Random Drug Testing - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

1

Friday, I was called into my Ops Leads office after having a long night and was told, "You have been selected for a “Random Drug Test”… I had this done before so I didn’t have any worries, cause the only drugs I do is all my meds that I have to take

I went over to the hospital to have my drug test done. I was told to take everythig out of my pockets, when she saw the hose leading to my stomack, she wanted to see it and advised me to take it off. I had told the lady, this is a pump and I can’t take it off as it provides insulin. She had told me to take if off or she will mark down and tell HR that I fail to comply with the drug test. So I took if off. I went into the next room waited till I could provide a sample. The door opened and heard voices, and door closed. I came out with my sample, my pump was gone. I asked the lady where the pump is, she said we had to send it up to the lab to have it also tested if there is any illegal drugs in it. I was upset.

I waited in the room for 4 hours, I got off work at 7:30am and was over in the clinic till about 12:30pm waiting and feeling sick. I wasn’t allowed to leave the room to grab my bag that had my meter in it, other wise my drug test would be invalid according to the nurse that was there.

About 1pm - my pump came back, the insulin I had in the resovior was gone, and the lab lady said we dropped your gagit on the floor. The piston wouldn’t even prime or go back to starting position.

At this point, I was ferious, no matter I was an employee for the hospital and was treated like royal crap I hadf enough. I had contact House Administration and Patient Advocacy and filed a complaint. After speaking to the House Admin and said what happened, she said we will get insulin for you… That took another 2 hours, cause they couldn’t find Humulin R - U-500. So I told her just give me Regular Humulin and I’ll do the correction myself till I get home.

After all this, the Admin, said you need to pay the co-pay on the insulin and supplies were given to you. It might have been out of anger and fusteration, but I had advised after today - that the hostpail will be speaking to my lawyers, I had advised them you had put my life in danger by taking my pump away, dropped the insulin pump, taken the insulin out, and tha I have been off the pump for more since 8am and it wasn’t till about 3 something till I had gotten insulin to correct my high at 479.

I missed work Friday night (Night Shift) cause I had a raging migrain and feeling sick. MiniMed was getting a new pump to me on Saturday morning. I contacted my endro, cause my pump wouldn’t work when I got home, so i got a temp one from the office for over night…

I can’t believe I was treated this way, even from the place I work at. I felt like my civil rights were taken away from, even as an employee. Even though, I was still technically punched in for work when I was going though the drug test, I had filed an incient for injury / illness. My online form I filled this morning on line at work, reached my Ops Lead, and I recieved a call from him and asked me if I was serious.

I’m just fusterated and ferious and really don’t know, if I should make a case of discriminiation and ask for a few peoples jobs cause of what happened. Someone, who works in the clinic should have some brains in their head and notice the words on the pump “Insulin Pump” or have seen one.

2

goodness

I would be beyond livid. In addition, I would definitely pursue legal action. What happened here was ridiculous and simply uncalled for.

A hospital of all things should know what an insulin pump is and should have never touched it.

3

Sounds like at the very least, the your employer has some procedures that need to be evaluated and at the very least you should receive compensation for your time during this test, after and your sick day following, any cost for replacing your pump, insulin, etc. should be covered by them as well, and any procedures or testing to ensure you are ok.

All of this should be easy to document. Which regardless of what you do you should make sure you have your own set of documentation and write down the incident with times, dates, personnel names, etc. Did they tell you they would take your pump away prior to you going to provide a sample? I would consider them taking your pump without your knowledge a violation of testing procedures. This makes me really mad.

I would purse legal action… But I know that is much easier to say from here and not in your position I’m sure you have many things to consider. I hope this all works out for you. But no matter what make sure you document all of it and tuck the information away just in case. and find out how long a time period you have just incase you change your mind and want to pursue legal action later.

4

WOW! I have never heard anything like this happen to anyone before. I am speechless. If this happened to me I would take action. They didn’t treat you fairly, they violated you and your health was put in danger. I am glad you are ok. Please keep us posted. I am sorry that some people in this world still don’t get it.

Cherise

5

I’m glad you got a lawyer. 479!?! This is serious. They really endangered your life. If your pump had “drugs” in it, wouldn’t you have tested positive for drugs in your urine? Did they think you were going to get high while peeing in a cup? This doesn’t make any sense. The only concern they should have had regarding your pump was if you were smuggling someone elses urine into the bathroom. Not that your reservoir could hold enough urine to test and insulin smells nothing like urine. But, in that case I can see removing it while you are producing a urine sample but then being allowed to put it right back on in exchange for a fresh cup of pee.
It is amazing how ignorant some healthcare workers can be about insulin pumps. Anyone with half a brain could have called your doctor to check on this. I do hope you pursue this.
I do hope you get a settlement. And a judicial order to have all hospital employees educated on insulin pumps. Don’t forget the damage your body suffered without any insulin. And an order for the personel involved to have to volunteer at a diabetes camp. I’m furious too! You were totally violated! Keep us posted.

6

Chadd, this is way too fishy on the company’s part. I am not a person who jumps into legal action fast, but this needs legal action. You were in danger while in their hands. And i sure hope you cover yourself. Make sure you talk to your doctor about this and make sure it is documented even if you have to make an appointment and go in. Make sure he sees you. You will most likely need proof that you were in danger. But I would not let this go. It doesn’t matter that your leader doesn’t understand how bad this was for you Protect yourself.

7

Chadd:

I’ M SO ANGRY, i COULD CHEW UP MY KEYBOARD AND SPIT IT OUT … without salt! How DARE they even demand that you take off your pump let alone deprive you of medicine for so long let alone break the damn pump!!

I would file a claim for the total cost of the pump even though it was replaced so fast. Also, I would be tempted to keep he damaged one for legal evidence. And don’t you pay a single cent of a co-pay for it!! I would start first with the hospital administration with a formal request for renumeration. Than I might even go to the EEOC. Or file a claim under the ADA (Americans with Disabiliities Act.) (You are in the US, are you??) Or ask them where and what you can do with this. There is no excuse for this.

I also know what trouble you had with the insulin. I take the exact same kind and strength and the hospital didn’t even have it for me as an in-patient.

Isn’t that terrible? I’m so incensed over this! What do I have to do with being personally upset? Because it is done to one in the community, it is done to the others. I know what you mean about the other drugs. I have a list as long as your arm and would never pass a test without notification of the drugs I’m on. But they have no business being so horrid with you because they know what your medical history is.

Guess I had better cool down for now. You take care and let us know exactly what they do. We are interested. Whew! I think I feel better now.

Lois La Rose
Milwaukee, WI

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Chadd-
I’m so sorry that you had to experience this. I think you’ve received some great advice above and it sounds like you’re doing the right thing with your uncles. Please, don’t give up on this. I’m the same as Saundra and I normally don’t jump towards the legal side of things but this is whole experience is just horrific. Please, keep us updated on what happens! We’re all thinking of you and I’m saying a prayer for you.
Erin

9

This was a violation!

I don’t use a pump yet, but will in the future according to my dr and I imagine it becomes like a part of your body.

The person who made you remove your pump and all of the people in that role should go through mandatory diabetes education and sensitivity training! You should see if your lawyer can ask for that in whatever settlement you receive. You should also receive a formal apology! This is in addition to any monetary settlement…

10

I would have told them I’m not leaving my pump. I would have dropped trow and given the sample right there. That is ridiculous!!! I’m glad you are ok. I would maybe contact your local ACLU. This was absolutely uncalled for.

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And another thing, there was no reason for them to treat you like a criminal. Most local chapters of the ACLU have lawyers that will fight for you without having to hire one.

12

HOLY-FREAKIN-COW!!! Do they not realize they probably caused you to go into DKA, not to mention it could have escallated (sp?) and you could have passed out!!! I agree with Mike – I would have refused to remove it and just gave them the sample right there. And if they were suspicious of what was in it, just bolused a big bolus into a test tube somehow or something! Good thing you have family in the legal field. Please do kep us posted as to what happens.

13

I don’t even know what to say to this, it is that atrocious. That is beyond ignorance, it really is. Those people should have much better judgment (and training!) than that, whether they know what an insulin pump is or not.

I really hope someone loses a job over this (plus some), because whoever is responsible for such procedures has no business doing anything that even resembles that job.

Keep us posted on what happens!!

14

Definately pursue legal action! That is nuts. And to think all of that happend at a HOSPITAL.

15

This behavior is absolutely inappropriate. The only thing that should appear in a urine sample as a result of being on the pump is, hopefully, an absence of sugar and ketones. The person who made you remove your pump should be fired.

16

right. ditto to all the above comments.

What hospital was this so that I can avoid it in the future at all costs? Seriously…

I’m not one to jump the gun for legal action, but they could have killed you. That deserves quick and decisive action, which means involving lawyers.

17

If legally they feel that compensates you I would go for it. The courts may even award you more to make a point. Good luck with everything!!!

18

that is just so rediculous how they were to you. this makes me so angry

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Good for you, Chadd! I can’t believe all they want to do is just say “sorry”. That is totally obsurd! I agree with your uncles as to what they are suing them for (or, you are suing for). What they did was totally unacceptable and no slap on the wrist will ever be able to pay for what they did.

20

I would have let them invalidate the drug test and then fought it from there–but that being said–yeah it most certainly is attorney time! keep meticulous writen records that you nerver let out of your site while at work…this was WRONG in so many ways!!

UNBELIEVABLE–dude I am really glad you are physically OK