It really depends on your state scope for MAs with regard to medications. In our state, MAs can only administer vaccines, but no medications. So, in our case, we allow them to carry narcan if they want-like a community member would carry...but our own purchased supply can only be administered by a nurse or provider.
If an MA administered their community provided dose, they would be covered under good Samaritan laws, but if they administered our emergency medication supply, they could be subject to liability...although, our legal team feels that, given it is a life-saving medication, it would like not come under too much scrutiny.
We also do mock codes specifically re: Narcan---so, if a patient is found unconscious, we admin narcan regardless. You never know when someone was exposed to an opioid, and if something else was going on, the narcan would not harm them. At times, narcan is delayed because people don't "think" this is the problem...so, they need to be reminded-no matter what they look like, who they are, whether their chart has opioids listed on it, or notations about substance use---it doesn't matter---we admin narcan and then continue on with our assessment...
Hope that helps,
Mary
Mary Blankson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, FAAN
Chief Nursing Officer
Community Health Center, Inc.
675 Main Street,
Middletown, CT, 06457
Cell: (860)227-5432
mary@chc1.com
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Original Message:
Sent: 5/13/2023 8:52:00 AM
From: Bonnie Hooper
Subject: RE: Narcan
Yes, we do allow our CMAs to administer Narcan. We have a standing order that says, CMA, LPN, RN, and pharmacist can administer it. We do an annual “red bag” emergency medication training at our skills fair which includes the use of Narcan.
Best,
Bonnie Hooper BSN, RN
Clinical Training Specialist
Original Message:
Sent: 5/12/2023 7:38:00 AM
From: Erin Nicol
Subject: RE: Narcan
Good Morning,
A small team met about this yesterday in our organization. We will be allowing MAs to administer Narcan after appropriate training.
The decision was made after a brief discussion including:
Narcan is now OTC per FDA
Narcan is a life saving measure
Narcan is safe and if administered to a person who does not need it, not harmful to the patient.
What if we don't administer to someone who does need it?
Hope this helps. We had a provider on the team who gave some very strong points to the MAs being able to administer. By the end of the call everyone was on board.
------------------------------
Erin Nicol LPN
OhioHealth
Columbus OH
(740)503-0420
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-11-2023 10:51
From: Cathy Tomlinson
Subject: Narcan
Good morning! Is anyone allowing MA's to administer Narcan under a SDO? Thanks for your time. Cathy
Cathy Tomlinson, BSN, RN, AMB-BC
she/her/hers
Associate Director of Clinical Services
Cathy.tomlinson@centralhealth.net
Office: 512-978-8113 |Cellphone: 512-695-5317
8701 North MoPac Expressway, Suite 200
Austin, Tx 78759
www.centralhealth.net
