State Releases 10-Year Report on Alcohol and Drug Treatment Services in Hawaii
HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD) has released its 10-year report on alcohol and drug treatment services in Hawaii from 2003 through 2012. The complete report is available at: …
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Epilepsy Drug, Topiramate, Could Successfully Treat Cocaine Addiction
Topiramate is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication for epilepsy and migraines. Prof. Johnson has also been involved with research that utilized topiramate as a successful treatment for alcohol dependence. There are currently no …
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Low-income drug addicts struggle to get treated
They called themselves Columbus United in Recovery and vowed to break the chains of marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, crack, methamphetamine, prescription drugs and other unhealthy substance addictions. The event was held in observation of National …
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My husband has in a the Bell Shelter rehab last year from 5/06 thru 12/06 for drug and alcohol abuse and posession charges. While the the shelter for the first three months he was doing just fine up until 09/06 when I could no longer be there for him …
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Company building two drug rehab centers in south St. Louis
Preferred Family Healthcare is building two residential drug treatment centers in south St. Louis — one in the Dutchtown neighborhood, the other in Tower Grove South. The Dutchtown center, at 4066 Dunnica Avenue, will be for adults while the Tower …
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New York Drug Rehab Announces Services Now Available Through Drug …
Drug rehabilitation allows adults and adolescents a chance to get clean from their drug of choice, whether it is cocaine, heroin, marijuana, or prescription drugs. A part of this process is detoxification, cleansing out the physical body filled with …
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Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs – http://drugrehabcenter.com – Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs – Discover the best treatment options for you. Call our Toll-Free Recovery Hotline at 1-800-3…

Opana Addiction and Opana Abuse – http://cswf.org/prescription-drugs Opana Addiction & Opana Abuse – Discover the best substance addiction or abuse treatment options for you. Call our Toll-Fr…

Is Sugar a Drug? Addiction Explained
Some studies claim to find that junk food is as addictive as drugs, but experts say that what actually determines how addictive something is, and whether an individual becomes addicted, is complex. In the most recent headline-grabbing research, a study …
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Krokodil use reportedly spreading: What makes dangerous drug so addictive?
More cases of Krokodil use are reportedly popping up around the United States, prompting some medical professionals to warn that the addictive, poisonous drug has reached American shores. The Chicago Tribune reported last week that at least six people …
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Local forum focuses on substance abuse, addiction
DENVER – October marks 50 years since President John F. Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health Act. The purpose of the legislation was to improve the care and treatment of those who suffer from mental illness. A mental health forum was held …
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by nogger

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!!!

Assumption Introduces Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling
With overdose deaths in the Bay Sate up 47% since 1999, Continuing and Career Education (CCE) at Assumption College has introduced an alcohol and substance abuse counseling certificate program. The eight-course program includes a 300-hour …
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Prison drug counseling for theft defendant
Christian B. Merchant, 33, told Chelan County Superior Court Judge T.W.“Chip” Small he was grateful his sentence includes prison-based drug treatment. He maintained his innocence under an Alford plea but agreed he would likely be found guilty of …
Read more on The Wenatchee World Online

Substance Abuse Counselor – Women's Program
Wellspring has a full-time opening for a Substance Abuse Counselor for the Women's Residential Program with skills in individual and group substance abuse counseling, treatment planning, crisis intervention and case management. Must have knowledge of …
Read more on Bangor Daily News

From champ to drug and sex addict: Tyson tells all
From champ to drug and sex addict: Tyson tells all. By Maureen Callahan. October 27, 2013 | 4:34am. Modal Trigger. From left to right: Mike Tyson celebrating after becoming the youngest-ever heavyweight champion in 1986; Tyson biting the ear of Evander …
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EXCERPT: Artie Lange's 'Crash and Burn'
He's grotesquely honest about his addiction to heroin and prescription drugs, too. Now happily engaged to his … In response to Jimmy Kimmel saying that he was friends with Tom Cruise and that what Lange wrote about Cruise in his first book didn't …
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What do prescription drugs do to the body? – http://drugrehabcenter.com – What do prescription drugs do to the body? We can help you discover the best treatment options for you – call our 24-hour Toll-F…

Types of Anti-Anxiety Drugs Abused – 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…

Yevgeny Roizman: A macho mayor at war with drug addicts
Newly elected mayor Yevgeny Roizman's tough approach to drug addiction is popular with voters in the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city. But others attack him for his criminal past and his willingness even now to break the law in order …
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Dogs Reportedly Getting High On Drug Users' Poop In Berlin Parks
Dogs are overdosing on drug addicts' poop left in Berlin's parks, the German Local wrote from a report in Der Tagesspiegel newspaper. The city's veterinarians reportedly have noticed an increase in dogs being treated after eating human excrement in the …
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Moroccan clinic hopes to break the stigma around drug abuse
In Morocco's drug capital Tangiers, a pioneering clinic is trying to help addicts fight a rising habit in a conservative Muslim state where many would prefer the problem stay underground. "I don't want to steal from people to get my fix," Mohammed …
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