ROANOKE, Va.- – Carilion Clinic is arming a new group of people in the fight against the growing opioid epidemic.
The overdose-reversing drug Naloxone will now be used in Roanoke City schools.
School nurses fall under the supervision of Carilion Clinic and the health system will be responsible for getting them the proper training and procedures on how to use the product.
Every school in Roanoke City will have a stock of Naloxone, also known as a trademarked application, Narcan. The medication is used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. People who work closely with students will be trained to use the medicine.
"Protocol that we have set up will be the school nurse, the school administrator in each school and of course the school resource officer's and DARE officers are already trained so they will be a backup for us as well," said Ellen Carroll.
Ellen Carroll is a registered nurse. She is the school nurse manager for Carilion Student Health serving Roanoke City schools. Carroll says training with the Virginia Department of Health on how to use the nasal spray starts later this week.
"It comes in a two-pack so you give the first dose and if you need to you can give the second dose," said Carroll.
Carilion Clinic recommended the benefits of the medicine available at schools to the board. Carroll says stocking naloxone is out of caution and hopes it's never used.
"We figure if you can save one life by having this medication available that will be worth having the medication in place at the schools," said Carroll.
It will cost $87 per school to stock the lifesaving medicine.
"It will be a standard protocol for us to have. I would love for the day when the opioid misuse disorder isn't a problem in our country and state," added Carroll.
Carilion Clinic is working to get the medications available in the schools in the next month. Lynchburg City Schools decided earlier in June to have Naloxone in their middle and high schools.