1. NALOXONE TRAINING: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ONCOLOGY NURSES TO SAVE LIVES.
- Author
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McNally, Gretchen, McLaughlin, Eric, Baiocchi, Robert, and Rosselet, Robin
- Subjects
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NURSING audit , *DRUG addiction , *ONCOLOGY nursing , *NURSES' attitudes , *DRUG overdose , *CONFERENCES & conventions , *NALOXONE , *DRUG administration , *NURSES , *OPIOID abuse - Abstract
Overdose deaths have increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, likely attributed to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid. Naloxone is a harm reduction strategy, and similar to a fire extinguisher, to be used in emergencies. If administered in time, naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose. A hospital-wide survey of multidisciplinary oncology healthcare providers evaluating experiences and knowledge related to opioid use disorders (OUDs) was distributed via email over a 4 week time period in early 2020. This abstract focuses on naloxone administration and nurses, including Advanced Practice Providers (APPs). The total possible sample was ~1560 participants (~360 APPs and ~1200 nurses). The final sample included 180 APPs and 518 nurses (n = 698). The response rates were 50% for APPs and 43% for nurses. The mean age for nurses was 38.4 (SD 11.4) and 40.2 (SD 10) for APPs. A greater percentage of participants were female (n = 641, 91.8%) and White (n = 631, 90.4%). Overall, 49.7% of nurses (n =257) and 62.3% of APPs (n = 112) had worked in oncology for > 5 years. Participants were asked to respond to the following statement: "I feel comfortable administering naloxone in the community". A greater percentage of APPs (39.4%, n = 69) compared to nurses (29.1%, n = 145) answered no. Overall, the majority of nurses (n = 201, 40.4%) and APPs (n = 71, 40.6%) answered "Yes- I would feel comfortable with training". Nurses (n = 309, 64.2%) and APPs (n = 104, 60.1%) were interested in attending a naloxone training class. Many oncology nurses and APPs would feel comfortable administering naloxone in the community with training, and the majority are interested in attending a naloxone training course. This represents an opportunity for oncology nurses and APPs to positively impact the opioid epidemic, for not only patients affected by cancer, but there may be a positive trickle-down effect on families and communities. Incorporating naloxone training as a continuing education opportunity for oncology nurses and APPs, and may increase knowledge, decrease addiction stigma, and ultimately save lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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