I am not an addictions nurse...

Specialties Addictions

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Specializes in OR.

I think that every area of nursing is affected by addictions, and yet when you search for information, there is not a lot out there.

If any area of health care is going to be "Busting At The Seams" in the near future, I think it is going to be addictions nursing.

What do others think? We need more preventatives, more treatment centers & more research...

:twocents:

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I am a psych RN, and have seen a huge increase in Meth Addiction in the last 2 years. Prescribed and unprescribed pain med addiction is also huge right now. Yes, this is a growing industry, especially in California, rehabs everywhere. Meth addiction is the worse in my opinion, it just destroys the human body from the inside out - horrible drug.

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Specializes in OR.

Yes it does destroy the human body, I have looked after a patient that was very young, and required a complete dental clearance, because of crystal meth use.. I agree, with my limited knowledge in this area, it does seem to be one of the worst. It is a horrible drug.

I don't know what the treatment protocol is like for meth addiction or what the success rate for getting off it is like, but I imagine it must be very difficult to treat.

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The Meth addict usually comes on the unit and is very psychotic (drug induced), then they usually sleep 1 to 2 days straight, getting up to pee and sometimes eat, they usually start asking for either a pain med or Ativan, the thing that gets me about these patients is they always complain of how awful they feel - Hello, what do you expect? To tell you the truth, the success rate for Meth addicts is not to favorable. I'm trying not to sound negative, but I've seen this many, many times.

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Specializes in Addiction.

I work in an inpatient SA. There are many reasons for sobritity failure. A good place for research is IntNSA. There are chapters in many states. If you go to web site www.IntNSA.org

As for more patients you could be right if insurance maintains coverage for treatment. I do not expect more nurse positions being created, hospitals and treatment units often staff with paraprofessional and subtance abuse professionals. It only takes one nurse to do med passes, I'm sorry to say.

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