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Video Rating: 3 / 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…
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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: 3 / 5

Time to Let It Go

Image by ShuttrKing|KT
Time to Let It Go
—–

Everything happens for a reason
And you aint gonna stop it
If you build your own prison
Only you have a key to unlock it
—–
Lyrics from ‘Let it Go’ by the Randy Rogers Band.

Earlier this year, former OSU Basketball coach, Sean Sutton, son of legendary basketball coach, Eddie Sutton, was arrested under charges of illegally buying and consuming prescription drugs without a prescription. Sean was addicted to Oxycontin and other painkillers he had been prescribed earlier, and was now finally coming to terms with his addicted. A low point in his life, for sure. Sean went into an intensive drug rehab program in Utah for 115 days, 25 more days than he was required to do, and after coming to terms with his own addicted, began to become a light for other members of the program. Today was Sean Sutton’s hearing at the court here in Stillwater, he plead guilty, addressing the media in a special press conference just before the hearing, taking full blame and responsibility, hiding nothing. Sean was given 3 years probation, fines, and community service. The world needs more folks who understand the weight of situations, who understand when they have done wrong. To truly apologize and mean it, Sean Sutton didn’t hide at all today, he took the criticism and showed a lot of strength. Heres to wishing a great recovery for Sean Sutton, his family of his wife and 3 kids.

I shot these for the paper on campus today, it was crazy, about 8 other photographers from newspapers state wide, and news crews and reporters from every news station here in Oklahoma were here, and I was right in the thick of it. I tried to mix it up a bit, I didn’t have quite the equipment some of the other photogs had, all I had on me was my 50mm. Did my best though I think…

Destination Hope Women's Program Discusses the Importance of Dual …
The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 37% of alcohol abusers and 53% of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness. “The general rule of 30, 60, or 90-day treatment programs does not always apply in the case of …
Read more on PR Web (press release)

Teens Are Being Trapped in Abusive 'Drug Rehab Centers'
The methods used at these facilities are arguably traceable to an anti-drug cult in the 60s called the Church of Synanon. Their method was to abduct addicts and then “rehabilitate” them through beatings and humiliation. “I found that virtually all of …
Read more on VICE

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: 3 / 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!!!

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!