ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Trying to combat the overdose crisis, the Adams County Health Department offered naloxone training and a demonstration on how to administer the opioid overdose reversal medication, known under its brand name Narcan.
Nurses in the county’s Harm Reduction Program want more people to carry the nasal spray and know how to administer it.
“I carry it in my purse,” Michelle Wilson said. The public health nurse was glad she had Narcan when she came upon a person who had overdosed in a bathroom at a Denver convenience store. “When I administered it, the person woke up right after one dose,” she said.
Now Wilson wants to train other people, so they know how easy it is to use Narcan.
“You never know what you are going to come upon,” Wilson said.
Wilson said fentanyl is now being mixed into many street drugs, and users don’t even know it. It could be at teenage parties or music or sports events.
How to use Narcan spray for overdose reversal
If you see someone who may have overdosed, she said to follow these steps:
- Call 911
- Open the Narcan
- Place the nasal spray into the person’s nose and push the plunger
“All that vascular tissue that’s in someone’s nostrils, it just absorbs the medication,” she said.
Many people regain consciousness right away, she said, but others may need a second dose three to five minutes later.
Free naloxone in Adams County
The Adams County Health Department is offering free Narcan to people who want it.
“It’s very easy to use. It’s very easy to carry and you can potentially save someone’s life,” said Susan Keithley, a nurse manager.
For more information about how to get free Narcan or training, call 303-363-3077 or email harmreduction@adcogov.org.