Substance Use Disorders
This section provides EMS professionals with resources and training focused on identifying, managing and responding to patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). Articles cover recognition of drug and alcohol use in the field, treatment best practices, harm reduction strategies, and the evolving role of EMS in the opioid crisis. Learn how to address provider safety, compassion fatigue and stigma, while improving patient outcomes through evidence-based care and community partnerships.
First responders are not immune from the opioid crisis; here’s what to know
Knowing how xylazine presents clinically, as well as how it impacts overdose management is important for any provider responding to illicit drug overdoses
Albuterol, fentanyl and naloxone injectable are among the drugs being recalled – many of which are in very short supply, with no alternate source available
Safe Stations turned all 12 of Providence’s firehouses into safe havens for people seeking treatment for their addictions
Police said a driver sideswiped an ambulance and smashed into a cruiser in the parking lot of an apartment complex where a fire broke out
Our co-hosts discuss the pros and cons of industry personnel using medical marijuana to work through issues of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress
A recent study found that other drugs or treatments may be more helpful for non-cancer pain
Climate change, connectivity, value-based reimbursements will shape the coming year in EMS service and delivery
An estimated 4,500 naloxone kits were distributed across 85 locations, with some locations running out in two hours or less
Colby VanWagoner pleaded guilty to stealing vials of morphine from ambulances and replacing them with watered-down solutions
Indianapolis EMS officials said out of the 63 people transported to the hospital for scooter injuries, 19 of them were intoxicated
James Perry pleaded guilty to driving under the influence while responding to a suspected drowning
Integrate data from EMS, fire and law enforcement to identify trends and community needs across disciplines
A couple with a drug-use history have been charged in the death of their 10-month-old child, who authorities said died after ingesting a derivative of fentanyl
State officials are distributing 5,000 free kits of naloxone to 80 locations during a holiday season that often ushers in a surge in opioid overdoses
A panel of speakers shared their stories with middle and high school students about life-and-death reality of opioid addiction
Michael L. Fostich admitted that he removed vials of morphine and fentanyl from locked safes on ambulances throughout 2016
A report from ESO found that most opioid overdoses are unintentional and involve illicit drugs, and many overdose patients are interested in rehabilitation
The opioid crisis increases the odds that prehospital field providers will encounter NCPE
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that she has added the companies to a lawsuit filed last spring against Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, and others
Critics fear a potent new painkiller he worked to get OK’d will worsen epidemic
The Red Cross announced it will provide online classes to teach people how to properly deal with an opioid overdose
Ryan Fowler was giving the test strips away to friends who use drugs, but expanded the offer to the public after hearing about a couple of fatal overdoses
Miami County officials did not renew a state grant to receive free doses of naloxone, saying “overdoses are down significantly” in the area
Dsuvia, a new medication five to 10 times more powerful than fentanyl, was approved to be prescribed to patients in hospital settings
Michael Ovdiyenko allegedly cursed a deputy while he was being arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, saying he would not help the cop if he was shot
As part of the ongoing effort to battle the opioid epidemic, Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale late last month armed his deputies with naloxone
Doctors are no longer allowed to prescribe more than 14 days’ worth of opioids, and they must first look for alternatives
The Shawnee Mission School Board approved an agreement this week with Johnson County Emergency Services to stock naloxone at district schools
Police said a suspected drunk driver struck a police car, and then another suspected drunk driver hit the ambulance that responded
Two hospitals received $400,000 each, which allows them to keep patients in their emergency rooms until they start showing withdrawal symptoms
The City of Moore said the opioid crisis forced them to spend more money on firefighters, EMS providers and other addiction services than usual
Hillsborough County’s Opioid Task Force is proposing a $13.7 million fix to tackle the epidemic, which it says will lower the number of victims
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