In-Home Detox Nurse
One of the hallmark characteristics of a substance use disorder is the inability to stop on your own. Some people will make repeated attempts, only to find that they relapse shortly into the withdrawal process. Hiring an in-home detox nurse provides a simple solution: bringing in an experienced professional who can provide both medical and clinical support, and help you break through this first vital stage of your recovery.
What is a Detox Nurse?
At the most fundamental level, a detox nurse is a medical professional trained to help people through the detoxification process. A detox nurse provides both counseling and medical support and provides specialized services to help people break through alcohol or drug withdrawals. They typically use a variety of treatments to this end, including targeted medications for withdrawal, monitoring physical health symptoms, and providing emotional support and encouragement when needed.
An in-home detox nurse provides all these services from the comfort of your own home. Rather than attending an inpatient detoxification center, a home detox nurse meets their patients where they’re at – and brings all the tools and skills of medical detoxification along with them.
What Does a Drug and Alcohol Nurse Do?
There are three primary roles for detox nurses:
- Monitoring a patient’s mental and physical health
- Administering medications that can reduce withdrawal symptoms or provide relief for their patients
- Using behavioral therapy techniques to help patients achieve recovery
In addition, an in-home detox nurse can educate patients about their substance use disorders, provide a framework for building a life in recovery, and enhance their patient’s motivation to stay sober.
A home detox nurse works closely with a providing physician to ensure that all their patient’s needs are met in a timely fashion. Their extensive experience with treating substance use disorders helps them to predict what each patient may need in the withdrawal process, and they can act quickly to ensure that the right treatment is delivered, the right therapies are given, and the right medications are prescribed, filled, and administered.