Nursing and Addictions
Albert Rundio Jr.
Addictions affects individuals of all walks of life. I was first exposed to addictions when I was working as an orderly in an acute care hospital's emergency department in southern New Jersey. Following completion of nursing school, I was further exposed to addictions as an emergency nurse. My first management position was an emergency department supervisor in an urban emergency department. Here is where I really became more familiar with addictions and the effects on individuals' and others' lives. I really did not understand the disease at that time. I knew it was a disease, but that was about it. My role in the hospital’s emergency department was to make certain that individuals were stable medically; fed; clean; and had medical clearance for referral to a treatment center. Once medical clearance was obtained, I would then consult two of my nurses, who were in recovery, so that they could get the patient to a treatment center.
