Urine drug testing is the least expensive and least invasive type of test to detect drugs in your system and therefore, it is also the most commonly used drug detection test. Normal results for the test indicate no drugs in the urine. If the test comes back positive, a gas chromatography mass spectrometry can be used to confirm the results. A false positive can occur due to some foods or medications. Another name for the test is Drug screen – urine.
On reaching the facility for the urine drug test, the patient will be asked to put on a hospital gown. A healthcare worker will then escort the patient to a “dry room”. This is a special room meant for collecting urine specimens. It will not contain much in it to prevent contamination of the urine specimen. An alternative is a rest room with the faucets turned off and colored water in the toilets, once again to prevent tampering of the specimen. It is important to collect a clean or midstream urine sample. For this make sure to allow a small amount of urine to drain in the toilet bowl before you collect a sample in the vial. This is to clear the urethra of any contaminants. Then replace the cap on the vial. Make sure not to touch the inside of the vial so as to prevent contamination of the sample. This sample will be taken to lab for testing.
A urine drug test is conducted to detect illegal drugs in the urine. This test involves a specimen or sample of your urine, which is then tested in the lab against a toxicology screen.
The best way to a pass urine drug test is to avoid drugs or at least stay off drugs for a while before the test. However, some employers may insist on a random test, which could easily detect drugs in the urine, even if it was taken four weeks back. One suggestion is to drink plenty of water to dilute the drugs in the system. However, this will make the urine look pale and would appear suspicious to the lab technician analysis the urine specimen. Another problem with drinking too much water is the risk of “water intoxication” which in some rare cases can be fatal. Another suggestion is to drink a diuretic. This elevates the rate of urination and can flush out the drugs through the urine.