By Adam Hall, Staff Writer & Editor
Through the Collector’s Lens: Part 2
This information is provided for educational purposes only. Reader retains full responsibility for the use of the information contained herein.
Earlier this year I began a new series with the intent of shedding light on the experiences and challenges associated with the role of the specimen collector.
This month we will continue this series by exploring more collection situations that presented unique experiences. This time I will not only include personal stories, but I will also include examples from fellow collectors who have shared their experiences with me. Similar to part one, a common theme from each story will be identified and discussed at the end.
Friendly Competition?
In 2009, a large client identified a need to complete 500 urine collections in as little time as possible to minimize lost-production time. Drug paraphernalia was discovered on multiple job sites, so it was decided to test all personnel company wide. The company I worked for at the time was not necessarily equipped to handle this volume quickly, and we were only able to dispatch two field technicians, as these collections were to be conducted on the job site. Upon arriving at the job site, my coworker and I linked up with our project manager, and were quickly introduced to two more field technicians, both of whom were dispatched from a competing collection agency.
Confused as to why two competing agencies were working together, I took my first opportunity in a private setting to question our project manager as to why two companies were hired. His answer was simple, “What better way to get 500 hundred tests done as quickly as possible than to hire two competing agencies? With reputation on the line, I know I can expect a fast turnaround.”
After hearing this answer, I thought momentarily that I might have been speaking to the smartest person I had ever met. Whether he was or not, the approach was effective, and all 500 tests were completed in just under two days.
Right to Wear a Coat
Winter in Alaska is cold, so it is normal for donors to show up to a collection site wearing large jackets, among other winter gear. On one particular Saturday, our collection facility was operating with a skeleton crew consisting of me and one other collector. An individual arrived for a pre-employment drug screen. My coworker brought this individual back to the collection area and began the collection process. When asked to remove his jacket, the donor immediately became confrontational, and refused to remove his jacket.
In a professional manner, my coworker explained to the individual that failure to comply with collector instructions could result in a refusal-to-test. The donor balked at this information and stated that he had the right to wear a jacket wherever he pleased. My coworker acknowledged this right, then calmly stated that she had the right to terminate the collection process if a donor did not comply. A barrage of insults and threats followed from the donor, and he shortly left the collection facility without completing the collection. A little shaken from hearing these threats, my coworker completed the necessary paperwork, and the belligerent donor was never heard from again.
Alone With an Inmate
While attending school near Houston, TX, I worked for a drug testing company that had offices and facilities throughout the state. The office I worked in was small, and I was often the only employee working. The town I lived in was surrounded by prisons, so naturally the department of corrections was a large client for this company. I had only been working for this company for a couple weeks, so I was still acclimating to how the facility operated and had not yet been exposed to all the clients who utilized the company.
On a relatively slow day I was sitting at my desk with no one else in the office, when a person walked in wearing what I immediately recognized as an inmate uniform for one of the nearby prisons. Upon seeing this individual, I immediately panicked knowing the only way in or out of this office was through the front door, currently blocked by what I assumed to be an escaped inmate. After what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only a few seconds, a second individual walked in who I recognized as a correctional officer. This calmed my nerves significantly, but I was still unsure of what was going on. After a quick call to my supervisor, I learned certain trustees were eligible to work off prison grounds so long as certain criteria were met, including passing a drug test.
Once back in the office with me, my supervisor was very apologetic that she failed to mention the occasional trustee test, but she couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of seeing the look of terror I am sure I wore on my face.
Reflection
As integrity was emphasized in the stories shared in part one of this series, responsibility and accountability are the key focuses of part two. As with anyone who is new to an industry, a specimen collector can be exposed to many unknowns. Understanding the nuances of each client can take time, and for a new collector to quickly face adversity during the collection process, it can be daunting. Whether that consists of an unruly or unexpected donor, or an unusual situation, the collector is responsible for completing the collection process accurately.
