The life-saving and opioid overdose reversing drug Narcan is now available on Millikin’s campus for students to use in emergency situations.
The Macon County Health Department has grant funding, which allows it to provide free Narcan distribution boxes throughout the city. These boxes are in most schools, sheriff’s offices, police departments, churches, and libraries. These locations are meant to be accessible to those who may need them.
“They help reduce harm in the community with opioid overdoses and [in] Illinois in general,” Sam McVey, a nursing student, said. “We thought that we should bring that resource onto Millikin’s campus.”
Nursing students McVey, Max Simpson, and Linzee Jones have prior experience with Narcan because, as part of their clinical studies, they are tasked with refilling existing Narcan boxes around the Decatur community.
“There was a group last year that tried to do it, but they were not able to get it on campus,” Simpson said. “We liked the idea, so we talked to our professor about it and figured it was something we were actually able to get done.”
The group of three worked together to solidify a space for Narcan to be permanently stationed and where all students could easily find it. After discussions of placing it in Dolson, it was decided that University Commons was a better fit.
The Narcan is located in the cafeteria across from the AED box.
“It’s a purple box, and it says ‘Naloxone’ on the side,” McVey said. “There’s a sign next to it on how to use it. There are QR codes or videos to show you how to use it as well. That will stay here on campus, and it will be refilled.”
Narcan is a safe drug, and you don’t need a medical prescription to take it or special training to give it. The Narcan in the free boxes is intranasal, meaning the drug is administered through the nostril.
If a person has overdosed on opioids, Narcan should allow them to wake up after only a few minutes. If they do not, it can be administered a second time in the other nostril.
“It’s a very specific drug, so it doesn’t have any side effects; it’s very safe,” Simpson said.
The distribution boxes aren’t just there for those who fear overdosing themselves; anyone is encouraged to take one to keep with them in case they witness someone else who is overdosing.
Overdoses can happen anywhere at any time. The boxes equip people to be prepared when faced with those unfortunate circumstances.
“Just knowing it is a resource and it is available to you is important, even if you don’t know anybody personally who is using opioids; just take a box and have it,” Jones said. “If something were to happen and you had to give it to someone, you might save that person’s life.”
In the process of getting Narcan on campus, the group anticipated facing several obstacles along the way, but were pleasantly surprised by how pain-free the undertaking was.
They worked closely with Todd Ray, Millikin’s Chief Human Resources Officer, to make it possible.
“He was super helpful,” Simpson said. “Pretty much anything we wanted to do with it, he was fine with it; he just had to oversee it. I emailed back and forth with him for a few weeks. It didn’t take super long to get the actual box installed and to get the policies in line. He helped a lot with that.”
On April 17th, the group hosted a table in University Commons to help spread the word about the availability of Narcan. The table had an assortment of small goodies as well as informational material to generate a good kind of buzz and facilitate conversations about the new Narcan distribution box.
“So far, the student reaction has been pretty positive,” McVey said. “I was surprised by how many students saw our email that was sent to all the students and staff. At least everyone is aware that there is a box on campus they can use.”
As of now, there are no future plans for additional boxes on campus, but University Commons is a high-traffic building, so all students should be able to access it.
Narcan can save lives, and by carrying it with you wherever you go, you might be able to stop an overdose.
