IUPUI students and staff learn about drug to reverse overdoses

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Second-year IUPUI nursing student Macenzie Cochran learned how to administer a nasal spray called Narcan.

“It seems very easy, you just put it up to their nose and squeeze it,” she said.

Narcan contains Naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an overdose. Most overdoses occur after someone takes a drug laced with the synthetic opioid, fentanyl.

The nonprofit Overdose Lifeline hosted the Naloxone training for about two dozen students and staff Tuesday at the Indiana University School of Nursing at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis.

Justin Phillips, executive director of Overdose Lifeline, said, “Individuals are finding fentanyl in drugs they don’t expect to overdose on, like cocaine, Xanax, and Adderall, so it’s dangerous,”

IUPUI nursing student Nick Payton is doing clinical rotations at IU Health Riley Hospital for Children. He has seen teenagers come in suffering from the effects of an overdose.

“This stuff is vital. We are taught all the time to learn CPR, but I feel like this with the overdoses, especially with fentanyl, being able to use Narcan can save lives just like that,” Payton said.

Overdose Lifeline estimates it distributes 4,500 doses of Naloxone per week. The organization says it hosts training sessions on how to administer the doses for schools, businesses and individuals.