Methadone clinic job offer

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Psych, Interventional Cardiac,.

Hello,

I am registered nurse for about 6 months. I work at a large hospital on night shift. I am really not adjusting well to night shift and I have children so needless to say night shift has been an exhausting struggle.

recently I wanted to see what was out there since my unit has no openings on day shift and even if they did I would take a significant pay cut if I went to day shift unless I picked up additional shifts. I applied for a job that I heard about from my school. It was for a registered nurse at a methadone clinic.

i was offered the job Monday- Friday off by 4pm, no holidays and no weekends. Matching my pay I currently make working nights. Only concern is am I shooting myself in the foot only lasting 6 months at the hospital?

really trying hard to decide is it more important to be home with my kids and have a decent normal life and sleep. Or suffer no energy, no sleep, no time with my kids because I sleep all day on my days off.

never worked in methadone clinic all I know is hospital nursing. We have phlebotomist draw labs at hospital. Concerned I am not prepared to work in methadone clinic if I did take the job.

help please! Any feedback or advice very much appreciated I have to decide today I been putting this off too long.

cardiacrn

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Very tempting. I would learn more about the daily realities of the methadone clinic before making a decision

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Psych, Interventional Cardiac,.

Yea it is. I am going to try it.

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Yeah, who cares if it fits your lifestyle and you like it? I'd go for it and not worry about it.

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I am wondering what you decided to do. I have never worked in a Methadone clinic (but have done lots of psych nursing, so have working with the client population). I've specialized in community/public health. I've relocated to a new state and am finding that since I do not have at least one year of acute medical experience that finding work in acute care is going to be very challenging. I would strongly encourage you to stick it out for another 6 months, if you can.

I have kids as well and I know that night shift is killer, especially when you have a family.

Good luck with your decision!

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Specializes in Clinical Social Worker.

Curious to hear what you decided and how it's going.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Psych, Interventional Cardiac,.

Hello All,

I did accept the full time position at the Methadone clinic. I love this job!!! More patient interaction. I feel safe and I love coming to work. Some patients really want to stop using and some just come to not get sick but still not ready for all the resources the clinic offers.

I still work at hospital PRN, would like to keep my foot in the door and keep my skills but working hospital full time was not for me.

Cardiac RN

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Specializes in Clinical Social Worker.

I'm so happy to hear it's working out for you. That's great!

Also, not sure if you have student loans, but there's been some expansion of National Health Service Corps loan repayment program to help combat "opiate epidemic" issues by extending the pool of eligible sites to include those working in addiction treatment.

RNs are eligible if they can get their work site to be an approved location.

https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loan-repayment/nhsc-sud-workforce-loan-repayment-program.html

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Specializes in as above.

try it! for 3 to 6 months..your eyes will be opened as to drug addicts and how manipulative they can be. Be careful with what you see and discuss around your kids. A meth clinic are people 'trying' to get off higher powered drugs, which sounds like an oxymoron!

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.
On 5/11/2019 at 8:35 PM, Roy Hanson said:

try it! for 3 to 6 months..your eyes will be opened as to drug addicts and how manipulative they can be. Be careful with what you see and discuss around your kids. A meth clinic are people 'trying' to get off higher powered drugs, which sounds like an oxymoron!

Yikes. That’s a bit harsh.

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becareful what you wish for!! Its a drug clinic..addict. Deal with these characters is like dealing with...a terrible two';s child. Meth is a powerful drug affecting the everything is wonderful, sweet section of the brain. It would be interesting to find out WHY they got addicted to such a powerful drug. Pain killer/pleasure drugs are VERY powerful. Your kids mean more..they are kids in adult clothing. Treat them the same.

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.
On 7/13/2019 at 8:07 PM, Bscn-Med Surg said:

becareful what you wish for!! Its a drug clinic..addict. Deal with these characters is like dealing with...a terrible two';s child. Meth is a powerful drug affecting the everything is wonderful, sweet section of the brain. It would be interesting to find out WHY they got addicted to such a powerful drug. Pain killer/pleasure drugs are VERY powerful. Your kids mean more..they are kids in adult clothing. Treat them the same.

You are right, in that it is a very challenging and emotionally draining field. Patients can be manipulative, demanding, difficult to engage with. Often with significant mental health needs. That work is not for the faint of heart.

However- WOW. "They are kids in adult clothing." That kind of attitude is like the root of the problem. In actuality, addicts are human beings struggling with an intensely difficult problem that affects literally every aspect of their life. These patients lives are in complete shambles, and their neurochemistry is permanently altered by their addiction. It is a loong and painful process to recover. It is soo condescending to dismiss their struggles by comparing them to toddlers.

You ask WHY they got addicted. Well. In large part it is OUR FAULT, handing out opiates like candy and leaving our patients dependent.

Other factors are extreme poverty, untreated mental illness, abuse and neglect as a child. I guess some people might just decide to take up meth for fun, but... i think thats rare.

And how do we help them? Well. We detox people in the ED then toss them back on the street because there are no rehab beds.

We make them jump through hoops and follow strict rules in order to deem them worthy of medication treatment or a community residential placement.

We deny them housing if they can't sober up, and throw them out if they relapse. In some states pregnant addicts can be thrown in jail.

To this day it is still easier to score an opioid rx than it is to access treatment. We require providers to take special classes to provide MMT, yet anyone with an RX pad can write a big old bottle of dilaudid. We make patients come to US, instead of reaching out into the community.

Listen, no one enjoys being homeless and alienated from society, covered in sores, trading sex for heroin. Like, nobody. Lets give them some grace, and some help.

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