Luke79AU

And this: "I'm generally sympathetic but we got a lot of "repeat" patients. So each patient has a different story or a different game they are playing with you and the docs. There are people truly physically suffering from detox who are there for t...

Repeat patients? Like a chronic asthmatic who has sometimes poor adherence to ICS and LABA preventer inhalers?

Nursing is a caring profession. Those comments were made by those who lack the necessary compassion, ethics, and integrity to earn a place at the table.

For those not in Australia, a B52 is this, correct? Are the meds all given orally, including the haloperidol? Why are first generation antihistamines used off label for sedation? There are many risks in this. If serious harm in the patient results...

It's like pain. 7.5mg of slow push IV morphine can depress respiration to a dangerous degree in some patients. Others might need 30mg to settle pain. Observe your patient always Also, diphenhydramine exerts clinically significant serotonergic ef...

Because they're assumed guilty, until proven innocent. Demand to see a Chain of Custody? They'd just kick the patient out. It's more like parole than healthcare. Also, remember that dipsticks and the like are a drug screen, not a test. Resu...

Any use of product names, not drug names.

No, but I had to shake my head at being reminded about supervised urine screens. No other patient populace has to prove themselves as worthy of medical care.

So well said. I hope you teach and mentor many junior RNs

Yes! Definitely here in Australia Why? - The Mental Health Acts afford many protections and rights. AoD operates by it's own rules. This can't continue. It's obscene. Patients held incommunicado, things that you'd never get away with in psych...

That's an unfortunate experience. Remember though, we have to report them, for our own sake, if nothing else.

Are you sure it's for you? I find Psych and addiction nursing enjoyable, and function far better there than in a medical/surgical environment. My best advice: - Always remember that you're dealing with a complex disease(s), many have significant...

Don't forget your pharmacology. Without a robust knowledge of drugs of addiction, and the drugs used to treat, any and all other knowledge/experience will be of limited value to you, and your patients.

But consider this: A patient has a disorder. The onus is on them. "Addiction" puts the onus also on the drug (or alcohol). It bridges gaps. Nicotine and caffeine addicts are everywhere. SUD is too DSM-V for me.

Far out. Time to move?

Nursing can continue along this path, or we can do what medical would do in the same circumstance. "Oh okay, I'm here now, and I'm a doctor. You can request another, but it could be quite a while." No way medical would play that male/female game. The...

I agree 100%. It wasn't so political 20 years ago (here in Australia, at least) One thing though, "Grounding" yourself will do absolutely nothing but we learned pseudo-science instead of medicine. It actually does work. https://pubmed.ncbi...

Wow. If you were on my ward, you'd be out of that area, and likely lose your job. Read again what you wrote. And what on earth are you working in a detox clinic for? Also, if a patient is at a nurse station, asking for anxiety or sedative m...

A method not used often, is using flumazenil in a similar way that naltrexone is used for opioid post-acute symptoms. Benzodiazepines cause most withdrawal problems via the benzodiazepine receptors. Flumazenil can be used in a similar way to naltrexo...

We’re all missing a critical point here. It is not possible to become addicted/dependent to a drug that does not possess addictive properties. Little old lady hooked on her sleeping pills is addicted or dependent because of the properties ...

That's great to hear. That test looks reasonably impressive to me. I'm just a little concerned that it concentrates too much on symptoms of autonomic instability. At this point in withdrawal, most symptoms will be psychological. Feelings of "deperson...

Respectfully, I suggest that this is the exact archaic attitude that causes patients suffering drug and alcohol addicts to be treated so poorly. They are often seriously undermedicated for anxiety and pain, in the hospital, and physician office setti...

Please remember that benzodiazepine withdrawal is a far more complicated process than alcohol. Trying to reduce a patient to zero in 7 to 10 days is cruel and ineffective. Some especially notorious benzodiazepines, like alprazolam (Xanax) may take a ...

I'm a 40 year old student RN, and am very anxious about COVID19, as I am an asthmatic. If not for asthma, I doubt I would be half as anxious. It consumes half of my day, worrying about contracting it. Anyone else experiencing significant anxiety, due...

That is madness alright. We all know that this is transmittable in the early, asymptomatic stage.