Book for a new addictions (detox) nurse?

HM2VikingRN, RN · Jan 25, 2010

Do you have a preceptor? A good mental health nursing text should help but I personally would feel better if you had a "battle buddy" to help you negotiate the new job.

Read up on:

MINDS protocol (alcohol withdrawal)

COWS protocol (opiate withdrawal)

review lorazepam, valium and clonidine as interventions for withdrawal syndromes

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 25, 2010

The Substance Abuse Handbook is a good, portable book--you can get it from Lippincott Wilkins and Williams. It runs about $60.

If you can get your hands on it, the textbook Principles of Addiction Medicine is great! But at nearly $200, it's also a lot to shell out, so see if you can find a copy of it in your local library instead. We have a copy that someone gave us in our staff lounge, and we treat it like gold.

In the "costs nothing but printer paper" department, here's a site with some information about benzodiazepine withdrawal:

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

Like HM2VikingRN said, nothing beats a real-live preceptor. Most of what I've learned about addiction and withdrawal (so far), I've learned from the senior nurses as well as a couple of the doctors.

KADRN · Jan 26, 2010

I am a new grad RN and started my first job at a drug and alcohol detox facility recently. Thank goodness I don't work alone because my coworkers have been such a help and a support, as there is so much to learn. At my facility we are required to attend some AA or NA meetings, which could be helpful to you as well. I think an AA or NA book could also be useful, I have not read it but I want to to gain insight into the disease of addiction. Good luck to you in your nursing career.

CASTLEGATES · Feb 8, 2010

Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text

Alcoholics Anonymous "Big Book"

Gorsky-anything he's written regarding relapse prevention

Staying Sober

Living Sober

Codependent no more