STAFF WRITER
During the Feb. 23 meeting, Superintendent Tim Connellan told the Board of Education that school nurses are now allowed to administer Narcan, the drug that counteracts life-threatening effects of opioid overdoses.
With the rise in drug use and reported overdoses nation-wide, the school community is taking steps to protect students and faculty.
Connellan said, “We now have standing orders from our medical advisor that allow the school nurses to administer Narcan.”
Currently, the Student Resource Officer has the substance in his cruiser, which is parked outside of the school. By stocking the product inside of the school, it can save time should the need arise.
“He would have to exit the building and come back in, and we know that this is all time sensitive,” said Connellan.
Registered nurses are allowed to administer Narcan and don’t require training, but the superintendent said that during the month of March’s professional development time, all nurses will get more formal training.
The idea is to have Narcan available for high school students both at the main campus and at Alta and the middle schools. Connellan also asked that Southington Catholic be contacted because there are middle school students in that building, and it is an option for them as well.
“It’s clearly the right thing to do,” Connellan said. He told the board that the product is now in stock. “It’s free for use at high schools, but at middle schools there is a nominal cost.