your prescribing physician to ensure that the medication was actually prescribed to you and not your babysitter.
After all that, you will be allowed to collect your things and go.
Instant Test
Your collector has now become the screener. The urine will be tested using an instant type of test. The kind you purchase in a drug store are a bit outdated for collection facilities. Collection Facilities now use a “integrated Split Cup” either with, or without an “adulteration panel”. This is a device you pee into, set onto the counter and open the door. The screener then places the lid on the container and peals back label covering the test panel. If it is a split cup, a small amount of urine is allowed to flow past a test chamber while most of the urine is uncontaminated by the test pad for forwarding to a lab for confirmation testing if necessary. The screener then “reads” the test panel. There should be two reddish lines appearing in the space provided for each drug. One is a control line. This means the device is working correctly for each corresponding drug. The second line is the test line. Even a faint line means negative on an instant drug test. If there is a faint line present on the test panel, and the screener wants to forward to a lab for confirmation, don’t worry. It should come back as negative. I have never had a questionable (is there a line or isn’t there a line) test sent for confirmation come back as positive. The line must NOT be there at all to be positive for that corresponding drug.
If negative, your screener should note on the CCF that the temperature was good and that the specimen screened negative for whatever substance(s) were tested for. You should be given a copy of the CCF used for the instant test (also the last, or green copy), you should be given your personal items and allowed to leave the collection facility.
If Non-negative (a screened specimen cannot be called a positive drug test until a confirmation test is done), the screener should prepare the specimen for shipping to a laboratory and all other instructions and procedures are the same as for a lab test.
Hair
From the identification phase, you will assist the collector to fill in the personal information for the CCF. If you have enough hair on your head, the collector will then cup a small sample of your hair close to the scalp, at the crown of the head (the part of the head touching the pillow when lying on your back). The quantity should equal about 3/16 diameter when held together, ponytail fashion. If the hair is shorter than 1-1/2 inches long, then a higher quantity should be taken to make up for the shorter length. The hair is laid on a piece of foil, with the scalp end of the hair towards the beveled side of the foil. The foil is then folded, trapping the hair in place. If the hair is short or excessively curly, then the hair is just laid on the foil without concern for the scalp end towards the beveled side of the foil. The foil is then placed in an envelope, the collector will fill the info, have you initial and sign where needed, and seal the envelope as required. You are required to witness the sealing of the hair in the envelope for shipping.
If there is not enough hair on the head, it is too short or would leave a visible blemish in the hairstyle of the donor, then body hair or facial hair is allowed. It is preferred to take chest hair first, then leg hair, arm or armpit hair, back hair, facial hair and finally pubic hair, in that order. The location of the body the hair was taken from must be noted on the CCF. You, as the donor will receive the “donor copy” of the CCF.
Make sure the collector’s scissors are clean. There is an alcohol wipe included in each hair collection kit for just this purpose. The scissors must be wiped down with the alcohol pad before cutting your hair. Facial hair must be taken as a last resort, and only if it doesn’t leave a noticeable mark in the moustache or beard. Ear and nose hair are not acceptable.
Saliva
The same ID process as for urine and hair. The collector will present the donor with a factory sealed collection kit and open it in front of the donor. The donor will then be asked if he/she has had anything to eat or drink in the ½ hour prior to arriving at the collection facility. If not, then the swab is inserted into the mouth and the donor is asked to keep it under the tongue for 4 minutes. Sometimes the collector will rub the test swab around in the donor’s mouth for an entire 4 minutes. If the test is instant, the swab will be inserted into the test kit and the results are read right away. Two lines are negative, no line at the test level is non-negative. If the test is a laboratory test, the swab is inserted into the vial, the excess length of the swab stem is broken off and the vial is sealed using the seal on the CCF. You are asked to sign and given a copy of the CCF.
Blood
Same as saliva, except a technician will draw blood. The blood will be drawn into two vials or one depending on whether the specimen was split or not. There is no instant testing for blood that I am aware of
