Download Naloxone Guidelines

Sharon City School District – Naloxone (Narcan) Guidelines and Information
As a means of enhancing the health and safety of our students, staff and visitors, the Sharon City School
District has recently obtained and has trained our nursing staff to maintain and administer doses of the
opioid antagonist Naloxone for use should the need arise.
Opioid misuse and overdose is a major public health concern, especially among youth. Data from the
National Institute on Drug Abuse (2015) indicates that drug overdose is now the leading cause of
accidental death in the United States with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014 alone.
The drugs in this class include heroin, and opioid painkillers obtained without a prescription such as
hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and oxycodone (Percocet). Of great concern is an upwards trend in the
number of overdose deaths among people less than 30 years of age, and the increased detection of
fentanyl according to data from the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. The addition of
Naloxone as a protective measure, similar to the addition of AED units in the past, can prevent
accidental fatalities and may empower youth to discuss their drug use with loved ones or school staff.
Naloxone (sometimes known as Narcan®) is a prescription medication used for decades in emergency
departments as an ‘opioid antidote’. In an overdose situation, the large amount of opioids a person has
consumed reduces and may stop their breathing, which can lead to brain damage and even death due to
a lack of oxygen. Naloxone prevents opioids from acting in the brain by blocking their access to brain
receptors. Naloxone only works in the presence of opioids (e.g. heroin, morphine, oxycodone,
methadone, and fentanyl), and has no effect in the absence of opioids. Naloxone is unlikely to be
misused since it reverses the effects of the opioid; it can produce withdrawal symptoms if administered
to someone who uses opioids regularly. Naloxone has no effect on other substances, including
stimulants (e.g. crack, cocaine, amphetamine), hallucinogens (e.g. marijuana, LSD, ketamine),
benzodiazepines, sedatives or alcohol.
Overdoses can also be complicated by other factors, including the person’s existing health condition and
the types of drugs used. Medical professionals are best trained to respond to these situations and
therefore 911 will be notified in every incident were Naloxone is administered.
Symptoms of an Opioid Overdose include:
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Slow or shallow breathing
Sleepy or unable able to talk or unconscious
Pinpoint pupils
Does not respond to attempts to arouse to consciousness
Blue or grayish skin color with dark lips and/or fingernails
Snoring or gurgling sounds
The presence of opioid substances or paraphernalia
It should also be noted that individuals who report a suspected overdose using their real name and who
remain with an overdosing person until emergency medical services (EMS) personnel or law
enforcement personnel arrive are provided protection from both criminal and civil prosecution, as is the
overdosing individual.
Policy 823
10/2016
Some people have expressed concern that naloxone provides people who use drugs with a safety net
and delays their decision to seek support and treatment. Studies to date have not found this to be true;
on the contrary, the experience of being revived from an overdose can be a powerful motivator for
some individuals to seek treatment, which they are able to do thanks to naloxone..
Policy 823
10/2016