IT’S A PROCESS –

June 7, 2022 – Part of the success around naloxone distribution, access and training is the – albeit slow – reduction in stigma surrounding the overdose reversal agent. Years ago, much more controversy surrounded the medication. 

When Dahlem worked at a homeless shelter as a nurse practitioner in 2013, they did not have any naloxone, nor were any of the staff trained to use it. Several clients at the shelter overdosed at that time. 

“At that point, we didn’t even think about distributing naloxone, we just wanted to have it at the clinic to respond to an overdose situation,” Dahlem said. 

“Then, our director brought up training the staff, since they are there seven days a week. With the passing of legislation requiring first responders to be equipped and trained to administer naloxone, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office reached out to me. We trained the law enforcement officials, and they have reversed hundreds of overdoses since then.”

Dahlem has trained school nurses, factory workers, students, librarians and thousands of others. Some of these public places now offer naloxone for use as part of emergency response kits.

“I think making training around naloxone a civic duty like CPR training would be very helpful, and there are people who advocate for making sure this training is part of basic life support training,” said Eve Losman, M.D., MHSA, a U-M Health emergency physician and department representative for quality improvement initiatives related to pain management, safe opioid prescribing and care of patients with substance use disorders.

Beyond showing people how to use naloxone, Dahlem says, this kind of education is vitally important to provide perspective towards addiction and destigmatize substance use in communities.

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