FILE:  JGCDA

Cf:  JGD, JGCD, JGFG

 

NALOXONE

 

 

As a means of enhancing the health and safety of its students, staff and visitors, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s (EBRPSS) may obtain, maintain, and administer doses of an opioid antagonist such as Naloxone in the form of NARCAN Nasal Spray, for emergency use to assist a student, staff member or other individual believed or suspected to be experiencing an opioid overdose.  Per La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:436.1(M) the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board authorizes each school facility to maintain on-site a supply of opioid antagonists such as NARCAN Nasal Spray.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Opioid-related drug overdose - means a fatal or nonfatal condition including extreme physical illness, decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, or the ceasing of respiratory or circulatory function resulting from the consumption or use of an opioid, or another substance with which an opioid was combined.  An individual's condition may be deemed to be a drug overdose if a prudent person, possessing an average knowledge of medicine and health, would reasonably believe that the condition is in fact a drug overdose and requires immediate medical attention.

 

Naloxone - shall mean a medication that can reverse an overdose caused by an opioid drug.  As a narcotic antagonist, Naloxone displaces opiates from receptor sites in the brain and reverses respiratory depression that usually is the cause of overdose deaths.

 

NARCAN Nasal Spray - is a form of Naloxone in a nasal spray as a prescription medicine used for the treatment of an opioid emergency.  Naloxone or an opioid antagonist product may be dispensed in accordance with Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) by the Standing Order dated December 30, 2021.

 

Opioid - shall mean illegal drugs such as heroin, as well as prescription medications used to treat pain such as morphine, codeine, methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, hydromorphone, and buprenorphine.

 

Administering Persons for NARCAN Nasal Spray- include all of the following:

 

  1. A law enforcement official.

  2. An emergency medical technician.

  3. A firefighter.

  4. School Nurses.

  5. At least two (2) employees at each school site who are CPR Certified shall be designated by the principal after consulting the school nurse to be trained to administer NARCAN Nasal Spray in an overdose situation.  Principals should consider the additional designation of coaches due to after school hours practices and games.  Such persons will be referred to as a “trained school site designee” in this policy upon completion the narcotic antagonist and NARCAN training.

 

DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITY

 

The Superintendent or designee, in consultation the Supervisor of the Department of Health Services establish appropriate internal procedures for the acquisition, stocking and administration of NARCAN Nasal Spray and related emergency response procedures pursuant to this policy.

 

The school nurse shall be responsible for building-level administration of NARCAN Nasal Spray and management of NARCAN Nasal Spray stocks.

 

GUIDELINES

 

The Supervisor of Health Services shall develop a plan for annually informing all school parents/guardians, students, and staff about this policy and specifically:

 

  1. The availability of NARCAN Nasal Spray to treat opioid drug overdoses and what it does;

  2. The available patient information for NARCAN Nasal Spray and any limitations;

  3. The symptoms of opioid drug overdoses; and

  4. How students and staff should report suspected overdoses.

 

TRAINING

 

Before any school nurse or trained school site designee may have custody of NARCAN Nasal Spray or administer any other form of Naloxone under this policy, the school nurse or trained school site designee must successfully complete a training program about techniques on how to recognize signs opioid-related overdoses, the standards and procedures in administering Naloxone in the form of NARCAN nasal spray, and the need promptly to seek medical attention for drug overdoses.  Evidence that such training has been completed shall be placed in the employee’s personnel file.

 

All trained school site designees must annually complete a minimum 3 check offs on NARCAN administration with a registered nurse to assure continued competency in administration.  Evidence of completion shall be provided in the employee’s personnel file.

 

A list of school nurses or other trained school site designees who successfully complete such training shall be maintained, updated, and kept in the school nurse’s office, Supervisor of the Department of Health Services and the EBRPSS Office of Human Resources.

 

ACQUISITION, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL

 

NARCAN Nasal Spray shall be safely stored in the school nurse’s office or other location designated by the school nurse or Supervisor of the Department of Health Services in accordance with the drug manufacturer’s instructions.

 

NARCAN Nasal Spray shall be made readily accessible to those school nurses and trained school site designees who have completed the required training to administer it in the event of a suspected drug overdose.  All properly trained school nurses and trained school site designee shall be informed of the exact location where Naloxone is being stored within the school nurse’s office or other school site location.

 

The school nurse shall obtain sufficient supplies of NARCAN Nasal Spray pursuant to the LDH standing order in the same manner as other medical supplies acquired for the school health program.  The school nurse shall regularly inventory and refresh NARCAN Nasal Spray stocks, and maintain records thereof, in accordance with the established internal procedures, manufacturer recommendations and Louisiana Department of Health Guidelines.

 

ADMINISTRATION OF NARCAN NASAL SPRAY

 

When responding to a suspected drug overdose, the school nurse or other trained school site designee shall follow the steps outlined below:

 

  1. Call for medical help immediately (Dial 9-1-1).

  2. Check for signs of opioid overdose.

  3. Perform initial rescue breathing (or CPR if needed), as instructed in training.

  4. Administer NARCAN Nasal Spray, as instructed in training.

  5. Continue rescue breathing (or CPR if needed), as instructed in training.

  6. Administer second dose of NARCAN Nasal Spray if needed, as instructed in training.

  7. Place in recovery position, as instructed in training.

  8. Stay with the individual until emergency medical help arrives.

  9. Cooperate with EMS personnel responding to the incident.

  10. Notify the building administrator or designee of the incident.

 

REFERRAL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION

 

The Superintendent or designee shall immediately report incidents involving the use of controlled substances on school property, at any school-sponsored activity or on a conveyance providing transportation to or from a school or school-sponsored activity to the local police department that has jurisdiction over the school’s property, in accordance with state law and regulations.

 

The Superintendent or designee shall notify the parent/guardian of any student directly involved in an incident involving use of controlled substances immediately, as soon as practicable.  The Superintendent or designee shall inform the parent/guardian whether or not the local police department that has jurisdiction over the school property has been or may be notified of the incident.  The Superintendent or designee shall document attempts made to reach the parent/guardian.

 

REFERRAL TO STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

 

Any student who experiences a drug overdose shall be referred to a Student Assistance Program.

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

A trained person acting in good faith who, receives and administers Naloxone or another opioid antagonist to a person reasonably believed to be undergoing an opioid-related drug overdose shall be immune from criminal and civil liability for the administration, unless personal injury results from the gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct in the administration of the drug. (La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §40:978.2(F)).

 

EBRPSS shall indemnify and hold harmless any school nurse or any other trained school site designee who administers NARCAN Nasal Spray in good faith to another individual experiencing a suspected drug overdose, if all of these conditions apply:

 

  1. The school nurse or trained school site designee did not act with the intent to harm or with reckless indifference to a substantial risk or harm in administering NARCAN Nasal Spray to that individual.

  2. The school nurse or trained school site designee successfully completed the training contemplated by this policy.

  3. The school nurse or trained school site designee promptly sought additional medical assistance before or immediately after administering Naloxone.

  4. The school nurse or trained school site designee has administered NARCAN Nasal Spray pursuant to this policy.

 

New policy:  December 15, 2022

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:436.1(M), 14:403.10, 14:403.11, 40:978.2(F)

Health and Safety, Bulletin 135, Louisiana Department of Education

Board minutes, 12-15-22

 

East Baton Rouge Parish School Board