Narcan is an opioid antagonist, which means it blocks the effects of pain-relieving and highly addictive drugs such as heroin, morphine, and oxycodone. When administered quickly and properly it counteract the effects of opioids taken in life-threatening quantities, so this prescription drug is commonly utilized in emergency situations.
In early 2019, our hospital’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Community Coordinator partnered with the Kenosha County Opioid Task Force to make Narcan kits available to at-risk patients who have presented in our hospital’s Emergency Department and family members of people who have overdosed. Each emergency kit includes two doses of Narcan (naloxone) nasal spray, a pocket mask to assist with breathing, fentanyl testing kits and information for additional community resources.
This program was made possible due to grant funding and the emergency kits were provided by the Kenosha County Division of Health through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which is managed by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Thanks to this partnership, our program is the first of its kind in our community.