Using Naloxone to Reverse Opioid Overdose in the Agricultural Workplace: Information for Employers and Workers

In 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General called for increased awareness and availability of naloxone, the opioid antagonist, to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Despite the rise in the dispensing of naloxone, there is a significant gap in our response across all sectors of society. In the rural parts of our country, where emergency response times can be dangerously long, developing a workplace naloxone availability and use program could ultimately save lives. This webinar will share information from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to help employers and workers understand the risk of opioid overdose and the role of naloxone.

By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:

Discuss what medications are prescription and illicit opioids and what is OUD (Opioid Use Disorder)
Describe the dangers of opioids in the workplace and OUD for safety-sensitive occupations
Discuss the role of naloxone in opioid overdose
Discuss the implementation of workplace naloxone use programs
Understand the administration of the dosage forms available for naloxone used in an emergency

This project was supported by the FY17 USDA NIFA Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2017-46100-27225 and the FY18 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Rural Opioids Technical Assistance Grants (ROTA) # TI-18-022

Heather Lyons-Burney, Pharm.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, UMKC School of Pharmacy at MSU

Dr. Heather Lyons-Burney serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor for the UMKC School of Pharmacy’s satellite site at MSU in Springfield, Missouri. A PharmD graduate of UMKC School of Pharmacy, she completed a PGY1 residency with Cox Health Systems in Springfield. Throughout her career she has promoted the profession of pharmacy and has encouraged the development of team-based patient-centered care and innovative services in the community practice setting, as well as the importance of community engagement.. Locally, Heather serves on the clinic’s Board, as well as co-Chairs both the Taney and Greene county coalitions focused on prevention of substance misuse – receiving the Generation Rx Champions Award in 2012, and a Southwest Missouri Jefferson Award in 2018. In November 2018, she received the ACT Missouri’s Champion of Change for Prevention statewide award for her continuous prevention efforts.