Detoxing from drugs and/or alcohol is an extremely difficult, but necessary, phase of the recovery process. In fact, treatment cannot truly begin without this first step of the road to recovery. The physical addiction and side effects of drug or alcohol addiction must first be addressed. This allows the patient to begin working on the psychological aspects. During drug and alcohol detox, patients will experience a series of physical symptoms. The symptoms may include pain, muscle ramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and insomnia. This emphasizes the importance of having a 24 hour nursing staff available at the drug detox. A variety of complications can present themselves during this challenging period. The supervision of staff trained in the matter will serve to make you as safe and comfortable as possible.
Nurses’ Role in the Detox Process
After a personalized assessment, taking individual circumstances and physical factors into account, detox program nurses take a blood sample in order to determine if there are or will be any drug-induced medical complications or other health issues. This assessment step made by the medical team is crucial for developing a personalized treatment plan. Throughout treatment, your medical status and symptoms are monitored closely by the nursing team under the supervision of an MD. Depending on the substance that you are battling addiction from, medications may need to be prescribed. This is in order to manage withdrawal and this can only be done by experienced, licensed medical staff.
Care, compassion, and, above all, experience are critical elements for a successful intervention and detoxification process. Drug and alcohol detox is challenging, and having supportive and knowledgeable medical staff and 24 hour nursing staff to assist in the process is crucial for patients at this time. Nurses who work in drug detoxification and rehabilitation centers have seen the challenges, trials, and tribulations firsthand and can offer a realistic understanding of the problems that you face when going through recovery from addiction.
This invaluable experience enables them to not only deal with medical complications efficiently and effectively: it also gives them the opportunity to offer psychological and emotional support to patients as they cope with perhaps some of the most difficult and physically draining days of their lives. The knowledge and experience that this line of work has provided them with allow them to offer guidance and hope for a new and healthy lifestyle in the initial phase of recovery.
The road to recovery begins with a single step. If you are ready to make it, contact a counselor today at 844-903-2111
