Answer:
**IF SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY**
Is someone overdosing? The most important thing is to act right away!
It is rare for someone to die immediately from an overdose – it is usually a slowish process that takes anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. When people survive, it’s because someone was there to respond.
If someone is overdosing, they will be
1) not breathing and 2) not responsive.
Below are the immediate steps you want to take in the event of an opioid overdose.
If someone is not breathing (skin turning blue/gray, pinpoint pupils, deep gurgling sound) and not responsive, follow these steps. You’ll find more info on each of these steps below.
STEP 1. Stimulate them awake by yelling their name and administering a hard sternum rub to the chest plate.
STEP 2. If you have naloxone/Narcan, use it. Administer one dose every two minutes.
<u>Injectable</u>: Draw up entire vial and inject into thigh muscle (must be muscle’ed to work)
<u>Nasal</u>: Stick the device all the way up one nostril and click the plunger, make sure the device is inserted fully (medication will absorb through the sinuses)
STEP 3. Call 911, explain someone is not responsive and not breathing
STEP 4. Provide rescue breathing
Get the person on their back, tip their head back to straighten the airway, pinch their nose, put your mouth over theirs and form a seal, one breath every five seconds
STEP 5. When the person starts to breathe regularly on their own, roll them into a recovery position on their side
STEP 6. Be gentle with them and yourself afterwards!
<u> Assessment & Stimulation</u>
If you are unsure if the person is overdosing, there are obvious signs you can assess.
Is the person breathing?
Is the person responsive?
Do they answer when you ‘shake and shout’ their name?
Can the person speak?
How is their skin color (especially lips and fingertips)?
Stimulate the person
If the person is unconscious or in a heavy nod, try to stimulate them awake through verbal and/or physical stimulation.
<u> </u><u>Verbal Stimulation </u>
Call his or her name and/or say something that they might not want to hear, like “I’m going to call 911” or “I’m going to give you naloxone.”
Sternal Rub – Photo: N.O.M.A.D (Not One More Anonymous Death)
<u>Physical Stimulation</u><u> </u>
If this does not work, try to stimulate him or her with pain to wake them up.
rub your knuckles into the sternum (the place in the middle of your chest where your ribs meet)
rub your knuckles on their upper lip.
pinch the back of their arm.
If this causes the person to wake up try to get him or her to focus. Can they speak to you? Check their breathing. If this is shallow or the person tells you they have shortness of breath, or chest tightness call 911. Continue to monitor them, especially the breathing and pulse and try to keep him or her awake and alert.
If the person DOES NOT respond to stimulation and remains unconscious or the condition appears to get worse, do NOT try a different or alternative form of stimulation. Treat this as an emergency and call for help!
2. Call for Help!
It is recommended that you call 911 in the case of an overdose because it is important to have trained medical professionals assess the condition of the overdosing person.
Even though naloxone can fix the overdose, there may be other health problems going on. Also, people who survive any type of overdose are at risk of experiencing other health complications as a result of the OD, such as pneumonia and heart problems. Getting someone to be checked out by a medical professional is an important part of reducing the harms associated with overdosing.
<u>What to Say to 911</u>
What to say when calling 911 depends on the local emergency response to overdoses. In every community, it is important to report that the person’s breathing has slowed or stopped, he or she is unresponsive, and give the exact location. If Naloxone was given and it did not work, tell the dispatcher