Nursing class project leads to Narcan campus resource

In an effort to bring awareness to the campus community about how Narcan can save lives, USI nursing students in the Population Focused Nursing Care class, taught by Dr. Ryan Butler, Associate Professor of Nursing, have worked with USI Public Safety to bring a Narcan box on campus and provide education on the use of the medication.

Narcan (naloxone) is a life-saving medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, including heroin, morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, hydrocodone, codeine and hydromorphone. Administered as a nasal spray, it typically takes 2 to 3 minutes to restore normal breathing. “For this project, my group [in Dr. Butler’s class] partnered with USI Public Safety,” says Lisa Klem ’25, nursing student. “Together, we’re raising awareness about the Narcan box they are receiving from the Vanderburgh County Health Department. Our focus is on educating students about Narcan—how it works, how it can save lives and where the box will be located on campus.”

An installation and dedication ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Monday, February 17 at the C-Store, where the Narcan box will be located. 

Public Safety officers on campus are equipped with Narcan doses, says Sam Preston, Director of Public Safety, but working with the nursing students on acquiring and installing a Narcan box on campus was an educational exercise he says is beneficial to the USI campus in many ways.

“The use of Narcan has been seen nationally as a tool that saves lives. Any time we can have a tool that could potentially save a life, we want to have that available. It was good for Public Safety to work with these students on the process and the experience of obtaining a Narcan box,” says Preston. “I provided guidance to the students as they worked on the project, and because this was a learning project, they were able to include an educational piece as well.”

As part of the project, nursing students tabled in the University Center in late January and early February to educate students and the campus community about the new Narcan box. They also shared information on how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose: unresponsiveness, slowed or stopped breathing, pinpoint pupils, gurgling or snoring sounds, cold or clammy skin and blue lips or fingernails.  “If breathing does not improve, a second dose can be given," says Klem. “It’s crucial to stay with the individual and monitor them until emergency responders, including USI Public Safety, arrive.”

The group also worked with Housing and Residence Life to establish a safe, easily accessible and centrally located spot for the box. Together, the students, Public Safety and Housing and Residence Life found a spot at the C-Store would be most effective for students on campus.

Though not used frequently—if at all—on campus, Preston points out having doses of Narcan available 24/7 and in an easily accessible location for students adds an extra layer of protection. “Though we’ve never used Narcan on campus, we also know that no type of drug addiction discriminates. It can happen anywhere,” he says. “We want to be prepared. Students may have family members who suffer from opioid addiction—the Narcan box gives them a chance to access a dose in a safe place that is not judgmental.”

Preston also stressed that a Narcan dose alone may not save the life of a person who has overdosed—it is still important to contact USI Public Safety and emergency services immediately, even if a dose has been administered.

For more information about the new Narcan box, contact USI Public Safety at 812-464-1845.