What You Should Know About Pre-Employment Drug Screening

The resume is flawless. The interview went on well. The offer letter has been sent to you via mail. The job is yours, depending on the results of a background check and...drug screening. The very thought of drug screening is frightening to most applicants, whether they use recreational drugs or not when a great job is on the line. What exactly will employers find in that drug screening? The answers may surprise you.

This is where Mobile Blood Draw Services – the best blood laboratories in Washington Metropolitan Area steps in. We provide an impeccable range of Pre-Employment and Random Drug Screening, Drug and Alcohol Testing Pre-employment, random, post-incident and reasonable suspicion service with mobile on-site testing available in most areas of Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. area.

WHY DRUG SCREENING?

Depending on the type of job, illicit drug use can impact job performance and the lives of other people. For employment that requires operating heavy machinery or the health and safety of others, employers should especially be alert to drug use. Drug use can also affect workplace concentration and judgment and, if illegal drugs are involved, could put the employer at risk. To reduce employer risk, it's highly recommended that the employees should undergo pre and post employment drug screening.

WHAT DRUGS ARE BEING TESTED FOR?

Two of the most common drug screens that employers request or are conducted by the employees include the 5-panel and the 10-panel drug tests.

• The 5-panel drug test screens for the following: Cocaine, Opiates such as heroin, codeine and morphine, Amphetamine/Methamphetamine, THC (marijuana) and Phencyclidine or PCP.
• The 10-panel drug test includes Cocaine, Benzodiazepines, Amphetamine, Barbiturates, Methamphetamine, Opiates such as heroin, codeine, and morphine, Methadone, THC (marijuana), Phencyclidine or PCP and Propoxyphene.

If the to be appointed employee is not consuming cocaine, meth, heroin, PCP it is assumed that he/she will pass the 5-panel tests without facing any issue. Moreover, if the THC has been removed, there are instances that the marijuana use too may not be detected. Also, prescription pain medication and other prescriptions such as Adderall, penicillin, novocaine, hydrocodone or oxycodone could be detected. On the other hand, the 10-panel drug test includes detection of more recreational drugs along with more prescription medications such as Xanax, Valium, Rohypnol, Ativan and some weight-loss drugs.

CAN YOU BEAT A DRUG TEST

When a great job could be yours, you need to be prepared for the drug test too. Drugs remaining in your system depend on many factors:

• The metabolism of the person
• The drug concentration or dosage
• How frequently the drug has been used
• What type of drug it is
• The sensitivity of the test

It is very well possible to undermine the test results of a urine drug screening by diluting the urine, purchasing synthetic urine or using an oxidizing agent to break up any detectable amounts in the urine. However, any employer with a comprehensive drug testing program will be able to detect if urine is tainted or not.

WHAT HAS AN EMPLOYER TO DO WITH THE TEST?

Believe it or not, employers do have a right to do random drug testing or schedule them on regular basis. Employers can also schedule a drug screen on the short basis so that the applicant is unprepared to cheat the test. Employers also have the option to test other specimens so that urine is not the only option.

When the hiring process is streamlined, including an electronic drug screening process, the employer is more prepared with the forms and paperwork ready and available online. The results can also be obtained faster if Mobile Blood Draw Services – the best blood laboratories in Washington Metropolitan Area is appointed.