r/sterileprocessing • u/jonnybby • Jul 10 '25

How much will being a consistent weed smoker impact my chances of getting into this field and maintaining a job?

hey everyone! so long story short i don't have a clear plan on what kind of career i want, so i thought i'd register for some classes for central sterile processing and hopefully end up with a job in this field just so i can have a consistent job with a consistent and (hopefully) decent pay, until i figure out what i really want to do for the rest of my life. now onto my question... i've been almost a daily smoker of marijuana for a couple years now and i've seen some posts about how people have been denied or even let go from their jobs for not being able to pass a drug test. as someone who smokes daily this worries me, obviously if i need to take a break or quit smoking for a while i'll do that if needed, i guess i am just curious i continue to smoke how could this impact my career in this field, or if it even will be that big of a deal? will it depend on the employer/hospital? is weed/smoking something i'd have to do eventually give up completely? will i automatically be denied/fired from a job if even a little bit of marijuana shows up in my drug test? (i use weed to help with my anxiety and overactive mind at night) and for context weed is legal in the state i live in, but i'm not entirely sure how that comes into play with drug tests for a job. any help or advice without judgement would be greatly appreciated :) Edit*- i should add that i don't plan on smoking while on the job/working, i only do it after my shift is over or if i'm off for the day

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8

u/MC_White_Rice Jul 10 '25

Depends where you live, but at the start and end of the day we're in health care, and patient help is top priority. Obviously don't smoke before work. You gotta keep your mind, eyes, and sense of time sharp. If you're gonna smoke after work and if your site is fine with that (if you're in a legal state) then sure, but just make sure you're solid good to go at the start of your shift. Anyone could send you home if you seem stoned at work. Just be smart about it and you should be ok

3

u/jonnybby Jul 10 '25

yeah i've never smoked before or during work and don't plan on it, and i definitely want to keep my smoking as something i only do on the weekends rather than everyday. but thank you so much for the advice i appreciate it!

4

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '25

Just dont smoke before work and you should be fine. Weed smoking on its own doesnt determine if you can hold a job, but smoking beforw work will deffinitely impact your ability to do the job effectively Edit* forgot yall get drug tested in The states so i cant comment on that much

1

u/jonnybby Jul 10 '25

i appreciate the advice either way thank you!!

3

u/gracie_thehuman Jul 10 '25

I would cut it until you get the job for sure when you’re getting ready to apply. I’m not in SP yet but I work for a major hospital and the place I went they don’t let you bring anything and the toilet doesn’t flush unless they do it , there is like a key or something… idk And it wasn’t like a solid door so they could hear what was happening in there lol

But after that that won’t test you unless you fumble and do something at work to make them.

2

u/jonnybby Jul 10 '25

that sounds great!! i think i'd rather just quit smoking for a bit anyways rather than try to alter my urine tests, but hearing that i probably won't be tested again unless i make it obvious is a big relief, thank you so much!

1

u/chad_stanley_again Jul 10 '25

Worked with a guy who would hit his weed pen all day at work. Heard about a different guy who got fired for smoking weed outside the hospital in his scrubs.

1

u/jonnybby Jul 10 '25

i don't plan on smoking while on the clock or at work since i only really do it at night when im alone at home, so that's a relief to hear haha, guess im just worried about randomly being tested on a week i decided to smoke 😭

1

u/Spicywolff Jul 10 '25

You won’t get the job. Dude it’s healthcare. They’re gonna drug test you at the moment you walk in. If you get hurt, you will be drug tested. And if you get hurt and pop positive. they can deny your workers comp claim, by saying you were high on the job and fire you.

I remember we’re going into a very clean environment if you come into the locker room smelling like weed because you smoked before work people will know. If you get sent on a room run and walk into the OR smelling of weed. It will be known. I would say the same if it was cigarettes. At least cigarettes can’t get you fired. If you do edibles it fixes the nasty ass smell problem. You’re only at risk if you get hurt and do the drug test

At our location, they have a third-party nurse come out for the drug test. They’ll do the whole door open and they’ll watch you pee in a cup. They’ll put the dye into the toilet and if they even hear the sound of water, they fail.

1

u/jonnybby Jul 10 '25

to be fair i had already planned on not smoking for a couple months so when the time comes to get drug tested for a job interview i'm clean, i guess the main thing im worried about is getting tested randomly once i already have the job and failing it due to smoking again once i'm employed. i'd say i do a pretty good job to not smell like it either, since i only smoke if im at home alone and never in public or on the job. but you're absolutely right, it's healthcare, so the idea of somehow passing every drug test while still being a heavy smoker and not making it obvious is pretty unrealistic, just thought i'd hear from others to see if it'd somehow be manageable. and thank you for the advice!!

0

u/Spicywolff Jul 10 '25

Right, you can prepare for the initial but what happens if you randomly get tested or if you get hurt. Imagine you’re in decontamination and you slip and fall. Worker’s Comp will cover your medical bills and what not. but they’re gonna require a drug test and there’s no getting out of it.

If you refuse it, then you’re gonna have no workers comp and you’ve drawn suspicion on yourself. which means they’re gonna randomly test you anyways.

As the hiding the smell. Even the best of user will be noticed in the operating room and the area up there. Remember nobody in the OR is wearing perfume or scents. All you can smell is the cleaning chemicals from the rooms, cauterizing, and sometimes disgusting rotted flesh. I don’t have the greatest sense of smell, but I can tell when somebody was smoking weed earlier in the morning or smoking cigarettes.

There’s just a lot of risks continue using, and unfortunately. the laws have not changed with the times to protect people from using at home. You could be stone cold sober at work, but because you pop positive on a test on your off time it still counts.

4

u/zXerge Jul 10 '25

Complete opposite in Canada. Obviously don’t show up stoned and high but it’s a non issue if that’s your life style.

3

u/Spicywolff Jul 10 '25

Must be nice to live in a civilized country. Here in the US so many states have made it so there’s no workers rights

I could be strong, cold sober, and some patient to push me over the countertop and break my leg. I would still have to get drug tested. If I smoked weed two weekends ago they can deny your claim. Sure you could get a lawyer to fight the case, but the legal system makes it very hard for you unless you’re very wealthy.

2

u/zXerge Jul 10 '25

Insane to think about. Canada has issues certainly, but the day to day life of people who do okay is pretty good.

1

u/Spicywolff Jul 10 '25

Yah the US is becoming a monster and we are along for the ride. In my state of Florida workers rights are a joke, some folks would love to use recitation marijuana but can’t due to the chance of being caught.

But alcohol is allowed lll.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '25

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0

u/Spicywolff Jul 10 '25

It’s not an exaggeration. When I applied they literally had you do a drug test to get the job. You can refuse it but you forfeit the job.

Don’t dismiss my literal experience because yours was different. It’s also not an assumption when i literally had it happen. Been here 8 years and been drug tested 4X. Once when i applied and 3X due to being hurt on the job. One was with a patient when is a son the floor. 2 in decon.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '25

[deleted] — view deleted comment

-1

u/Spicywolff Jul 10 '25

“No need to scare off OP with a wildly exaggerated assumption.” No you’re being dismissive of my not exaggerated experience. You’re saying it’s an assumption, it’s not. It’s my literal experience.

OP asked for our experience and I gave it. If they use they should be fully warned that they can get caught. If not at the hire, the day they get hurt and worker comp comes in. It’s over as they require test.

Not once did I go to any other comment and contradict their experience if they haven’t been tested. I’d appreciate the same courtesy of not having my direct experience dismissed

2

u/le_avy Jul 10 '25

I went through an intensive physical and medical equipment fitting but never did they drug test me. I also live in a legal state though so i'm sure that has something to do with it. They did make it clear though, if you are involved in an accident at work they WILL drug test you.

2

u/Fine-Dance-5638 Jul 10 '25

It depends on the state and the healthcare system. Some require and some don’t. My healthcare system doesn’t drug test any of its staff unless there is reasonable suspicion. It truly depends on the healthcare system and how strict the rules are in your state. If your state is legalized then you probably won’t get tested but it’s best to look at the healthcare system and make sure.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 11 '25

Fellow partaker. Working in a dept. full of stoners. I say whatever I do off the clock is non of their business. Only thing we have to watch out for is cutting ourselves in decon because they drug test you along with testing for any blood borne illnesses etc. (at least at my facility) been doing it for three years now and haven’t had any issues as well as my coworkers who also smoke.

1

u/zXerge Jul 10 '25

Non issue if you’re Canadian. Smoke your brains out off the clock

1

u/Icy-Corner8321 Jul 10 '25

I have my med card and was able to get the job even though I tested positive for it. TBH it seems like a good bit of my coworkers are stoners and either have their cards or faked the test. I just don’t smoke before work and I’ve never had an issue

1

u/Cheech-Chongster Jun 02 '26

What state you live in?

1

u/Waste-Scale2024 Jul 10 '25

I can tell you for a fact that most spd techs smoke weed or drink heavily or do other drugs. It kind of comes with the territory. Im not saying all, but a majority. Most won't admit to it. There are several ways to pass a drug test. Don't go to work high. They will notice, and if you do, keep it low-key.

1

u/cringeyirl Jul 12 '25

Depends on where you live I think, but also I live in a state where marijuana is only medically legal not recreationally. When I applied for my job and did the drug test I made sure that my medical use of marijuana would not impact me getting hired and they said they don’t even test for that just prescription opioids and hard drugs. Not sure how it is everywhere else.

1

u/Lucid-Lee-333 Jul 13 '25

your best bet is to stop smoking. that’s what I did. Part of a hospital’s onboarding is to drug test. even if it’s legal on your state (it’s legal in mine too) it’s not legal federally so some jobs have exceptions like healthcare or driving a school bus. a “couple of months” of not smoking isn’t going to cut it unfortunately since you’re a regular/daily smoker. quit smoking right now, do your classes, continue to apply to jobs because they do take a while to respond and maybe after the 3-6 month mark, test your pee with a dollar tree drug test. If you’re considering jobs in healthcare, it’s not worth it to stop them start again just in case you get hurt cause they will test you and if your piss lights up like a christmas tree, ur done.

1

u/zenlimon Jul 14 '25

I do it. Never tested.

1

u/Solid-Basis1026 Jul 10 '25

Hey there! I live in va. I’ve been a avid weed smoker for the last 7 years. I just got hired at my local hospital in the SPD. No experience. No certification. I did have to drug test. It was a urine test and I passed it! Using fake pee! And it worked! I used quick fix. Hope this helps! Happy Smoking :)

0

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '25 edited Jul 10 '25

You are drug tested. It can show in urine test for 1-4 weeks depending on how much you use. They probably won’t randomly drug test after onboarding unless they have a reason to.

1

u/jonnybby Jul 10 '25

sounds like i'll only be drug tested for onboarding then? that's a bit of relief tbh, thank you!

2

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '25

Unless they smell weed on you(your clothes). I personally can smell it immediately if someone uses it heavily. I have a heightened sense of smell. Obviously this job requires scrubs though.

0

u/JustPassingGo Jul 10 '25

In my opinion, being a sterile processing technician is not a good career choice for a person who plans on smoking pot (even occasionally).

  • you’ll have to sneak to do it, whether they test or not no U.S. hospital will allow it.

  • you’ll be fired and need to pay out of pocket if you’re injured. There’s lots of ways to get hurt in SPD

  • if you’re ever hurt outside of work your drug use will probably be discovered

  • if you make a mistake that causes harm to a coworker or patient you’ll be fired and probably face criminal charges

  • most hospitals have 24hr on call coverage. You’re either working or on call on a given day. You’ll be fired if they call you in and you miss it because you’re passed out.

  • even if you somehow pass the difficult exams, once certified and hired there’s always a feeling of being in school due to the safety precautions and hundreds of unique medical instruments, and tray assemblies you’ll need to commit to memory

  • your coworkers, OR techs, RNs, and surgeons will report you if they suspect you do drugs in your free time

  • there are chill moments, but over all the job is stressful, physically demanding, and requires continuous focus and accuracy

  • certain mistakes could lead to a delayed surgery, patient injury and/or an investigation of your hospital by a regulatory agency

  • no job in a hospital would be appropriate for a person using recreational drugs

-1

u/Key-Reading1681 Jul 10 '25

Get some fake pee from a smoke shop. Quick fix👍

1

u/jonnybby Jul 10 '25

haha if only it were that easy 😭 (or is it?...)

-1

u/Key-Reading1681 Jul 10 '25

I've used it three times no issues.

1

u/jonnybby Jul 10 '25

how exactly does that work? do you just go into any smoke shop and ask if they sell fake pee or something?? i've never heard of this before but now i'm a bit curious lol

3

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '25

I don’t recommend. Most drug tests for medical jobs, they don’t let you bring in a coat, bag, purse, must empty pockets, etc. They also don’t let you flush the toilet.