Drug Testing at JHHS?

Submitted by DudeApplying2Hopkins t3_121vnyd in baltimore

(Throwaway Account)

Howdy my fellow Charm City residents and workers! As my username suggests, I'm a dude who is going through the new-hire process with Johns Hopkins Health System. I received and signed an offer letter and I even have a start date. The only thing missing is the "health screen".

Cutting to the chase, I am a regular, certified medical cannabis user. I cannot definitively tell whether or not my Hopkins health screen will include a drug screen, and if so, if that screen includes cannabis. I know it'll have a TB screen because I'm required to follow up 48 hours later at a "very brief" session.

I'm not seeking advice on how to beat a urine screen. I'm not going to be dishonest about myself and try to hide my smoking from a company for whom I want to work. I know this might sound hokey, but I'm not going to start a relationship with my #1 employer choice by lying about who I am. If there does end up being a urine screen, I will tell the hiring manager immediately that I won't pass it and why. If we can't work it out, it wasn't meant to be.

This is a position in the hospital (not school) where I will be working with revenue cycle steps, like admission, check-in, insurance verification, etc. There is patient contact, but it's not clinical conduct. The supervisor who referred me to this particular position said it would include Labor & Delivery and that EVERY once in a while someone in my job might, for example, bring ice chips to chew on. So this is not something where I'm making important medical decisions. Or unimportant ones. Worst thing I could do is mismatch a patient with their insurance.

The reasons I don't think there's one: (1) There has not been a WORD about it. Not orally from the recruiter or my future supervisor. Nothing during the application process. Nothing on the offer letter. Nothing from searching online. Actually, not nothing. I have found anecdotes from both people who say they DO test, and ditto from folks who say they don't. (2) A person I've known for years works in a job adjacent to the department I'll be in. She says she never tested, and when she asked her boss, SHE also said no drug test. But it's mostly #1. I just think if I was going to be required to pee in a cup, someone (or some document) would've said it by now.

The reason I DO think there might be a urine screen is: I'm paranoid. I don't want to ask someone in the hiring process because I'm afraid of an answer like, "well we didn't have any intention of a drug screen until NOW when you asked that question!"

Does anyone know for sure? The hiring manager is reaching out to me Monday to schedule the medical appointment, so I guess I'll know soon enough. I have held off celebrating the offer letter until I find out the answer to this, and I'm afraid I might BURST before Monday.

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anne_hollydaye t1_jdvs18b wrote

They drug tested me when I was hired. This was like 18 years ago. I've been told by more recent hires they still drug test. Don't know if they pot test.

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DudeApplying2Hopkins OP t1_jdynqw2 wrote

I was hoping to have heard from the recruiter today, but no such luck. The offer letter said I'd get a first contact "within 48 business hours" which I interpreted as two business days. The other possibility is SIX business days which just doesn't make sense. I can't wait until this is all over.

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DudeApplying2Hopkins OP t1_je4q48b wrote

Replying to anne_hollydaye (#2,443,617)

Thank you! There's an update. Yesterday afternoon, I received the initial contact by the hiring coordinator. First thing on the list? Submit a urine sample for a drug screen. I was devastated. I panicked and immediately (while I was still WAY worked up) called the hiring woman and my (upcoming?) supervisor. My supervisor after we spoke talked to HIS boss who actually took his time to call me back.

All three of them said the same thing: Just continue thru the process. The implication (though never stated explicitly) is that while there IS a drug screen, a marijuana positive result is not a death sentence. They all gave me the impression that if I go to the test, be up front in advance with what will be in the result. Don't hide it.

Soon after this drug screen (my appointment is at 1:45), I'll get the rest of my health screen where everything, including my (presumably) positive result. They were trying to say explain the use and be sure to have my MMCC number handy. I think I'm going to be OK, but I'm still not celebrating--not until they've said it's OK. I believe I'm correct with their dancing-around-it language. They think I'll be OK, having heard my story. I believe them because if they thought it would be a dealbreaker, they would've told me so to save everyone some time, and save the hospital money. I hope I'm right!

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