Approximately 15% of the exam items are within this competency area

Competency Statement

Although the MRO does not routinely collect specimens, he or she must thoroughly understand collection procedures and chain of custody issues, as well as correctable and fatal flaws.  Knowledge in the area of collections and procedures will enable the MRO to:

• describe and apply appropriate procedures for urine specimen collections, including unwitnessed, witnessed, split specimen and insufficient quantity collections.

• describe and apply appropriate procedures for the use of custody and control forms.

• identify and address procedural errors. 

• describe and apply appropriate procedures for alcohol testing.

• serve as a consultant to BATs, STTs and employers on alcohol testing procedures.

Topics on Examination

• Collection procedures for urine specimens

• Observed and unobserved collections

• Custody and control forms and COC

• Split specimen procedures

• Specimen rejection

• Types of testing (applicant, periodic, random, for-cause, etc)

• Alcohol testing (BAT issues)

References

• Swotinsky RB, Smith DR, The Medical Review Officer's Manual.  Beverly Farms, MA, OEM Press, 4^th ed. 2010, pages 57-94.

• Peterson KW, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Drug and Alcohol Testing Medical Review Officer Course Syllabus and Resource Manual, updated annually.  Sections on collections and procedures.

• American Society of Addiction Medicine, Medical Review Officer Course Manual, updated annually.  Sections on collections and procedures.

• U.S. DOT Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance, “Urine Specimen Collection Guidelines”, Washington, DC. www.dot.gov/ost/dapc

• SAMHSA, “Urine Specimen Collection Handbook for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs”.  http://www.drugfreeworkplace.gov/Dtesting.html

• Swotinsky RB, “How to Collect Workplace Drug Test Specimens”, MROCC Monograph, 2008.

• Swotinsky RB, ed.  MRO Update.  American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (newsletter).

•  MRO List Server (moderated by Dr. Karl Auerbach) – to subscribe, send an email to  Karl_Auerbach@urmc.rochester.edu with the subject "SUBSCRIBE MRO"

• MRO Testing Q&A, an on-line discussion forum about workplace drug and alcohol testing moderated by Robert Swotinsky, http://www.occ-doc.net/MRO_{_}information.htm

• MROCC:  http://www.mrocc.org

• U. S. Department of Transportation, Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance:  http://www.dot.gov/ost/dapc

• GPO Gate - Free source of Federal Register documents:  http://www.ssdc.ucsd.edu/gpo & http://www.gpo.ucop.edu/search/default.html