Nursing Profiles
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Ambulatory Care Nurse
- Camp Nurse
- Cardiac Care Nurse
- Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse
- Case Management Nurse
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Correctional Facility Nurse
- Critical Care Nurse
- Dermatology Nurse
- Developmental Disabilities Nurse
- Diabetes Nurse
- Domestic Violence Nurse
- Emergency Nurse
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Flight/Transport Nurse
- Forensic Nurse
- Gastroenterology Nurse
- Geriatric Nurse
- Gynecology/Obstetrics Nurse
- Hematology Nurse
- HIV/AIDS Nurse
- Holistic Nurse
- Home Health Care Nurse
- Hospice Nurse
- Independent Nurse Contractor
- Infection Control Nurse
- Labor & Delivery Nurse
- Lactation Consultant
- Legal Nurse Consultant
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Long-Term Care Nurse
- Managed Care Nurse
- Medical Assistant
- Military Nurse
- Missionary Nurse
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse
- Nephrology Nurse
- Neuroscience Nurse
- Nurse Advocate
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Nurse Attorney
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Entrepreneur
- Nurse Executive
- Nurse Manager
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Researcher
- Nursing Informatics
- Occupational Health Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Operating Room Nurse
- Ophthalmic Nurse
- Orthopaedic Nurse
- Otorhinolaryngology Nurse
- Pain Management Nurse
- Parish Nursing
- Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Perianesthesia Nurse
- Perinatal Nurse
- Plastic Surgery Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
- Public Health Nurse
- Pulmonary Care Nurse
- Radiology Nurse
- Registered Nurse
- Rehabilitation Nurse
- Reproductive Nurse
- Rheumatology Nurse
- School Nurse
- Substance Abuse Nurse
- Surgical Nurse
- Toxicology Nurse
- Transplant Nurse
- Trauma Nurse
- Travel Nurse
- Urologic Nurse
- Wound Care Nurse
Nursing Schools by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Nursing Career Info
Featured Article

Demand for Nurses
Nurses may be the most in-demand health care position in the country.
Nursing Articles
- 10 Fastest-Growing Careers in Nursing
- Financial Aid for Nursing Schools
- Finding the Best Nursing School for You
- How to Become a Nurse
- How to Choose a Nursing School
- How to Know if Nursing School is Right for You
- Nursing School Accreditation
- Nursing Shortage
- Nursing Skills
- Returning to School
- Types of Nurses
- What Is Nursing?
- Why Nursing School Is a Smart Career Choice
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Substance Abuse Nurse
What Does a Substance Abuse Nurse Do?
Nurses that work in substance abuse are often specialized in pain management and help to regulate the treatment and administering of medication for patients addicted to drugs, alcohol and other substances. To work as a substance abuse nurse, one must have a thick skin, be compassionate and sympathetic. These nurses also spend a great deal of time educating their patients about the dangers of substance abuse and possible treatment options. They provide a great deal of support for people that have little else in their lives besides addiction. Substance abuse nurses can work in private facilities, mental health clinics, psychiatric wards, hospitals and inpatient or outpatient treatment center. Because addiction is both a mental and physical disease unique to each patient, substance abuse nurses should be knowledgeable about both general medicine and specialized addiction related medicine, as well as be able to customize their treatment programs to their patients.
How Can I Become a Substance Abuse Nurse?
To become a substance abuse nurse, one must first become a licensed registered nurse. To accomplish this, a student can attend a two or four year program in nursing, where they will learn anatomy, chemistry, physiology and patient care. They must then successfully pass the national licensing exam, NCLEX – RN. After this, a nurse must log around three years of practical work experience as a registered nurse with 4,000 hours, or two years, in substance abuse nursing before they can be eligible to sit for the certification exam. This exam is sponsored by the International Nurses Society on Addictions and is only available twice a year, so candidates should prepare accordingly. Passing the exam allows a nurse to be called a Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN) and offers them to be more competitive in the workforce and even command a higher salary.
What Is the Career and Salary Outlook for a Substance Abuse Nurse?
There is currently a high demand for nurses across the United States, but especially for substance abuse nurses. As the number of addicts in this country rises, so does the demand for specialized medical professionals. Today, one in every ten Americans abuses some kind of substance. One of the benefits to working as a substance abuse nurse is the freedom and autonomy it can allow. These nurses can organize family member support groups, serve on task forces, lead educational programs and become abuse counselors. Also, the ability to help a patient recover from an addition and essentially save their life can be very rewarding. One of the biggest drawbacks to working as a substance abuse nurse is how close you can get to patients, and the challenge of working long hours. Patients will often call their nurses at all hours of the day looking for support, drugs, medication or other aids. This can be tiring and disappointing for the nurse.
Top Nursing Colleges
Kaplan University - Certification, Associate's & Bachelor's Degree.
Kaplan University has a well respected nursing program for students looking to obtain their degree online. Kaplan is an accredited university with a history of placing students in high-growth nursing careers.


Grand Canyon University - B.S. in Nursing (Registered Nurse - B.S.N.)
Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and offers nursing degrees at affordable prices. Grand Canyon University allows students to practice what they learn with hands on teaching methods.


Liberty University - Master's Degree.
Liberty University is one of the most respected names in online colleges and provides a variety of online degree plans, including a MSN program. Liberty University makes it possible to earn your entire nursing degree online.

