Nursing Students received opioid overdose training from Hawaii Chapter of End Overdose
By: Maureen O’Brien
On Feb. 5, 2024, 42 Graduate Entry Program in Nursing (GEPN) students received opioid overdose training from members of the Hawaii Chapter of End Overdose. Kenda Bean, BS, Kai Chase, RN, BS, and Malia Hagmann, RN, BS provided students with information on opioid overdose prevention and response. Opioid overdoses from Fentanyl and other substances are on the rise in Hawaii, and across the nation.
Symptoms of overdose can include pinpoint pupils, slow or absent breathing, confused or slurred speech, loss of consciousness, slow or absent heart rate, sweating, cool, pale skin, and blue lips or fingernails. Steps for responding to an overdose include recognizing the signs, calling 911 and yelling for help, checking for unresponsiveness, checking for pulse and breathing, administering nasal Narcan (naloxone) and administering CPR and rescue breathing as needed. Naloxone can reverse the sedation and respiratory depression from opioids within 30 seconds to 2 minutes. It may need to be repeated if overdose symptoms return.
The presentation by End Overdose reported that 40% of overdose deaths could have been prevented if someone present knew how and when to intervene. The presentation also described how to use Fentanyl testing strips. A lethal dose of Fentanyl is extremely small and may be mixed into other products without the user knowing. Naloxone has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be made available over-the-counter. Per the Hawaii Opioid Initiative, it is legal to carry Naloxone in the State of Hawaii.
In 2023, the City of Honolulu passed Bill 28 into law requiring high risk venues such as bars, nightclubs and restaurants to carry Narcan, and have their managers trained in the proper administration. Per the Hawaii Employers Council, anyone who administers Narcan under the ordinance is protected from civil damages under Hawaii’s “Good Samaritan” law. Anyone interested in collaborating or volunteering with End Overdose Hawaii chapter may contact them at Hawaii@endoverdose.net or for more information www.endoverdose.net. More information for providers can be found from the Hawaii State Department of Health’s Harm Reduction Service Branch.