http://drugrehabcenter.com – Relapse Prevention Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction – Call our Toll-Free Recovery Hotline at 1-800-839-1682 and discover th…
Video Rating: 0 / 5

http://holisticdrugrehab.com/ ProSom addiction and ProSom abuse – Call our Toll-Free Substance Abuse Recovery Hotline: 800-839-1682 – discover the best treat…
Video Rating: 0 / 5

Question by Danyel: What type of education would I need to become an RN at a substance abuse detox facility?
I am currently going to school for pre-health with a nursing concentration, until I have the requirements to apply for nursing. I would like to be able to work as an RN in a substance abuse facility. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advise as to how to go about doing this? I do not know if I will need to specialize in a certain area in order to do so or not? If anyone could help me out in regards to what to do education wise I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by MeMeMe
Hi,

First off, good for you for wanting to work in addiction treatment! I’m an addictions counselor and have been working in mental health (mostly suicide prevention) for 7 years and we certainly need more qualified RNs in the field. So I think you will have an easy time finding work once you’re finished with school.

As for your question… To become an RN, you need to go to nursing school. Although I’m sure you already know this. As for specializing in addiction treatment, I don’t believe there are any additional requirements, but it would be good if you have experience working with addicts or at least a greater knowledge of treating clients with addiction. So I would suggest trying to get an internship of some sort with a treatment center in your area. They may not let you do much while you’re in school, but you will be able to put it on your resume. You can learn a lot from observing how things work in treatment. The other suggestion I have would be to take some extra classes that focus on substance abuse. Drug addicts and alcoholics face a variety of special issues separate from the “normal” population you would be working with in a hospital. Most community colleges and some universities now offer programs where you can learn more about these issues. I don’t know where you live, but you may want to start looking for college programs titled “Addictions Counseling” or “Addictions Studies.” Classes you may want to take would be any type of pharmacology, a bloodborne pathogens/infectious disease class, and even alternative treatments to addiction classes. It could also help to take a few classes for addictions counselors like group therapy, individual therapy, or something similar. These will definitely help you in the future in terms of communicating with your clients.

The most important thing I would think an RN working in addiction should have to be educated about is prescription drugs of abuse. Normally when I do an intake on a client coming into treatment, they have been medically prescribed multiple addictive drugs that only contribute to and exacerbate their disease (addiction). Usually these include opiate painkillers, benzodiazepines, and other sedatives and tranquilizers. I had a client once who was on NINE different benzos which she had been on for years, all prescribed by doctors for things like insomnia, anxiety, and even hypothyroidism. This is so egregious and disgusting to me! They were killing her. She obviously had to be medically detoxed for risk of seizures and death from her meds. And needless to say, after being evaluated by our MD, she didn’t NEED any of the pills.

Anyway, I’m rambling. Just excited to see someone wanting to help in the field of addiction treatment. It is rare these days, it seems. But what a satisfying and rewarding job. Good luck to you!!!

Give your answer to this question below!

http://drugrehabcenter.com – Types of Anti-Anxiety Drugs Abused – Discover the best treatment options for you. Call our Toll-Free Recovery Hotline at 1-800-3…
Video Rating: 4 / 5

http://drugrehabcenter.com – Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs – Discover the best treatment options for you. Call our Toll-Free Recovery Hotline at 1-800-3…
Video Rating: 2 / 5

@ISSUE: Why are death rates soaring from prescription drug abuse by women?
Health care providers and women can take steps to protect against prescription painkiller overdoses. It is important that health care providers follow guidelines for responsible opioid prescribing (including screening and monitoring for substance abuse …
Read more on Asbury Park Press

Addiction Expert Weighs In On Dramatic Increase in Women Dying from Opioid …
"This escalation in female deaths is staggering," said Kim Dennis MD, CEO and medical director of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center. "The statistics show the shocking ignorance with regards to mental health and addiction training …
Read more on PR Newswire (press release)

US Attorney's Office Indicts Burke Co. Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center, Its …
ASHEVILLE, NC—A Burke County drug and alcohol treatment center, its owner, and two of its employees have been indicted on False Claims Act conspiracy and bribery charges, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North …
Read more on Federal Bureau of Investigation (press release)

Medicare Part D Drug Plans: Counseling With a Moving Target
Published Online: Friday, August 16, 2013. Patients are likely to be confused by the various Medicare prescription drug plans available to them as well as the year-to-year coverage changes, but the basics are reasonably straightforward. Medicare Part D …
Read more on Pharmacy Times

Drug, alcohol counseling now available at the Queen
Local residents can access the county's alcohol and drug services from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling 707-253-4063 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are accepted from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in Building C of the …
Read more on Napa Valley Register

OSAT Now Offering Online Substance Abuse Treatment for Those Recovering …
Online Substance Abuse Treatment (OSAT) is now offering comprehensive and effective online substance abuse treatment plans for those suffering with alcohol and drug addiction at http://www.onlinesubstanceabusetreatment.com/. Sacramento, California …
Read more on San Francisco Chronicle (press release)

That 70s Show Star Lisa Robin Kelly Dead At 43
The troubled star struggled with drinking and drug addiction for years. She was in rehab late Wednesday night when she reportedly went into cardiac arrest in her sleep. She could not be revived. Lisa's agent broke the news, saying: "She had been …
Read more on PerezHilton.com

Lindsay Lohan Comes Clean to Oprah & More Addiction Tell-Alls (Video)
The actress began doing cocaine at age 13 and was checked into rehab for drug addiction by the next year. While her rebelliousness continued, Barrymore got sober and wrote an autobiography recounting this period in her life, Little Girl Lost. Success …
Read more on Daily Beast

To Reduce Overdose Deaths, Report Calls for More Drug Abuse Treatment
An important new report states that there is a lack of available treatment for heroin and prescription drug abuse. Fortunately, there are a few certified drug treatment centers such as South Florida's Harbor Village where abusers can seek the …
Read more on San Francisco Chronicle (press release)