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Opioid-Related Overdoses In The Naloxone Drug Case Study Solution

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Executive Statement Due to a recent rise in opioid overdoses in the Waterloo Region, it is being recommended that all first responders (paramedics, police officers and firefighters) be made to carry a naloxone kit while on duty (1). The Problem In 2017, up to November 11th, 580 emergency calls were placed regarding opioid-related overdoses in the Waterloo Region (1). Thus, the running total of calls in 2017 as of November 11th is already one-hundred and fifteen percent of the total calls for the 2016 year (1). From the year 2012, opiate-related overdose calls have raised three-hundred percent (1). Consequently, the issue of opiate overdose is clearly an important one. The reasons for the rise in opioid-related overdoses are …show more content…

Policy Recommendation The policy recommendation in this case is: i) To implement a policy mandating all first responders (firefighters, police officers, paramedics) to carry a naloxone kit on duty; and ii) To provide training on how to administer naloxone to all first responders. Rationale and Evidence To justify all first responders being mandated to carry naloxone kits, there are several sources of evidence once can consider. Firstly, the Waterloo Region implemented a plan to identify those in groups at extremely elevated risk for opioid overdose, and to provide them with naloxone kits and training (4). After identifying 64 participants and training them to administer naloxone, twenty-three of twenty-four reported overdoses in the participant’s surroundings were reversed by naloxone (4). This metric of a ninety-six percent success rate proves that if ordinary citizens in the Waterloo region can be trained to properly administer naloxone and prevent a large majority of deaths within their surroundings, those on the front lines of emergency service should be mandated to do so as well due to the nature of their work (4). Additionally, there is evidence that the treatment of opioid overdoses with naloxone is extremely effective, and that intervention with naloxone by first responders can lead to improved patient outcomes (5). Furthermore, the Ontario Provincial Police cited opioids as an “ongoing concern” in the summer of 2017, and mandated all

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