Back From the Brink: Naloxone as an Opioid Overdose Weapon for Pharmacists

Drug overdoses are occurring at an alarming rate in the United States and the most recent legal changes directly involve pharmacists in combating this epidemic. Patients and their caregivers now have increased access to naloxone and overdose information from outside of the traditional prescriber-patient relationship. Through state-specific protocols, pharmacists can prescribe naloxone prescriptions for the patient or their caregiver with civil immunity if written for a “legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice”. This is an activity for pharmacists to help prevent overdoses among high risk patients. Through the program you will see interactive animations and questions to help you counsel patients on overdose education, and dispense and assemble a naloxone rescue kit in accordance with the law.

At the completion of this activity, the participant should be able to:

-Review and comply with recent legal issues and regulatory changes related to controlled substances, particularly regarding naloxone dispensing.
-Explain the mechanism of action, indications, dosing, pharmacokinetics and adverse effects of naloxone and proper patient counseling points for naloxone.
-Identify and respond to an opioid overdose using proper procedures.
-Recognize factors indicating that a patient may be at risk of an opioid overdose.
-Employ proper protocols for the administration and dispensation of naloxone.

This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of licensed pharmacists in a variety of settings.

MCPHS University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.