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.
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Austin’s 911 Mental Health Diversion Program is getting the right resources to mental health crisis and lowering arrest rates
Comparing the efficacy of analgesics to reduce acute pain in the prehospital setting
Without a standard, objective-based assessment of patient sobriety levels, situations may arise that test the limits of EMS personnel
The state is now considering a bill to give paramedics the same authority that police have to direct patients to the facility best suited to treat them
Huntington Fire Chief Jan Rader, who was recently featured in the Netflix documentary “Heroin(e),” was recognized for raising awareness about the opioid crisis
Stephen Newman had managed his pain with opioid medications, but was tired of the growing suspicion and mistrust he encountered when trying to get prescriptions
More than 100 leaders from an array of disciplines united to understand the opioid crisis and made it a goal to combat the problem by working together
Our co-hosts respond to a listener’s email regarding where medical marijuana fits into public safety, especially EMS
Donovan Dixon was found guilty of 20 counts of unlawfully distributing oxycodone, as well as conspiracy to distribute the opioid
Katherine Phillips and her boyfriend allegedly broke into First Call Ambulance Service and stole numerous medications
Dr. Jerome Adams issued a national advisory urging the public to educate themselves on how to use naloxone and keep it on hand
Three Massachusetts towns recently launched a pilot program to provide members of the public with naloxone
Doctors are prescribing gabapentin more often because of its non-addictive properties, but officials are finding signs of abuse that exacerbate opioid abuse
Two studies suggest that some people in states with medical marijuana dispensaries avoid using opioids as a way to treat chronic pain
Michael Fostich reportedly admitted to being responsible for the use of 806 fentanyl doses and 636 morphine doses
Trump tweeted his support for the opioid-abuse memorial, encouraging “all to visit and remember those who we have lost”
Officials reviewed protocols and determined there was a “gap” in the list of pain medications paramedic-level ambulances were authorized to carry
Careful monitoring, witnessed documentation and a record of any actions will protect controlled substances in the ambulance from theft
Gov. Tom Wolf, state police and public health officials on Monday unveiled the Pennsylvania Overdose Information Network
Ryan Fowler now uses his experience of being saved from an overdose three times to give talks to firefighters about his experience
Firefighter Scott Lebherz said the street drug KD is laced with heavy-duty bug sprays and causes users to writhe on the ground and struggle to breathe
Further research is needed to determine if naloxone access laws actually increase distribution and use of naloxone, and high-risk behavior by patients with opioid use disorder
The new law puts a three-day limit on most prescriptions for acute pain and toughens the drug control monitoring program
The study suggested that opioids might not treat chronic pain, such as hip or knee arthritis conditions, any better than non-opioid medication
The county filed suit in federal court against 19 companies in the opioid suit, including manufacturers such as Purdue Pharma, Cephalon and Teva Pharmaceuticals
Researchers said at-risk teens who are prescribed opioids are more prone to becoming dependent on the drugs
The agency pleaded guilty to violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to properly keep track of their fentanyl and morphine stock
Officials said the hospitals are at a “critical point” of scrambling to find alternatives for injectable forms of fentanyl, morphine and hydromorphone
Quiz yourself on case studies presented at the Gathering of the Eagles that demonstrate some of the unique effects drugs can have on the heart
The CDC encouraged hospitals to do more to combat outbreaks and prevent repeat overdoses
One classroom was transformed into a trauma station where EMS providers demonstrated the critical steps a trauma team takes when working on an accident victim
A national database examining five metrics in evidence-based care gives EMS a framework to improve tactics, efficiency, outcomes and resource allocation
