The Secret Lives of Addiction Nurses
by Jane Greer
Career School Directory Columnist
February 04, 2008
Certified Addiction Registered Nurse Marvis Doster is residential director at the Heartview Foundation in Bismarck, N.D. She talks about why her heart is in addiction nursing.
CSD: How did your career begin?
From 1969 to 1972 I attended the Bismarck (N.D.) Hospital School of Nursing. The nation was just developing a B.S. nursing degree--what we received in 1972 was a hospital-based three-year diploma.
CSD: How did you get into addiction nursing?
Strictly by accident. I needed a student-nursing job, and the only one left was at a cutting-edge residential addiction treatment facility in Bismarck-Mandan, N.D.: the Heartview Foundation. I loved the face-to-face, hands-on work, and it's where my heart's been ever since.
CSD: What was addiction treatment like 35 years ago?
Heartview was way ahead of its time. We dealt with the whole person and involved patients' families. On the other hand, in the early 1970s I worked in detox in a community hospital in Atlanta, GA, that used lots of restraints and seclusion, which I considered inhumane. I stayed there only nine months. After two more years in Atlanta doing public health nursing, which I loved, I had an opportunity to return to North Dakota and Heartview.
CSD: Describe your typical day.
I'll work with my staff, with our multidisciplinary team, and with some of our patients. Maybe I'll talk to an insurance company or do some training. We're always busy, and addiction nursing is often intense. My boss says I'm the "eye of the hurricane"--a calm place in the midst of chaos. I like that.
CSD: What are the trends in addiction nursing?
Thirty-five years ago, everything was strictly residential--now it's all outpatient. We need to find a middle ground that's flexible enough to give each person what he or she needs. Heartview is opening up a 12-bed residential unit, as are other facilities around the country.
CSD: Is continuing education important to you?
Very important--there's just so much to learn! I've maintained my nursing license and earned my CARN (Certified Addiction Registered Nurse) certification. I take lots of courses focused on addictions, and attend and give presentations at national conferences.
CSD: Why, after 35 years, do you still love nursing?
In a nursing career, the sky's the limit. Nursing pays well, you can shape your life around it, and you'll always be in demand. Best of all, you get to use everything you know.
Sources
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About the Author
Jane Greer is a freelance writer and editor and is also brave enough to teach English grammar at a community college.
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