Substance withdrawal management: Guidelines for medical and nursing practitioners
This 2019 guideline has been designed to provide clinical guidance for the specialist addiction sector and medical and nursing practitioners providing support for people who are planning or may be undergoing substance withdrawal.
The 2011 guidelines has been reviewed and updated to reflect current best practice for substance withdrawal management with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Health.It provides guidance for safe substance withdrawal management in a range of settings, including prisons and public hospitals, along with clear guidance for specialist assessment and management of acute substance withdrawal.
The updated guidelines includes specific guidance on synthetic cannabinoid withdrawal management, recognising the need to inform how medical and nursing practitioners respond to new and emerging issues, and how to support people in unplanned alcohol withdrawal.