Narcan for School Nurses?

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Are you all trained in using Narcan at your school?

I've used it in the hospital, but it looks like the push is to get Narcan at school.

I am going to go to NYSSED and research, but am curious about what you do.

We are still having problems getting Epi on board.

Now Narcan?

We have 2 FD within 5 blocks of the school.

I just... No.

I don't feel comfortable with this, and I can't put my finger on it. Will there be standing orders for the Narcan? How will we know to give it?

I'm just curious. Why so uncomfortable with Narcan?

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Specializes in critical care.
In your case 911 makes more sense. Areas with a 30+ minute response time...

In my area PD carries and administers and they are on scene in minutes so issue solved

30-minute response times scare me if it's only one dose.

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I'm just curious. Why so uncomfortable with Narcan?

Read my post. "I can't put my finger on it."

???

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Read my post. "I can't put my finger on it."

???

Well, for me . . . obviously . . . after a couple of posts here and a history of complaining about it . . .

Personlly, I am uncomfortable with schools becoming mini-medical clinics without medical staff there all the time to run them. I'm uncomfortable with the school education or secretarial staff being trained to care for kids in emergencies with no nurse on campus.

We are asking too much of schools in my opinion. Without giving them the necessary MEDICAL backup.

Farawyn's first post about being uncomfortable resonated with me. Regardless of whether she can put her finger on it exactly.

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Wrong. Calling 911 for a teenage OD brings ambulance and FD. Both of which have EMTs, who have already been using Narcan.

I'm thinking any plan would to administer Narcan while at the same time activating EMS.

Why defer to EMTs? Why is the discussion so resistant to Narcan? It's not going to hurt the patient, and it may save a life. It's safer to give than insulin.

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That's what I was thinking----nothing would happen. I believe side effects are rare and not usual in pediatric age groups anyhow. I'd rather have access to it than not.

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Have you guys dealt with parents? This is a school.

If you are giving Narcan to their precious children ( who don't do drugs btw) you have to call 911

I said it wasn't the Narcan as much as the kids.

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Also, I have looked up and read up on Narcan. It's been over 10 years since we used it on a patient. So, I learned, or re-learned. Thank you guys for that.

Spidey's Mom got it.

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Specializes in School nursing.
Have you guys dealt with parents? This is a school.

If you are giving Narcan to their precious children ( who don't do drugs btw) you have to call 911

I said it wasn't the Narcan as much as the kids.

THIS. The second you give Narcan - even as a rule out drug - you may have that parent that is like "you thought MY KID was on drugs - how dare you!"

I am the only medical personal in my school. This is very hard and I often tell other medical personal that you don't understand that until you have lived it.

I wonder what will happen after it is given and the kids comes down up the high and the back-up I may need when that happens. If I can get a plan in place for that, I feel better. Not great, but better. I know it is needed - as I have said before I am in MA and we have a HUGE drug problem, especially with older teens - but I still shudder at it. I will learn how to use and use it if necessary, of course, but I will never like the fact that it is actually needed in schools.

MA has one of highest amounts of school nurses per student in the country. Several schools here have full time nurses, which is awesome. I know this is not true in many, many places, where a nurse can manage several school, leaving office staff to manage health issues. The office staff here would NOT be comfortable giving narcan. And many parents at my school would not feel comfortable with the office staff giving it. I have a hard enough time getting staff to learn how to use an Epi-pen...

(Plus, orders. Getting orders for stock Epi-pens is already hard...)

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Have you guys dealt with parents? This is a school.

If you are giving Narcan to their precious children ( who don't do drugs btw) you have to call 911

THIS EXACTLY! This is the part of School Nursing that people who aren't in it just don't get.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

It's not the narcan but the full scenario.

Many states DO NOT HAVE a full time nurse. There are districts that hire CNAs, medics, a person with a first aid card & CPR to man the school health office. A local camp had an EMT (legally can only assist with patient prescribed MDI, epi pen and nitro, and oxygen via protocol) could not understand medication for bladder spasms, spent time telling parents to get vaccine exemptions and could not understand why giving pepto that contains a form of aspirin was a bad idea for a child with a clotting disorder or a viral syndrome (increased risk of Rye Syndrome). In some schools at times it's the secretary hanging out band aids and medicines.

It's not that narcan is relatively benign or easy to administer it's the whole different practice setting in a school. Even with stock epi laws many schools cannot comply as no physician will sign the protocol or write the order. Who will sign for narcan?(except PA apparently)

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Specializes in kids.
Wrong. Calling 911 for a teenage OD brings ambulance and FD. Both of which have EMTs, who have already been using Narcan.

I'm thinking any plan would to administer Narcan while at the same time activating EMS.

You bet your sweet bippy it will be!!!! Same as Epi, Glucagon, Diastat or Midazolam

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