Name of the Procedure:

Drug Screen, Presumptive, Single Drug Class - Immunoassay or Non-TLC Chromatography (e.g., ELISA, GC, HPLC)

Summary

A drug screen is a preliminary test to detect the presence of a specific drug or its metabolites in the body. This test uses methods like immunoassay (e.g., ELISA) or non-thin layer chromatography (e.g., gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography) to screen for drugs from a specified class.

Purpose

This screening test is primarily used to detect the presence of a single class of drugs in a person's system. The goal is to identify if a drug, typically from Drug Class List B, is present, which can help in clinical assessments, substance use monitoring, and confirming compliance with medication instructions.

Indications

• Suspicion of drug use or overdose
• Pre-employment or random workplace drug testing
• Monitoring compliance in prescribed substance use
• Legal or forensic investigations
• Diagnosing unexplained symptoms that might relate to drug use

Preparation

• No special preparation is typically required for a standard urine drug screen.
• Patients may be asked to avoid certain medications or foods that could interfere with the test for a specified period before the test.

Procedure Description

1. Sample Collection: The patient provides a urine, blood, or saliva sample in a clinical setting.
2. Initial Immunoassay: The sample is subjected to immunoassay techniques like ELISA, which uses antibodies to detect the presence of drug metabolites.
3. Non-TLC Chromatography: Alternatives such as gas chromatography (GC) or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) may be used for more accurate presumptive screening without the use of mass spectrometry.

Duration

The procedure typically takes about 5-10 minutes for sample collection. Testing and preliminary results could take from a few hours to a couple of days, depending on the laboratory's capabilities.

Setting

The test can be performed in various settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, forensic laboratories, and workplace testing centers.

Personnel

• Trained healthcare professionals (e.g., nurse, phlebotomist) for sample collection.
• Laboratory technicians and chemists for sample analysis.

Risks and Complications

• Risk of false positives or false negatives.
• Sample contamination.
• Minor discomfort during blood sample collection.

Benefits

• Quick and non-invasive.
• Provide initial indications of drug use.
• Helps in prompt decision-making in clinical and legal settings.

Recovery

• No specific recovery is needed as it is a minimally invasive test.
• Patients can resume normal activities immediately.

Alternatives

• Confirmatory testing with mass spectrometry (e.g., GC-MS or LC-MS) for greater accuracy.
• Hair follicle or nail testing for a longer detection window.
• Saliva or blood tests which might be less invasive or more appropriate in certain scenarios.

Patient Experience

• The procedure is generally painless with minor discomfort if a blood sample is taken.
• The patient may have a waiting period for results, during which they might experience anxiety depending on the context of the test.
• Pain management and comfort measures are usually not necessary given the non-invasive nature of the test.