A newbie RN- Drug and ETOH Nurse

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2006

Welcome! I'm glad to have you here!

Editorial Team / Admin · Jan 26, 2006

hello and welcome to allnurses.com

so good to have you with us. enjoy the site.

Saifudin · Jan 26, 2006

Hello putterfly and welcome,

I am an NP and working in saudi arabia past 10 years as DON in an addiction and mental health facility. I am interested in drug induced psychosis. We're seeing a great deal of it since amphet. and meth increased. Also, prevalent with hashish use which is used also. I got into addiction when I came to saudi in 1995 so no direct experience back in my NP practice in the Bronx, but saw plenty of its side effects in the ER and primary care clinic. What has have you seen thus far?

Thanks

putterfly74 · Jan 30, 2006

Hi there. We haven't seen alot of meth yet. We deal with heroin and oyxcontin. Hashish is emtional daddicting but not a physical withdrawl unless it is cut with something. Keep me posted on how things are going putterfly

Saifudin · Jan 30, 2006

We see a lot of hashish abuse, little marijuania here. Of course, the THC content of hash is much greater and accounts for the other manifestations and dependency we see. There are associated psychotic manifestations with hashish and we see it regularly. Your right, no specific physical withdrawal manifestations but definately we see psychological addiction. Meth is out there but depends on what is smuggled in. As far as I know there are no illegal labs; mostly all smuggled so 'no quality control' so to speak. But, this stuff really screws people up. Out of 36 beds we can have nearly half with psychotic manifestations of hallucinations, delusions, etc.

Heroin, alcohol makes up the rest, but all is taking a back seat to amphetamine. As Saudi Arabia does not have alcohol legally, I have seen many patients drink cheap cologne cut with 7 Up. Homemade brew is rough and can cause optic neuritis and blindness. I have a patient now who after 20 years of etoh addiction is finally sober and clean for over 6 months in our intensive after care program, but he is blind from one 'party' with some homemade brew. It is serious stuff.

What type of nursing interventions do you for your clients?

kimhealthrs · Feb 1, 2006

I am the head of a medical detox unit at one of the oldest and biggest centers in chicago. we are seeing an extreme growth in meth. I have many resources available to me if anyone is interested.

nursekelly217 · Feb 1, 2006

kimhealthrs - I work in an in-pt detox dealing primarily in opiates, etoh and some benzos in Massachusetts. We are just beginning to see Meth make its way East and not many of us know much about managing its medical considerations and implications. Interested in your input/info. Thanks in advance.

zacarias, ASN, RN · Feb 1, 2006

I lived in eastern WA where meth is VERY prevalent. The small city I lived in had the highest crime rate in the state and direct connections to Mexican cartels. Meth is worse than heroin or coke..way worse.

Saifudin · Feb 1, 2006

I am the head of a medical detox unit at one of the oldest and biggest centers in chicago. we are seeing an extreme growth in meth. I have many resources available to me if anyone is interested.

We see alot of psychotic manifestations with the amphetamine use in my facility and it has changed our admission profiles. We have a 36 bed admission unit and another 30 beds that is under the auspices of the ministry of interior (i.e. forensic unit), as well as 90 rehab beds. Now our beds are increasingly tied up with psychotic patients where as opiates, etoh, etc., clients would move in 4-7 days. Are you seeing psychosis related to meth? I am quite interested in this. Are you basically an addiction service or do you have psych beds as well and what % of drug induced psychosis are you seeing that is like a comorbid condition or actually secondary to a primary psych disorder. Thanks, saifudin