Got interview for methadone clinic!

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm excited but I just have to get used to being at work at 5AM!!!

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I work for a Meth clinic here in Richmond,Va. The day will go by fast and you wont even notice. Good luck!:)

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OP, I realize this is a pretty old post, but I was just wondering how you like your job at the methadone clinic? I start to work in one Monday morning. Like you that 5 a.m. starting time is kind of daunting, but the getting off @ 1:30 p.m. sounds great also!

Thanks for any advice and have a great day!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, PP.

I worked 6 months in a methadone clinic. My hours where 0445-1230, and i really liked the shift. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of security at the facility I worked out. But as far the work & patients, i loved it.

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LA thanks for the response,

The security was one of the things I was a little nervous about. The area the clinic is in is not one of the best in the world and the fact that you have to arrive there so early might be scary. I do know they obviously keep it locked up because each time I have went there for both interview and followup, someone has had to let me in. So will just go with my gut and see how I feel. It hasn't let me down yet in life!

Have a great day!

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I just finished one week; going on second. So far so good. This is my first job as an LPN so the dosing is brand new but chemical dependency is not. I thik I am going to like it. It is taking a bit to wrap my head around changing one addiction to another but each day, I get more understanding. Just watching amazing people maintain careers that opiates destroyed once (twice, third, etc.) in their lives.................My area of town is not so great either and my hours are 4:30-11:30. There are always a few folks there waiting. The clients give me feeling of safety. Unless theres a gun used, than the odds are on our side - hahaha. I am learning to use the eyes in the back of my head though!! I do like that time fly's by. Still struggling with sleep and saturday I slept 16 hours!!! Went to bed around 8:00 last night and today is the first day in a week that I feel pretty good. Alot of paper work but still less than anything I say in clinicals and definetly less than nursing school. The count is soooooo easy because there is only one drug. Med errors are pretty much gone, if you can trust the computer. It's been fun....the bosses are laid back and so is secretary. I like everyone's attitude. I think I may haven found a career....I know.....its only been a week but it feels really good:)

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I just finished my second day.. and I am kind of tired. I am usually a very early riser... but getting up @ 3 a.m. is earlier than even I am used to. It has definitely been easier than working in LTC. I pretty much ran a window by myself today. Hopefully all will work out. I am taking two classes at night, which is going to be hard. I have an essay now I need to go and do and a research paper, which will be due this coming Monday.. so I know how my weekend is going to be spent lol.

Have a great evening!

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Do you use liguid methadone or pills? Is respiratory depression a concern or are meds just doled out and the patients leave? Thanks

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Specializes in Med-Surg, PP.

when i worked in a methadone clinic, we used liq methadone, and yes, resp depression is a potential prob because of the side effects of the medication. --- any time we felt a patient couldn't tolerate the dose or was impaired, we would hold the dose and have them see their counselor / doctor/ or in emergency, send them to the ER. Anytime we felt it was needed, we would take vital signs & we would use nursing judgement on dosing the pt. A big concern for resp complications is pts taking benzo's with the methadone, so we had standing orders regarding drug screens, + for benzos without dr order and awareness of the situation, we would immediately begin bringing dose down per standing order (drug screens were scheduled @ random, but at least monthly...we also had tests for ETOH, benzos, opioids (for intake) and pregnancy tests in the nurses station so we could do a screen anytime we felt it would be needed, then we would send it on to lab for confirmation)

:nurse:

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LA Nurse,

Just wondering :rolleyes: why you left this area of nursing (or maybe I misunderstood)?

Thanks! :nurse:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, PP.

several reasons - one was the place i worked at had been robbed 2x in the last year...i liked the job, didn't think it was worth getting shot over, and i had issues with the refusal to get security cameras, given the circumstances. also, i had started working on LPN-ASN program, and add a 6 day/week schedule + 2 kids, and it equals not much study time for mommy.lol - so i took some time off from work until i finished up :)

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Oh wow! I understand. Good luck to you.:)

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