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.
How to add intranasal drugs to the BLS scope of practice, and why it would be a valuable addition to the BLS toolbox
Creating a safe scene begins with understanding how your patient’s mental and physical health connect, and in avoiding these pitfalls
Many EMS systems are evaluating ways to mitigate the risks of refusal in post naloxone patients
The ambulance and squad car were responding to another crash at the time; no EMS providers or police were hurt
The program turned fire and police departments into safe havens for those addicted to drugs and has helped 45 people in the last three weeks
The $40,000 grant was awarded to help fight the area’s drug abuse epidemic with substance abuse curricula
Police confirmed they have footage from a dash cam that shows Rory Barros pushing his partner out of the way before the crash occurred
City councilman Rafael Salamanca will introduce a bill that requires schools to carry naloxone kits
Several agencies have published recommendations to protect frontline public safety providers from accidental occupational opioid exposures
Rates of medication-assisted treatment, considered the gold standard for opioid addiction, went up 12 percent
A local restaurant donated 15 percent of their proceeds to Rory Barros, who is currently hospitalized after being hit by a drunk driver
Zachary Losapio assaulted an EMT when crews were called to his cell to evaluate him due to his high intoxication levels
Rory Barros was getting out of an ambulance when he was hit by a drunk driver who failed to stay in his lane
A daylong event featuring musical acts and ending in a candlelight vigil for those affected by heroin overdoses brought the issue to the forefront
About 50 athletes competed on teams of two to raise awareness surrounding drug and alcohol addiction
The software creates a real-time hot-spot map that shows first responders where the drug overdoses are occurring
The goal is to provide the bar and restaurant owners the antidote in order to help addicts who overdose – often in bathrooms
Sodium percarbonate is an ingredient in the product, which has been shown to break down fentanyl
Daisha Clark attempted to stop her cousin from bringing Levi Hoyt, 1, to the hospital, saying he “had only bitten a bottle of bug spray”
Police administered naloxone after finding the man unconscious at an Arby’s restaurant
Our co-hosts are joined by Dr. David K. Tan to discuss the recent acknowledgement from the NAEMSP on the position paper from the U.S. Toxicology community
The man called 911 after finding his son on a bed not breathing; the baby was pronounced dead at a hospital
The overdose death rate rose to 3.7 per 100,000 teens in 2015, from 3.1 the previous year
Vincent Weiner was found dead in his bedroom after actively taking the drugs
Dr. Anil Punjabi was about to fall asleep on the airplane when he heard a flight attendant call for help
Learn how four paramedic chiefs are collecting and analyzing data to fight the opioid overdose epidemic in their communities
The driver, who was arraigned for a misdemeanor DUI charge, was found unconscious and revived with naloxone
The goal is to help those who struggle with substance abuse link up with medicated assisted treatment, counseling and regular health checks
The Fayette County Health Department distributed 925 doses from September to April, when the money ran out from a grant they had received to purchase the drug
Over the last year, ACMT and AACT developed the document to satisfy responder requests for fact-based opioid response safety guidance
The president said that the nation’s addiction to opioids is “a serious problem, the likes of which we have never had”
Police said Gloria Gordon kicked the EMT in the face after EMS crews responded to a domestic disturbance call
The state alleges that Purdue Pharma has downplayed the drug’s risk of addiction, overstated its effectiveness and failed to report suspicious prescribers
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