Got interview for methadone clinic!

nursejudy15209 · Sep 15, 2010

Just my :twocents: - I also landed a job in a methodone clinic. So far it's OK, the hours are brutal - early morning and then nothing to do with the rest of the day. I was hired for only 20 hours/week so that will NOT pay the rent, but I like the work. After 2 months without definite employment - it sounded good. I don't have a problem with the type of medications or anything like that, but I'm still keeping options open for full time work.

This particular job pays on a 1099 basis so they do not take taxes out of my pay - if I keep this job (and supplement income somehow) I'll be owing Uncle Sam at the end of the year instead of the other way around. Stuff to think about, for sure.

I give the nurses credit for doing this long term. Nurses do this type of work all over the country and I see how the patients are able to raise families, work, and live basically a normal life. I guess we are all a slave to something or other and those taking this medication daily are no exception. They are dedicated to getting their methodone and won't miss it no matter what the weather. The other problem is that clinics are usually staffed with only 1 or two nurses maximum so if one person calls off - that's a bummer -and the other one is going to work no matter what.

Good luck to all (myself included) for venturing into this type of nursing.

elprup, BSN, RN · May 30, 2013

Thank you all for this info.

garnetgirl29, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2013

I work at a suboxone clinic, and I'm not sure how I feel about the methodone clinic here. We get a lot of people who want to detox from the methodone, but we can't help them because our protocol is too low & they become very, very sick. We had someone recently who lied about their dose (was on 195mg) and came to us to detox, saying they were on a MUCH, MUCH lower dose, and became so sick we had to send them to the ER. The clients I see tell us that the methodone clinic continually increases their dosage, but doesn't want to decrease or wean them off. I understand that the methodone keeps them off the heroin, but I would think that eventually, the clinic would begin to gradually wean people off instead of encouraging them to stay on & increases dosage. My clients tell me the methodone clinic here only cares about making $$ & just cut them off if they fail the drug test or if they don't have money for that days dose. Is this true of all methodone clinics? Or, do others actually try to help the client remain clean & eventually wean them down?

scuba-girl, BSN · Oct 24, 2017

i have an interview in two weeks at a methedone clinic. i will be keeping my hospital position, but i'm interested in this for part time. i hope it's not a dangerous place to work.