Implementation and assessment of a naloxone-training program for first-year student pharmacists

Develop a naloxone training activity and assess the activity's impact on increasing student pharmacist knowledge and confidence to counsel about management of opioid overdose and naloxone administration.

First-year student pharmacists participated in a naloxone training activity in an abilities laboratory course. The students completed pre-lab questions, received a brief lecture about responding to an opioid overdose, and then practiced counseling and administering intranasal and intramuscular naloxone using training kits. An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was conducted to assess students' ability to counsel on intranasal naloxone use in response to opioid overdose. Students completed self-assessments about their confidence in counseling patients about management of opioid overdose and naloxone administration following the OSCE and at course end.

158 students participated and the average OSCE score was 82%. In the post-encounter self-assessment, 93% of students agreed or completely agreed that the OSCE improved their confidence in counseling about management of an opioid overdose and intranasal naloxone administration. Fifty-nine students completed the end-of-course survey and >90% of respondents reported they were somewhat or very confident in their ability to administer intranasal or intramuscular naloxone, recognize the opioid overdose symptoms, and counsel about intranasal naloxone use. Confidence in counseling about use of intramuscular naloxone was slightly lower.

Further study of training programs to increase future healthcare professionals' ability to respond to opioid overdoses is warranted. Incorporation of a short training activity can increase student pharmacists' knowledge and confidence in counseling patients about opioid overdose and naloxone administration.