Addiction For Nurses

Nurses are acknowledged as key agents in addressing alcohol and drug misuse at individual, family, and community levels. Addiction nursing is central to the assessment, management, and care of people with problematic use of psychoactive substances (both legal and illegal). Work takes place in a wide range of settings, from traditional hospital clinics and wards to community locations such as police custody suites and needle exchange facilities. Addiction for Nurses is a comprehensive textbook for students, explaining the role of the nurse at each stage of intervention. Early chapters approach the subject from sociological, historical, and cultural perspectives, covering significant topics such as the nature of addiction, its social context, and addiction theory. The book then presents vital information about each of the main areas of addiction (nicotine, alcohol, opiates, cannabis, psychostimulants, and hallucinogens) with clinical and practical guidance on recognition, assessment, and treatment intervention strategies. Further chapters consider dealing with emergencies, blood-borne viruses, harm reduction, and work with specific client groups (for instance, black and ethnic minority communities, or those with special needs). This book is an essential resource for all those who come into contact with alcohol and drug misusers and for specialist addiction nurses preparing for practice in this complex and rewarding field.

"Addictions Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice describes a competent level of nursing care at each level of addictions nursing practice and provides comprehensive overviews of the dynamic and complex practice of the addictions nursing specialty. Jointly published by ANA and the International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA), this book is informed by advances in health care and professional nursing practice. It contains national standards of practice and performance that define the who, what, where, when, why, and how of addictions nursing practice and is a vital reference for: - Quality improvement initiatives - Certification and credentialing - Position descriptions and performance appraisals - Classroom teaching and in-service education programs - Boards of nursing members' orientation programs and regulatory decision-making activities. Addictions Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice is intended to guide nurses who serve individuals and families affected by substance use and related behaviors, as well as administrators, legislators, regulators, legal counsel, and other interprofessional colleagues. While this document is intended primarily as a reference source for American nurses, it contains valuable information for nurses in other countries"--

"Ben was born in London Ont. Canada and grew up in st. Anthony NFLD. He graduated from STFX in 2005 with a BScN and most recently worked in the northern town of Inuvik, NWT as an ER nurse. After being caught stealing narcotics, losing his licence, attending rehab, and being sentenced to house arrest, he published a book based on his life. Ben now lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada"--Amazon.com.

This book is a revelation and warning to the public and the healthcare community of the hidden impact and consequences of improperly confronting substance abuse within the nursing profession. It allows nurses to express in their own voices the risks and devastation of addiction and their journeys into recovery.

The team of nurses that Tilda Shalof found herself working with in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a big-city hospital was known as “Laura’s Line.” They were a bit wild: smart, funny, disrespectful of authority, but also caring and incredibly committed to their jobs. Laura set the tone with her quick remarks. Frances, from Newfoundland, was famous for her improvised recipes. Justine, the union rep, wore t-shirts emblazoned with defiant slogans, like “Nurses Care But It’s Not in the Budget.” Shalof was the one who had been to university. The others accused her of being “sooo sensitive.” They depended upon one another. Working in the ICU was both emotionally grueling and physically exhausting. Many patients, quite simply, were dying, and the staff strove mightily to prolong their lives. With their skill, dedication, and the resources of modern science, they sometimes were almost too successful. Doctors and nurses alike wondered if what they did for terminally-ill patients was not, in some cases, too extreme. A number of patients were admitted when it was too late even for heroic measures. A boy struck down by a cerebral aneurysm in the middle of a little-league hockey game. A woman rescued – too late – from a burning house. It all took its toll on the staff. And yet, on good days, they thrived on what they did. Shalof describes a colleague who is managing a “crashing” patient: “I looked at her. Nicky was flushed with excitement. She was doing five different things at the same time, planning ahead for another five. She was totally focused, in her element, in control, completely at home with the chaos. There was a huge smile on her face. Nurses like to fix things. If they can.” Shalof, a veteran ICU nurse, reveals what it is really like to work behind the closed hospital curtains. The drama, the sardonic humour, the grinding workload, the cheerful camaraderie, the big issues and the small, all are brought vividly to life in this remarkable book.

This timely resource provides information on all aspects of substance abuse, and focuses on its effects throughout the life span -- from infants to the elderly. Coverage includes current research and epidemiology, as well as basic strategies for identification, assessment, and management of problems. For nurses in advanced practice looking for up-to-date, comprehensive information for developing management strategies and plans.