Course Summary

The purpose of this training is to train both licensed and unlicensed school personnel on how to reverse an opioid overdose using a rescue medication called naloxone. It is recommended you complete this training annually. This training should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

The training will be covered in four lessons: 

• Session 1 provides a brief overview of the history of the opioid epidemic, opioid overdoses in Arizona, current patterns of opioid use in adolescents, and how Arizona state laws protect you when administering Naloxone (a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose). 
• Session 2 introduces opioids including background information on what opioids are, how they work, and how to recognize an opioid "high" versus an overdose. We will also guide school personnel in differentiating between an opioid overdose versus other emergency health conditions that may present similar signs and symptoms. 
• Session 3 discusses naloxone, how it reverses opioid overdose, and common misconceptions about the medication. 
• Session 4 discusses how to administer stock naloxone during an opioid overdose using a standing order and protocol created by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).

Learning Objectives

1. Understand opioid basics, the opioid epidemic, the existing laws in place to allow for naloxone use in K-12 schools, and current trends in opioid use and overdose in Arizona.

2. Differentiate between an opioid "high" versus an opioid overdose and an opioid overdose versus other emergency conditions that may present similar signs and symptoms.

3. Understand how naloxone works to counter the effects of an opioid overdose and common myths about naloxone.

4. Demonstrate the proper action to take in case of an opioid overdose at school (4R’s; Recognize, Respond, Reverse, Refer).

5. Use the Arizona Department of Health Services existing standing medical order and a standardized protocol for stock naloxone administration in K-12 schools.

6. Describe appropriate steps to take after an overdose including the appropriate documentation and mandatory reporting requirements to the county health departments and the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Target Audience: Educators/Trainers, Nurses

Duration: 45 minutes

Format: Web-based training, Self-study

Created/Updated: July 2024

Authors: Ashley A. Lowe, PhD, MSPH |Davina Dobbins, MPH, MBA |Megan Peterson, MPH, BSN |Emily Waldron, MPH

Special thanks to our community partners, the University of Arizona Health Sciences Asthma & Airway Disease Research Center, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, the Pima County Health Department, and the Arizona School Nurse Access Program at the Arizona Department of Education for assisting in the development and provision of this training.