Narcan- Do you stock it?

[Supernrse01]

Hi all and welcome back! We've been in for a few weeks now but I haven't had a chance to pop in and say hello. Hope you are all having a wonderful start!

I'm currently doing some research re: stocking Narcan in our school district. What are your thoughts? Do your schools stock it? I work in a small, southern Ohio school and honestly I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm not looking for a debate, just hoping to get any info you might be able to share, especially if your school stocks it.

[CampyCamp, RN]

Absolutely. We had a cardiac arrest in the HS bathroom the year before we got some through a grant. Syringe still in their hand. EMS was fast enough but never seemed so slow. We haven't used it yet but there's a couple calls a week in the community.

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

I do. It's legally available without a prescription in my state, so I personally contacted an advocacy organization that provides it for free to schools, businesses, etc, and got 2 vials for my school. I believe my state is either working on or has already passed a law that states that in school settings, EPI, rescue nebulizers and narcan can be administered without an RX in emergent situations. I went to a SN conference last spring and this was discussed, but I'm not exactly sure of the outcome.

[guest83140]

No, unfortunately, at my large high school here in Tx, we don't. We have the Epi-Pen and Stop-the-Bleed tourniquets. Since Narcan can't hurt someone who doesn't have opioids but can save lives for those that do, it's definitely worth the cost. The attending doctor who writes our standing orders is very conservative but out of beat with the times.

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

I was asked this recently at a special event I was staffing. My answer was an emphatic no. I chose not to for a few reasons.

1. Narcan is a secondary first aid treatment for an overdose. Airway management and rescue breathing is the most important and immediate action when encountering these patients

2. 911 is on the way anyhow let them do it. Even with the prolonged response time at the event, I would rather sped 30 mins rescue breathing than the alternative.

3. Mixing and matching drugs is common. Narcan, in my experience, often results in puking angry people when they are just on opioids. When the victim is mixing drugs suddenly removing the calming opioids can leave you with a raging methed out person.

If I have a BVM and a set of airways I plan to just relax and wait for the cavalry.