Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Policy for Drug Screening
All applicants will be required to sign and agree to Alvin Community College’s Policy for Drug Screening.
PURPOSE
- Promote and Protect Patient/Client Safety
- Comply with Clinical Affiliates Drug Screen Requirements
- Detect Illegal Drug Use
DEFINITIONS
Positive Drug Test
A positive drug test means a medically acceptable drug test, approved by Alvin Community
College, the results of which indicate the use of illegal drugs.
Illegal Drugs
Illegal drugs include those drugs made illegal to possess, consume, or sell by Texas
and Federal statutes. An illegal drug also includes those drugs taken by an individual
which exceed the prescribed limits of a lawful prescription or the taking of a prescription
drug without a valid prescription.
DRUG SCREENING PROCEDURE
When the drug test results are reported by the Medical Review Officer, they are final. Within 10 days of learning of a positive result, a student can request to have their original specimen retested. The request must be stated in writing to Alvin Community College. There will be an additional cost for this process. If the final results change, the student will receive a refund for the requested second testing. Once the drug screen and the GC/MS (Gas Chromotography / Mass Spectrometry) confirmation are completed, and the Medical Review Officer has reported the results of the second set of testing, those results are final and cannot be appealed.
POLICY
When the college determines that a student has a positive drug test, the student is not allowed to attend any clinical agency/rotation for a minimum of twelve months and may affect his/her re- admission to the program. The student with the positive drug test is required to withdraw from the clinical course and all concurrent health, nursing or allied health programs. Prior to returning to the program, the student must re-apply and be accepted to the program (including re-testing), have a negative drug test, and provide satisfactory documentation to the college of successful drug counseling and treatment, all at the expense of the student. When a student with a previously positive drug test is accepted back into the program he/she will be subjected to unannounced random drug screening at their expense.
EMS Program-Specific Drug Screening Requirements
All of the Program’s affiliates require that students complete and submit to a drug screen prior to being granted access to those facilities. The drug screening must be completed every SEMESTER. Students who test positive for the following substances without providing a valid prescription will not be allowed to complete clinical rotations:
- Amphetamines
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Cocaine Metabolites
- Marijuana
- Methadone
- Methaqualone
- Opiates
- Oxycodone
- Phencyclidine
- Propoxyphene
This list may be amended at any time. In addition, students are subject to further drug screening for cause.
Drug screens performed by any other agency are not accepted.
COLLEGE & CAREER PATHWAYS
Emergency Medical Services is part of our Health Career Pathway. Click the box below to see other Health programs that may interest you.