First Job as a Dispensing Nurse at an Addiction Treatment Center?

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Anyone have any experience with this type of job? Should I pursue it? New grad, first job offer out of RN school at an addiction center as a dispensing nurse.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Hello FATGUCCI,

We moved your thread to the Addictions Nursing forum for the best response.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, CEN, TCRN.

I worked as a tech in an inpatient rehabilitation center during nursing school, and it seemed to be a really easy gig for the RNs that were there. They rotated pill line duties and there were a couple of RNs on duty for sick call hours and to perform assessments to determine if a pt should go to the hospital.

Not really my thing or first choice as a new grad nurse. All the RNs were pretty old and had a mindset like they were already retired.

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5 minutes ago, gere7404 said:

I worked as a tech in an inpatient rehabilitation center during nursing school, and it seemed to be a really easy gig for the RNs that were there. They rotated pill line duties and there were a couple of RNs on duty for sick call hours and to perform assessments to determine if a pt should go to the hospital. 

Not really my thing or first choice as a new grad nurse. All the RNs were pretty old and had a mindset like they were already retired.

Thanks for chiming in I appreciate it! I have applied to over 25 jobs, each with a cover letter specifically made by incorporating the company's core values along with how I could be a good fit. I also edit my resume to match the job description as best as I can. This is the only job that has called me back so far, so I'm on the fence whether I should pursue it or not.

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Hi there!

Sorry I'm a little late to respond. I am a LPN who has been working as a dispensing nurse for a methadone and suboxone clinic for a few months now. I absolutely LOVE the job. It has its own set of challenges, but compared to nursing homes and home health, which is where my previous background lies, this is by far the easiest and least physically demanding job I've had as a nurse. No heavy lifting on patients, no changing them, no dealing with oxygen tanks or doing wound care...not to mention no holidays and no weekends (at least not in my clinic).

The patients can be challenging and needy at times but that's in any healthcare environment. There is an occasional emergency or maybe a patient who's impaired that you can't dose, but for the most part, it is a fun, smooth sailing job.

I recommend you try it...you may just end up loving it. No way could I imagine working in a different area of nursing now!

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On 8/6/2019 at 3:36 PM, Heavenly4505 said:

Hi there!

Sorry I'm a little late to respond. I am a LPN who has been working as a dispensing nurse for a methadone and suboxone clinic for a few months now. I absolutely LOVE the job. It has its own set of challenges, but compared to nursing homes and home health, which is where my previous background lies, this is by far the easiest and least physically demanding job I've had as a nurse. No heavy lifting on patients, no changing them, no dealing with oxygen tanks or doing wound care...not to mention no holidays and no weekends (at least not in my clinic). 

The patients can be challenging and needy at times but that's in any healthcare environment. There is an occasional emergency or maybe a patient who's impaired that you can't dose, but for the most part, it is a fun, smooth sailing job.

I recommend you try it...you may just end up loving it. No way could I imagine working in a different area of nursing now! 

Thank you Heavenly4505!

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I've worked at a MAT (medical assisted treatment) clinic for five years. I took the job because it worked with my home life so well. I work 4-hour shifts. I have a great group of nurses I work with. We work in a small room dispensing methadone, and suboxone, and occasionally vivitrol. We rotate doing admission assessments using the COWS (clinic opiate withdrawal scale). We also may take an ECG (1st generation machine), blood draws, Hep C screening. I really have loved it. MAT works. The science supports it. Honestly, the main problem is I have lost all my skills. I'd like to try something new but I don't know if I can go back to 12-hour shifts. Plus the nurses I work with are great we really help and support each other. The MAIN issue and it's a big one, the pay is so bad. I work for a non-profit. The pay is way below other nursing jobs. The administration claims it's an easy nursing job and we are a non-profit so the pay is appropriate. So there is my experience.

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Specializes in IV therapy, Chelation, Geriatrics, AntiAging.

I worked as a receptionist in a rehab clinic. The nurses there loved it. I agree with the above comment "it was the easiest physical job".... that's one of the top reasons I am going back to school (since the 90's), to get a LPN. I am in early 50's and need a second career.

Agreed on all the patient stuff. I was a caregiver as well. Tons of patience is how the nurses dealt with it. But otherwise it was an easy, enjoyable gig.

Hard to get benefits though. None of the nurses were employed full time by the clinic. Several rotated through and they loved it.

It could be chaotic, but no spurting blood or gun shots so pretty tame I would guess.

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