Urine drug testing has become prominent in the wake of atrocities that have been displayed by the workforce in reputed companies. Here are some urine drug testing facts that you ought to know as employers are now cautious than ever and want their employees to have a clean chit.
A urine drug test is a procedure when an individual’s urine is checked in order to detect the existence and relative consistency of drugs in the system. It is always encouraged that the individual collects midstream urine as the sample. The first stream of urine excreted during the morning hours should not be considered as the metabolites in the urine are higher than the metabolites found in midstream.
Approximately 30 to 60 ml is enough to procure accurate results from the test. Before the urine drug testing is conducted, the individual is recommended to clean the genital area, so that there are no impurities or substances accompanying the urine. Not following this instruction can lead to procuring faulty test results.
Information on Urine Drug Testing
- During urine drug testing, there are times when the individual is asked to urinate under observation. In situations like these, the individual may feel uncomfortable and degraded; however, this is done to retain the authenticity of the urine sample.
- A method that is now widely applied is to let the individual change into the hospital gown and keep aside all his possessions. It is here that you are guided to the dry room. A dry room is a quarter where the conduction and resultant collection of urine samples takes place. It is not equipped with amenities with regard to water, lest the sample is tampered. There have been cases where the sample has been manipulated by adding water, thereby resulting in a diluted sample. Thus, these faulty actions by the individual is sure to reveal false negative results.
- There are also some individuals who try to pass the urine test by drinking plenty of water on the day of the test and one day before the test is conducted. The result is low creatinine levels which leads to a drop in the concentration of the drug in the urine sample. However, the testing faculty cannot be fooled. The test results divulge from giving results as the sample is rejected due to its clear consistency. A highly diluted sample is rejected and subjected to a specific gravity test. The test range is set between 1.006 to 1.030. The higher the numbers detected, the higher the level of concentration in the urine.
- Urine drug testing is conducted in two steps. Enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT) is a common drug screening procedure used in organizations. It is a preliminary drug test used by employers; however, one may not be able to rely on this test completely as it may deliver false positive results. An EMIT test maybe passed with little to nil difficulty. The reason is if you abstain from the drug even for a day or two, the test may not show up as “positive” as the presence of drugs is not detected.
- Due to the unreliable nature of the former, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS) is conducted as one confirmatory test to verify if the results obtained with EMIT are credible. It is due to this reason, most organizations mandate a confirmation by the GCMS in order to eradicate any instance of a false positive test result. The GCMS test is able to detect the presence of a drug 2 to 3 weeks after the last time the individual had consumed the drug.
- The basic urine drug testing screens for the five most abused drugs — (1) Amphetamines; (2) Cocaine; (3) Phencyclidine; (4) Opiates; and (5) Cannabinoids.
- The urine drug test is an information-collecting procedure for employers who are looking out to recruit fresh talent for their company, as they do not want their employees involved in any drug scams. Moreover, it is not an expensive test, thus making the test a sought after choice for prospective employers.
- Another reason why the urine drug tests are considered so important is the fact that it can provide essential proof during post-accident examination to check if the individual was under the influence of drugs, due to which the accident took place.
These were some important facts on urine testing. Whenever you go for a drug test, it is always better not to drink a lot of water, nor eat fatty foods a day before the test. You must also not exercise excessively. The best thing you could do, to remain calm and collected before you go for any drug test, is to not conform to drug consumption altogether!
