Scope of Service:



ORIG. DEPARTMENT: HUMAN RESOURCES

APPROVED BY: Administrator

APPROVED BY: Human Resources Director |EFFECTIVE: 9/1/02

REVIEWED: 6/25/08

REVISED: 6/25/08 | |

PURPOSE:

North Valley Hospital District is committed to maintaining the highest level of patient care and public trust, a safe and productive workplace, and a safe and secure environment for patients visitors and employees. The purpose of this policy is to clearly define the organization’s expectations and standards regarding alcohol and drugs.

APPLICABILITY:

Our drug-free workplace policy is intended to cover all employees including but not limited to the Administrator, managers/supervisors, full-time employees, part-time employees, per diem employees, off-site employees, contracted employees, students training in the facility, volunteers and applicants.

POLICY:

It is the policy of North Valley Hospital District to maintain a drug free workplace and drug free workforce.

Employees are expected and required to report to work in condition to perform their responsibilities safely and efficiently and must remain is such condition while at work, while On Call, and while in hospital-supplied vehicles.

North Valley Hospital District prohibits the following:

1. Use, possession, manufacture, distribution, dispensation, sale, purchase, and negotiation of sale or purchase of unauthorized substances on hospital premises or hospital business, in hospital-supplied vehicles, during working hours or while on call.

2. Unauthorized use or possession of an open container of alcohol on hospital premises or in hospital-supplied vehicles during working hours.

3. Being under the influence of a prescription drug (unless currently prescribed and authorized in the amounts used) or unauthorized substances or alcohol on hospital district premises, or in hospital-supplied vehicles during working hours. An employee will be considered “under the influence” if the employee’s use of drugs or alcohol affects the safety of co-workers, patients, members of the public, the employee’s job performance, or the safety or efficient operation of the hospital facilities. Employees undergoing prescribed medical treatment by a licensed health care provider with prescription drugs which might impair their ability to perform their work in a safe and efficient manner will report this treatment to their department manager. Impacts on fitness for duty will be assessed and appropriate action taken to insure safe work performance.

4. Possession, use, manufacture, distribution, dispensation, or sale of illegal drugs off hospital premises that adversely affects employee’s work performance or employee’s or others’ safety at work.

5. Refusing consent to testing or refusing to submit a urine, blood, hair or saliva sample for testing when requested by management based upon a reasonable suspicion by management that you are under the influence. An employee shall be deemed to have refused consent when the employee fails to provide an adequate sample for testing, without a genuine inability to provide a specimen (as determined by a medical evaluation), when the employee leaves the facility after being requested to submit samples of urine, blood, hair or saliva for testing or where the employee engages in conduct that obstructs the testing process.

6. Switching or adulterating any sample submitted for testing.

7. Refusing to submit to a search when requested by management based upon a reasonable suspicion by management that you are in possession of an unauthorized substance or an open container of alcohol on hospital premises.

8. Failure to comply with hospital’s mandated referral to a drug or alcohol treatment program.

9. Failure to adhere to the requirements of any hospital or state licensing mandated drug or alcohol treatment or counseling program in which you are enrolled.

10. Acts which lead to the conviction or plea of guilty under any criminal drug or alcohol related offense for a violation occurring in the workplace or while performing services for the Hospital District.

11. Failure to notify the hospital District of any conviction or plea of guilty under any criminal drug statute within five (5) days of the conviction or plea of guilty.

13. The misappropriation, diversion or misuse of organization or patient drugs.

PROCEDURE:

Reporting

Any employee who observes or has knowledge of another employee in a condition which may impair the employee’s ability to perform his/her job duties, or poses a hazard to the safety and welfare of the employees, patients or public has the responsibility of promptly reporting the information to the employee’s immediate supervisor.

Examples of behaviors and/or symptoms that may indicate impairment include: drowsiness or sleepiness, alcohol on breath, slurred or incoherent speech, unusually aggressive behavior, unexplained change in mood, lack of coordination, pupil dilation or constriction, blood shot or glassy eyes, unusual work-related injury or behavior, high number of work accidents or absenteeism.

Employees taking prescriptions or over-the-counter medications that could impair job performance must notify their supervisor as far in advance as possible before the beginning of the shift so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

Testing and Evaluation

Pre-employment Drug Testing: Each employee, as a condition of employment, will be required to participate in pre-employment, post-accident and reasonable suspicion testing upon selection or request of management.

All offers of employment will be contingent upon the receipt of a negative result of the applicant’s test for alcohol and unauthorized substances. Applicants will be asked to read the policy and sign the Pre-Employment Offer and Employee Consent to Alcohol and Drug Screening (Exhibit A). While the applicant has the right to refuse to submit to the test, the Hospital shall withdraw its offer of employment upon this refusal.

It is preferred that a new employee be tested prior to reporting to work. However, it is realized that under certain circumstances a new employee may start before test results are known. In such circumstances the employee’s hiring is conditional upon passing the test for alcohol and/or unauthorized substances.

Suspicion (for cause) and Post accident testing

Drug testing based on a belief that the employee is using or has used alcohol and/or unauthorized substances in violation of the policy and will be based upon, but not limited to, the following:

1. Observable phenomena, such as direct observation of drug use and/or physical symptoms or manifestations of being under the influence of a drug or alcohol.

2. Abnormal conduct or erratic behavior while at work that includes but is not limited to: slurred speech, staggered gait, flushed face, dilated/pinpoint pupils, wide mood swings, and deterioration of work performance to include absenteeism and tardiness. A report of drug use provided by reliable and credible sources and which has been independently corroborated.

3. Evidence that an individual has tampered with an alcohol or unauthorized substances test during his/her employment.

4. Information that the employee has caused or contributed to a workplace accident or a pattern of accidents while at work.

5. Evidence that the employee is involved in the use, possession, sale, solicitation, or transfer of alcohol and/or unauthorized substances while working or while on hospital property or operating a hospital vehicle or equipment.

6. Evidence that an employee was working during a shift or shifts during which time there is reasonable suspicion that a drug diversion has occurred.

If an employee has been involved in a workplace accident, is suspected of impairment or otherwise to be in violation of this policy based on the above, the employee will immediately be relieved from duty by the Department Manager, Charge Nurse or designee, and instructed to wait in an area away from patient care, designated by the Department Manager, Charge Nurse, or designee. The Department Manager, Charge Nurse or designee will immediately consult with the Human Resources Director for further action.

Under certain circumstances, (e.g. this was a first time allegation, there was no injury to employees or residents/patients, no property damage) the employee may be sent home and suspended from work with pay pending further investigation.

Under certain circumstances, the employee may be required to undergo an immediate medical evaluation, including a test for drugs and/or alcohol (e.g. The employee has a signed “Voluntary Testing Agreement” on file, there were injuries to patients/residents, self, co-workers or damage to property). In this case, the Manager or Manager’s designee in coordination with the Human Resources Director will escort the employee to the Laboratory at North Valley Hospital for the required testing.

North Valley Hospital District will bear the entire cost of the medical evaluation, including the drug/alcohol test, and the employee will be paid at their regular rate for the time required.

An ethanol blood test, urine toxin screen and urine drug abuse screen are among the tests which may be given. Every precaution will be taken to protect employees’ privacy and assure test accuracy and reliability. Test results will be disclosed only to the Director of HR and managers who need the information to do their jobs.

Consent to Test

Employees required to undergo alcohol or unauthorized substance testing will be required to sign a consent to alcohol and/or drug testing form (attachment A) and a Notice/Consent at the time of specimen collection to acknowledge that the specimen has not been adulterated and to authorize results to be released to the Employee Health Nurse and Human Resources Director.

Refusal to consent to testing is grounds for immediate discharge.

Refusing consent to testing or refusing to submit a urine, blood, hair or saliva sample for testing when requested by management based upon a reasonable suspicion by management that you are under the influence is grounds for immediate discharge. An employee shall be deemed to have refused consent when the employee fails to provide an adequate sample for testing, without a genuine inability to provide a specimen (as determined by a medical evaluation), when the employee leaves the facility after being requested to submit samples of urine, blood, hair or saliva for testing or when the employee has engaged in conduct that obstructs the testing process.

Once testing has been requested as the result of an accident or upon suspicion, the employee will not be left unattended until the testing is completed. Upon completion of testing, the employee will be suspended from duty pending test results.

Substances Tested

Amphetamines

Barbituates

Benzodiazepines

Cannabinoids (THC)

Cocaine

Methamphetamine

3, 4 Methylenedioxymethyl Amphetamine

Opiates

Phencyclindine (PCP)

Propoxyphene

Specimen Collection and Handling Procedures

All specimen collection and tests for alcohol and/or unauthorized substances will be performed in accordance with scientifically accepted analytical methods to ensure accuracy of drug test results, quality control over laboratory analysis procedures, and the protection of privacy, to include:

1. Specimens will be collected in a manner reasonably calculated to provide privacy and to prevent substitution of specimens and interference with the collection or testing of specimens.

An employee giving a urine, hair, saliva or blood sample either for post-accident or on-suspicion may be personally observed by a hospital approved designate of the same sex, if there is a reason to believe that an employee may alter or substitute the specimen to be provided.

2. Specimen collection will be documented, and the documentation procedures will include:

a. Use of confidential number assigned to a specific donor.

b. Labeling of specimen containers in presence of donor to preclude the likelihood of erroneous identification of test results.

c. An opportunity for the donor to provide any information that he/she considers relevant medical information.

Donor and collector will document verification that specimen was obtained and sealed in preparation for transportation to testing location. Chain of custody procedures will be followed from specimen collection to transportation to the processing laboratory.

I. Outcomes

If an employee tests negative for alcohol and illegal drugs and are found otherwise to be fit for duty they may return to work.

If an employee tests positive for alcohol or illegal drugs, they will be immediately suspended from work with pay and sent home. If an employee is found to be not fit for duty because of a prescription or over-the-counter medication, they will be placed on sick leave and sent home. Arrangements for the employee to be transported home would need to be made.

After completing the investigation, the Manager and/or Human Resources Director will meet with the employee to discuss the test results and to inform the employee of the decision regarding further employment.

If the employee questions the results of a positive test result, they may request to have their original urine, hair, saliva or blood sample re-tested at their expense.

In some cases, at the employer’s discretion, employees may be granted a “last chance.” A “last chance” would give the employee the opportunity to return to work upon certain conditions, including, for example, successful completion of a counseling and/or treatment program, one or more negative drug/alcohol tests and a release from a healthcare provider. Employees are required to sign a return to work agreement with further conditions for continued employment. Violating a return to work agreement is grounds for discharge.

Licensed employees who are found to be impaired will be reported to the appropriate licensing agencies.

Seeking Help

Employees needing help in dealing with a possible drug or alcohol dependency problem are encouraged to voluntarily seek professional help. Information about counseling and treatment programs is available from personal health care providers and the Washington State Health Professionals Assistance Program.

If an employee needs time off from work because of a drug or alcohol problem they should request a medical leave of absence, which will be considered in the same way as any other request for medical leave.

Employees will not be subjected to corrective action for seeking help for a drug or alcohol dependency problem or requesting a medical leave for counseling or treatment. However, a drug or alcohol problem does not immunize an employee from corrective action, up to and including discharge, for substandard job performance or misconduct, including any violation of North Valley Hospital District’s Drug and Alcohol Policy, or from layoffs or other reductions in force.

North Valley Hospital District reserves the right to respond to each violation of this policy on a case by case basis as it deems appropriate under the particular circumstances, and to deal with job performance issues separately and apart from anything in this policy or the outcome of any drug/alcohol test. Nothing in this policy shall be deemed to create an employment contract between North Valley Hospital District and any employee.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download