Popular Alcohol Screening Tests
There are many ways to test for alcohol in the body. Some of the most popular include: Blood Tests
The most accurate way to test blood alcohol level is, not surprisingly, to test the blood itself. Blood is taken using a syringe and then sent to a lab for screening. It’s not convenient to request repeated blood samples to detect sobriety, and blood must be properly stored and preserved to provide an accurate reading. Blood tests require a trained professional who can easily locate veins and take a sample with as little discomfort to the patient as possible. Due to these limitations, this type of test is rarely a go-to for the treatment population. 2. Urinalysis
Most treatment centers use urinalysis as the predominant form of alcohol screening. They request that clients provide samples and normally send them to an outside lab to test for the presence of alcohol. The extent and accuracy of the tests depends on the instructions given to the lab. …show more content…
Clients can easily tamper with the samples, either by using someone else’s urine or purchasing and bringing in “fake urine” designed to mimic the real thing. In turn, it’s important to have the client observe the clinician sealing the sample before it is sent off to the lab so there can be no accusations of tampering. 3 .Breathalyzers
Police officers tend to give breathalyzer tests instead of blood or urine tests since breathalyzers are both accurate and non-invasive. They also allow for the individual to take several tests in a short period of time if the first test is determined to be invalid. It’s easy for individuals to take breathalyzer tests at home or in the field. Providing samples of bodily fluids would prove difficult and cumbersome, not to mention relatively expensive to do.
4. Field
There are many ways to test for alcohol in the body. Some of the most popular include: Blood Tests
The most accurate way to test blood alcohol level is, not surprisingly, to test the blood itself. Blood is taken using a syringe and then sent to a lab for screening. It’s not convenient to request repeated blood samples to detect sobriety, and blood must be properly stored and preserved to provide an accurate reading. Blood tests require a trained professional who can easily locate veins and take a sample with as little discomfort to the patient as possible. Due to these limitations, this type of test is rarely a go-to for the treatment population. 2. Urinalysis
Most treatment centers use urinalysis as the predominant form of alcohol screening. They request that clients provide samples and normally send them to an outside lab to test for the presence of alcohol. The extent and accuracy of the tests depends on the instructions given to the lab. …show more content…
Clients can easily tamper with the samples, either by using someone else’s urine or purchasing and bringing in “fake urine” designed to mimic the real thing. In turn, it’s important to have the client observe the clinician sealing the sample before it is sent off to the lab so there can be no accusations of tampering. 3 .Breathalyzers
Police officers tend to give breathalyzer tests instead of blood or urine tests since breathalyzers are both accurate and non-invasive. They also allow for the individual to take several tests in a short period of time if the first test is determined to be invalid. It’s easy for individuals to take breathalyzer tests at home or in the field. Providing samples of bodily fluids would prove difficult and cumbersome, not to mention relatively expensive to do.
4. Field