Md. Nurse Explains Treatment of Heroin Overdose at Training Session

July 21--Reviving someone from a heroin overdose is nothing like "Pulp Fiction."

Instead of stabbing an adrenaline shot into someone's heart, the anti-overdose drug naloxone is typically administered through the nose. Calmly.

"You don't want to go 'Pulp Fiction' on anyone," Frederick County Health Department nurse Rachel Barber said at a recent naloxone training session.

I became one of more than 100 Frederick County residents who can now administer this potentially lifesaving drug to anyone in the U.S. who is overdosing on prescription drugs or heroin. But after a two-hour training session on how to recognize opioid overdose symptoms and assemble the naloxone tool, I admit I'm still hesitant to take someone's life into my own hands.

Growing up, I saw my fair share of bruises, broken bones and concussions as my three siblings and I got into fights, fell out of trees and did stupid things. I always admired doctors' utmost certainty when diagnosing a problem and their fix-all solutions. My admiration grew after I volunteered at a hospital for two years, shadowing a technician who injected IVs as easily as signing her signature on a chart.

Administering the naloxone seems easy enough -- simply spray the medication up each nostril and the person should wake up in a few minutes. However, it's the steps leading up to this that intimidate me.

Before responding to the overdose, a person must first recognize the signs and symptoms, which range from clammy, pale skin to being unresponsive and shallow breathing, Barber said. One woman attending the session pointed out someone experiencing cardiac arrest could have the same symptoms and be mistakenly treated.

However, Barber said even if you administer the medication to someone not overdosing on opioids, it will have no effect on him or her. She then listed the specific steps, which include:

Step one: Try to awaken the person by shaking the body or performing a sternum rub. Barber equated the motion as scrubbing grout on the bathroom floor.

Step two: Call 911.

Step three: Perform rescue breathing, which is similar to CPR.

Step four: Administer naloxone.

Step five: Wait until help arrives.

While all these steps seem easy, each has its own intricacies that could complicate the procedure. For example, if you perform rescue breathing too aggressively during step three, the person could vomit, causing further problems. Or if you incorrectly assemble the naloxone device in step four, it won't work at all. This multistep process must be executed correctly or you might have no effect on the very person you're trying to save.

These potential complications are what make me most nervous. However, I began to realize these are the same kind of decisions doctors make all the time.

While this might not be a skill set I use every day, life happens. Opioid overdoses aren't always the result of illicit or recreational drug use -- sometimes they occur by accident. A child may find prescription drugs in the cabinet and decide to try it. Having this training makes me feel like I can make a difference and at least could have the opportunity to save a life if put into this kind of situation.

Follow Paige Jones on Twitter: @paigeleejones.

Copyright 2014 - The Frederick News-Post, Md.