College Of New Rochelle Students Trained To Administer Narcan

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Forty members of the College of New Rochelle’s School of Nursing & Healthcare Professions Class of 2017 were trained to administer the drug that reversed the effect of a heroin overdose. The college said they were trained in the administration of nalaxone, which is also known as its trademark name of Narcan, to help fight the epidemic of opioid and heroin overdoses. This brings the total number of students recently trained to 80.

The CNR faculty and Student Nurses Association partnered with the Westchester County Department of Health, which provided this second free community program, according to a spokeswoman.

Students were trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid or heroin overdose, learned how to administer nalaxone and received certification for two years for successfully completing the training.

When administered properly, the nasal spray Narcan restores breathing that has been dangerously slowed by an overdose of opioid drugs such as heroin. Each nursing student who was trained is now certified for two years to administer Narcan in the state and also received a free kit with a needleless syringe and two nasal spray doses of naloxone, courtesy of the Westchester County.

“CNR has taken a lead to ensure that undergraduate nursing students, most who live and work in Westchester, have the opportunity to be trained to provide life-saving help to prevent opioid overdose deaths,” said Adrienne Wald, EdD, assistant professor of nursing who worked with Myrantz Assade, senior nursing student and Student Nurses Association president, to arrange this for this second critical training opportunity so additional CNR students will be ready to serve their communities.

“We are proud to have now have trained a total of 80 students in this critical skill,” she said.

The Narcan training complements the CPR/BLS certification senior nursing students are already required to hold, and it is hoped that eventually other CNR nursing students will be certified in Narcan administration.

Photo caption: Patrick Quinn, Program Specialist, (l) and Jordan Burton, public health educator, (r), Westchester County Department of Health, look on as CNR senior nursing student Megan Singh learns how to administer nalaxone during a training session held at the College in April. Photo credit: Submitted.