Nurses are a special breed of individuals that have a number of different attributes that set them apart from the general public. When it comes to those nurses that choose to specialize, however, those differences can be even more pronounced. For example, those nurses who work with substance abuse and mental health patients must possess these top three attributes in order to be successful in their careers.
- Build Relationships
Relationships are important to most people, but they are especially so when an individual is being treated for a substance abuse issue or addressing a mental health disorder. Sometimes these relationships are with their family and friends — as well as their caregivers at their treatment facility.Other patients, though, are estranged from those who are closest to them and, therefore, must rely almost exclusively on those providing services to them. Regardless of their individual circumstances, one of the most important relationships they will have is with the nursing staff. These medical professionals are the ones that oversees much of the daily care for the patients assigned to them. Having the ability to connect quickly with their patients so that trust and rapport is built is extremely important for the nurses that work in these facilities. - Education Patients and Their Support System
Many people who seek treatment for their substance abuse and/or mental health issues do not fully understand the role that these issues play in their lives. For example, there are a number of patients who do not realize the intricate relationship that exists between mental health and substance abuse.Dual diagnosis, as those people who present with both substance abuse and mental health issues are referred to as, must be tackled by addressing them in tandem with one another. Doing so effectively increases the chances of patients finding success at not only beating their substance abuse issues, but also finding the right set of treatment options so their mental health can improve.Substance abuse and mental health nurses also do a great deal of education with their patients’ family and friends. In many instances, this support system might find it difficult to believe that the patient is not able to stop abusing drugs and/or alcohol on their own, for example. Other patients might have friends that do not completely understand how their mental health issues affect every aspect of their lives.
- Support Their Patients
Many patients who enter a substance abuse program or are getting help for their mental health issues have the support of their family and friends. Just as many of those patients, though, are not being supported by any people outside of the facility. Regardless of their individual circumstances, a mental health and substance abuse nurse needs to be able to provide the right level of support those that he or she is caring for.