Medical Student Screening for Naloxone Eligibility in the Emergency Department: A Value-Added Role to Fight the Opioid Epidemic

Introduction: Opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) for use by laypersons are safe and effective at preventing deaths from opioid overdose, but emergency department (ED) implementation is challenging. Curricula addressing OEND could enable students to serve in value-added roles on the clinical team, overcome challenges of naloxone distribution, and improve patient care.

Methods: We created a 1-hour didactic session on opioid use disorder and OEND for first-year medical students in the emergency medicine elective. During two clinical shifts, students used this knowledge to perform screenings to identify patients at high risk of overdose. If a patient screened positive, students performed patient education and then notified the physician, who ordered a naloxone kit.

Results: Thirty students received the didactic and conducted screening shifts. Of 147 patients screened, 40% ( = 59) were positive for naloxone eligibility, 21% ( = 31) reported that someone close to them used opioids, 18% ( = 26) had witnessed an opioid overdose, 12% ( = 17) had previously overdosed themselves, and 12% ( = 18) previously knew what naloxone was. Fifty-nine naloxone kits were distributed over the 3-month pilot versus 13 naloxone prescriptions for patients discharged from the ED the prior year.

Discussion: Through didactic training and structured patient engagement, medical students gained knowledge of and hands-on experience with addiction medicine, discussed sensitive topics with patients, and identified a high volume of patients eligible to receive naloxone. Medical student screening for OEND in ED patients is feasible and adds significant value to the clinical team.