Degree Name
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Document Type
Major Paper
School
Zvart Onanian School of Nursing
Department
Nursing
Date of Original Version
7-25-2023
Abstract
The opioid crisis is a public health emergency. Education policy leaders, including school nurses, must be at the forefront of advocating for change regarding state-level initiatives in response to this epidemic. Currently all 50 states have a policy in place that allows for the administration of naloxone in a school setting by a designated healthcare professional. Some states have even included opioid misuse education in their middle and high school health education curriculum. Rhode Island does have a policy that indicates schools at all levels should procure naloxone and administer it in the case of a suspected overdose, but has not yet implemented a policy regarding opioid misuse screenings or education for their secondary students. Furthermore, state-level school health rules and regulations do not explicitly indicate how school nurses and staff should be trained to administer naloxone. This project will address the scope of the opioid misuse problem among adolescents, discuss screening tools and interventions for opioid abuse at the secondary level, and propose ways to strengthen the current policy surrounding naloxone administration in schools.
Recommended Citation
McKinnon, Katherine, "Recognition and Response to Opioid Use Among Adolescents in a School Setting" (2023). Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview. 498.
https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/etd/498