Naloxone training is offered monthly at the Vernon Public Library (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Overdose Prevention

Free Naloxone training offered monthly at Vernon library

Apr 19, 2024 | 2:00 PM

People wanting to learn how to respond to an overdose emergency have a free resource to access in Vernon.

Interior Health offers a free, drop-in Naloxone training course on the first Wednesday of every month out of the Vernon Public Library’s community room.

Vernon Matters and other members of the local media attended a training session at the library Thursday, April 18, and learned of the signs and steps involved in recognizing and responding to an overdose

The session was led by Kat Moore, overdose prevention nurse, and Keri Locheed, peer coordinator and overdose prevention site clinician.

Signs of overdose:

Shantz Road

Update: Boil water notice rescinded by RDNO

1h ago

One of three facilities

NOYFSS opens Cedar House, a new emergency placement resource in Vernon

2h ago

Creating More Housing

Province providing loans for people opening up secondary suites

3h ago

• Appears asleep and is hard to wake
  • Slow or no breaths
  • Making choking, gurgling or snoring sounds
  • May have blue fingertips or lips if not breathing
  • Cold or clammy skin

People should immediately call 911 in the event of an overdose, and then respond using the steps outlined in the acronym SAVE ME.

Steps:

• Stimulate: Try to wake up the person by yelling or speaking loudly, and if that doesn’t work then approach them from the side and try to wake them physically
• Airway: Using gloves in the Naloxone kit, check to see if their is anything in their mouth obstructing the airway
• Ventilation: If the person is not breathing, use the one-way valve face mask in the kit to provide the person with breaths once every five seconds
• Evaluate: If the person starts breathing on their own, stop providing breaths. If not, try to call someone over to assist by either providing breaths or preparing the Naloxone. If alone, remain on the line with 911 and continue giving breaths while preparing the medicine.
• Medication: Provide a dose of Naloxone. Doses can be administered once every three to five minutes. Do not give any more doses if the person starts stirring or wakes up, as too much of the medicine can cause the person to go into withdrawal.
• Evaluate and Support: Continue monitoring the situation and the person, administering doses or breaths as needed until first responders arrive on the scene.

The representatives from the clinic then instructed the participants on how to administer Naloxone, which they were able to practice using a salt water mixture rather than actual medicine.

The process for administering the dosage involves making sure there is no liquid in the vial’s cap, snapping the top off, filling the syringe, ensuring it is not filled with air bubbles, and administering the dose into a fatty muscle.

The syringes provided in a Naloxone kit have a spring-loaded needle that retracts back into the plastic, reducing the risk of someone accidentally sticking themselves.

The instructors acknowledged that there may be some fear in responding to an overdose, but said having the knowledge is important.

“It could really be anyone. There could be someone in your life you don’t know uses a substance — this could be your friend, your sibling, or just any loved one — and to try and think about what you would want someone to do if that person in your life was out and needed this kind of help,” Locheed told the media.

“Coming in and asking questions and obtaining the training could just be half of it, half the battle. We talk about techniques how to rouse someone to determine if they do need that kind of help, and having those tools and knowing which steps to take can be helpful.”

Moore added that the majority of overdoses occur in a private residence, and knowing how to use Naloxone, even if unsure if it will ever be needed or used on a stranger, it is a tool that can help save a life.

The instructors also acknowledged that there is a risk that someone in an overdose situation has the potential to respond negatively, or even violently, and urged people to be cautious in these scenarios.

“It is true that you don’t know what is going on in somebody else’s head so, always when you approach, you always have to make sure that the scene is safe for you to approach. Then always try to be to the side and not directly in front of someone just to prevent startling, if at all possible,” Moore explained.

“If you’re not sure, sometimes you can be close enough to watch and see if their chest is moving up and down [with breaths], and if you’re not sure and you really have some concern or conflict, then a call to emergency services [may be all you do],” Locheed added.

The instructors noted street drugs can be contaminated with other substances, though still encouraged Naloxone be given during an overdose as it negates the effects of the opioids and will help the individual wake up.

The free-to-attend drop-in Naloxone training sessions are offered at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month, and have been running at the library for roughly 18 months.

“[We’ve trained] maybe 30 people [at the library], but more have come in to the clinic,” Moore said, adding people of all ages have shown interest in the training.

“I’ve had about six people that were in a group who were about 18 to 24 [years old.] Last month I had two volunteers, one I would guess was in their 50s and the other in their 70s, volunteers from the Upper Room Mission. Normally it’s people between 50 and 70, people who mid-and upper-age range.”

The training sessions typically take an hour, depending on the number of participants.

The instructors said businesses and organizations can contact the clinic and arrange for private training sessions, and people can also visit the Interior Health clinic on 32nd Ave. (across from Beach Radio) to learn more about training opportunities.