If you take an ADHD stimulant, a prescription pain medication, or an anxiety medication, a drug screen can feel scary. It shouldn’t. A prescribed medication showing up in your sample is exactly what the verification step exists for. Here is how it works, start to finish.
What happens to your sample
- Initial screen. The lab runs the standard panel. Most samples come back negative and are done.
- Lab confirmation. If a sample screens non-negative, the lab confirms it with a far more precise test called mass spectrometry. A positive first screen is not a final result.
- Medical review. A confirmed result goes to a medical review officer, a licensed physician. The MRO or their staff contacts you confidentially, usually by phone, and asks whether there is a medical explanation.
- Final result. If you have a valid prescription for what was found, the MRO reports your result as negative. Your school never sees your medication or your diagnosis.
Medications that commonly need verification
- ADHD stimulants such as Adderall or Vyvanse, which appear as amphetamines
- Prescription opioids such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, or codeine after surgery or dental work
- Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Klonopin, or Valium
- Sleep and seizure medications in some panels
The medical review officer is not judging whether your doctor should have prescribed it. Their job is to confirm the prescription is real and written for you.
What to do before your test
- Keep taking your medication as prescribed. Never stop a prescription to pass a drug test.
- Have your prescription ready: the bottle label or pharmacy record showing your name, the medication, the pharmacy, and the prescriber.
- Submit it to us ahead of time. If your program tests with Drug Free Schools, upload a photo of your prescription label so it is on file for verification. Please don’t text it to anyone.
- Answer unknown numbers after your test. If the medical review office can’t reach you, your result can be finalized without your explanation. Call back promptly.
How long results take
Negative results usually post within 1 to 3 business days after the lab finishes. A result that needs a medical review interview typically takes 3 to 7 business days, depending mostly on how fast the interview happens. If your clinical start date is close, test early.
What doesn’t count
- Someone else’s prescription, including a parent’s or roommate’s
- Medication bought without a prescription
- An old prescription you are no longer supposed to be taking
Frequently asked questions
Will my prescription make me fail a drug test?
Not if it is your own valid prescription. A lab result that shows a prescribed medication goes to a medical review officer, a physician who confirms the prescription is genuine. When it checks out, the result is reported as negative.
Does my school find out what medication I take?
No. The medical review officer reports only the final result. Your prescription and medical details stay confidential.
How long do drug test results take?
Negative results usually post within 1 to 3 business days after the lab finishes. Results that need a medical review interview typically take 3 to 7 business days.
Should I stop taking my medication before the test?
No. Never stop a prescribed medication to pass a drug test. Take it as prescribed and have your prescription information ready.
Can I use someone else's prescription?
No. Only a valid prescription written for you counts. A family member's or friend's medication is not a legitimate medical explanation.
Need a drug screen for your program? Order online for $40 (10-panel), $50 (11-panel with alcohol) or $55 (12-panel) and test at any Quest Diagnostics location. For more on program requirements, see nursing school drug tests.
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Set up in about 5 minutes with your program’s requirements. No meeting needed.
Support 7 days a week by phone, text or email, for students and school staff: call or text (901) 517-7450 · josh.smith@drugfreeschools.net
Frequently asked questions
Do all nursing schools drug test?
The overwhelming majority do, because their hospital clinical partners require it. Testing typically happens at admission or before the first clinical rotation, and many programs add random and for-cause testing throughout.
What drugs does a nursing school 10-panel test for?
Our 10-panel screens ten classes: amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, marijuana (THC), methadone, opiates, oxycodone, phencyclidine (PCP), and propoxyphene. Some schools add alcohol; The Joint Commission's minimum cited by schools includes amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, opiates, marijuana, codeine, and cocaine. Your program's letter states your exact panel.
What kind of sample is it?
Urine, almost always, collected at a certified lab or an on-site campus event. Hair, saliva, and blood exist but are uncommon for routine student screening.
How much does a nursing school drug test cost?
Bought inside big-vendor school bundles, drug screens ride along in MyCB packages published at $110.75–$153.98. Bought alone from online resellers, the same Quest 10-panel runs $53.99 or more, sometimes plus a physician fee. Through Drug Free Schools it's a flat $40, testable at any Quest location, with results reported to your school.
What if I take a prescription medication?
Disclose it through the proper channel when asked. Confirmed positives are typically reviewed before reporting, and legitimate prescriptions are handled through that review — talk to your program and the reviewing officer, not the internet.
How fast do results come back?
Negative lab results commonly return within a few business days; anything requiring confirmation takes longer. Order early — do not schedule a drug screen the week clinicals start.
This guide is general information about how workplace and school drug screen verification typically works. It is not medical or legal advice. Talk to your prescriber before changing any medication.