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Course detail: Opioid Overdose Recognition, Prevention and Response Strategies
Course Description
Opioid abuse and overdose remains a significant public health problem in the United States. First responders, including police, fire, and emergency medical services personnel, are frequently the first to arrive at the scene of an overdose, placing them in the best position to administer life-saving interventions and to prevent additional injuries or death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, someone dies every 19 minutes from a drug overdose, and nearly 75% of prescription drug overdoses are caused by prescription painkillers. When prescription drugs are no longer available, individuals will sometimes turn to illicit drugs, such as heroin.
This course is designed to equip first responders with the knowledge and resources to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose while saving lives. Further, this course will assist the first responder in acting as a resource for other first responders in their departments while fostering trust and collaboration between public safety officials and the public at large.
Lastly, participants will learn to administer Naloxone to someone undergoing a drug overdose based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Core Competencies:
- Participants will be able to decide upon prescribed courses of action or techniques that will provide a greater level of safety in a variety of environments, events and situations. Participants will also act in ways that support the needs of the community and profession, while carrying out the responsibilities of an officer and a member of their respective community.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will define addiction and identify names of common opioids encountered in the field.
- Participants will develop an understanding of risk factors related to opioid overdose while recognizing the signs exhibited by individuals suffering from an opioid overdose.
- Participants will exhibit an understanding of Naloxone and how to administer it to someone undergoing a drug overdose in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
- Participants will learn how to effectively respond to overdose scenes and discuss the importance and rationale for first responders providing Naloxone for suspected opioid overdoses.
- Address and discuss common questions from first responders related to the benefits of Naloxone administration and the potential benefits to community relations.
Instructional Methods:
- Lecture
- Group Discussion
- Demonstration
Who Should Attend
- Law Enforcement
- Corrections
- Fire
- Emergency
- Medical Services Personnel
Course Requirements
- 100% Attendance
Funding for this course is provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend University of Kansas sponsored events. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in an event, please email KLETC or call 620.694.1400 at least three weeks before the first day of the event. Some events may require notice earlier than three weeks and require you contact a specific individual; if so, that information is provided in the event-specific information.
