Naloxone (Narcan) Availability
Naloxone can reverse the fatal effects of an opioid overdose, which is among the leading causes of death for Americans under 50 years old. This effort to make naloxone easier to access is a proactive measure that is not in response to a specific incident or trend on our campus; research underscores the life-saving potential of naloxone accessibility.
Our goal is to empower individuals to take steps in emergency situations while awaiting an on-campus medical response. We are grateful to the Oneida County Health Department for their generous commitment to providing the College with naloxone to ensure its expanded availability within our residence halls. Their partnership is crucial in this important endeavor.
Quick Resources:
- How to Use Narcan training video (via Oneida County Opioid Task Force)
- How and When to Use Narcan
- Naloxone Cabinet Refill Form
- Request free naloxone (via Oneida County Opioid Task Force)
- Request free fentanyl and xylazine test strips by mail (via MATTERS)
Naloxone (Narcan) FAQs
Narcan Nasal Spray was designed to rapidly reverse the effects of a life-threatening opioid emergency. It is used to revive someone during an overdose of many prescription pain medications or drugs such as heroin and is available as an over-the-counter treatment.
Naloxone, the active ingredient in Narcan Nasal Spray, competes with opioids to bind with the same receptors in the brain, reversing the effects of an opioid overdose in 2 to 3 minutes. This allows time for emergency medical help to arrive.
It is important to call Campus Safety at 315-859-4000 immediately after giving the first dose of Narcan. Emergency medical care is always recommended following the administration of naloxone. Patients who overdosed on a long-acting opioid may initially respond to the naloxone but relapse when it wears off.
The expanded availability of Narcan to include residence halls at Hamilton College is a proactive emergency response and public health best practice, just like AED availability and offering CPR training.
As a college in New York State, our expansion of Narcan access on campus aligns with the legislation that was signed in October 2022 by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul that requires all public colleges in New York to have a supply of opioid antagonists in their housing facilities.
The expansion of the availability of Narcan to include residence halls at Hamilton College is a proactive emergency response and public health best practice, similar to AED availability and offering CPR training.
As a college in New York State, our expansion of Narcan access on campus also aligns with the legislation that was signed in October 2022 by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul that requires all public colleges in New York to have a supply of opioid antagonists in their housing facilities.
No. Cabinets are located in residence halls, so anyone with access to the residence halls will have access to the cabinets.
The naloxone stored in the cabinets is intended for emergency response purposes and should not be removed and held for possible future use. Please request free naloxone if you want to have your own supply.
A student involved in an overdose situation will be connected with the appropriate support resources, which may include the Dean of Students Office, the Student Support Care Team, and/or the Health Center.
No. New York State and Hamilton College have a Good Samaritan Law and Medical Amnesty policy.
Cabinets will be checked monthly. Campus community members can notify Community Health Promotion staff if a cabinet needs to be restocked by completing the Naloxone Refill Form.
In the event that a cabinet is in the process of being restocked, and as a general practice in a suspected overdose, please call Campus Safety at 315-859-4000 as they carry Narcan.
The Narcan stored in the cabinets is intended for use in an emergency and should not be removed and held for possible future use. Please request free naloxone if you want to have your own supply.
Yes. Campus community members can request free naloxone by mail through the Oneida County Opioid Task Force.
Requests can also be made for free fentanyl and xylazine test strips by mail.
Please contact Katie Cowen, director of community health promotion, for more information and to learn about how to request Narcan in-person training from the Oneida County Health Department.
While there are no immediate plans to expand Narcan availability at this time, the current expansion will provide a learning opportunity for potential future expansion to additional campus spaces and best practices in public health and safety.
How and When to Use Narcan
Students can access a less than 14-minute training video on the Oneida County Opioid Task Force website. Periodic in-person training sessions will be scheduled on campus and will be found on the Events Calendar.
The person has passed out and cannot be woken up. They will likely be breathing very slowly, making gurgling sounds, or not breathing at all. Their lips may appear a blue or grayish color.
If signs of overdose are present and a person is unresponsive to stimulation, administer Narcan.
For guidance about risk factors and signs of an opioid overdose, as well as how to administer Narcan, campus community members can watch this less than 14-minute training video on the Oneida County Opioid Task Force website.
Anyone can administer Narcan to another person. Instructions about how to administer Narcan will be available in the form of a laminated instruction sheet in the cabinets as well as a QR code to a video training that can be watched before an emergency arises.
- Administer Narcan.
- Call Campus Safety at 315-859-4000 immediately after giving the first dose of Narcan.
- Wait 3-5 minutes after the first Narcan dose and assess the situation before administering a second dose. Patients who overdose on a long-acting opioid may initially respond to the Narcan but may relapse when it wears off.
- When the person wakes up, explain what happened. Tell them not to take any more drugs because that could cause another overdose.
- Stay with the person until Campus Safety arrives and until the Narcan wears off (30-90 minutes) to make sure they do not overdose again.
- When Campus Safety arrives, tell them that Narcan has been given.
- Notify Community Health Promotion staff if a cabinet needs to be restocked by completing the Naloxone Refill Form.
Bundy East – North entrance, outside the area director's apartment
Bundy West – North entrance, adjacent to the fire extinguisher
95 CHR – Main entrance, next to the mailboxes in the foyer
1 Anderson Rd – Inside laundry room shared by both apartments
Skenandoa – Eastern entrance, basement level
Wallace Johnson – Main entrance off of the circle, next to the annunciator panel
Wertimer – South entrance "Stair C", foyer
120 CHR – Main entrance, facing CHR
Morris House – Main entrance facing campus road, adjacent to the door
Eells – Main entrance facing campus road, adjacent to the door
Ferguson – Main entrance facing campus road, adjacent to the door
Woollcott – Main entrance facing campus road, adjacent to the door
Roger's Estate – Main entrance, foyer
4002 A – inside the front entrance door
4002 B – inside the front entrance door
North Hall – North entry, adjacent to the door
Kirkland Hall – South entry, adjacent to the door
South Hall – South entry, adjacent to the door
Carnegie Hall – North entry, adjacent to the door
Saunders – Main entrance facing Griffin Road, adjacent to the door
Dunham – 1st floor, inside center lounge
Millbank Res Hall – Inside door 4, wall by 14b
Babbitt Res Hall – Inside door 4, wall by 14b
Keehn Res Hall – Main entrance, adjacent to the door
Root Res Hall – Main entrance, adjacent to the door
Major Res Hall – Main entrance, adjacent to the door
McIntosh Res Hall – Main entrance, adjacent to the door
Minor Res Hall – Main entrance, adjacent to the door
Griffin Rd Apartments – Laundry room
Yes. Instructions about how to administer Narcan are available on a laminated instruction sheet in the cabinets as well as a QR code to a video training that can be watched before an emergency arises.
Yes. A person does not need to be breathing for Narcan nasal spray to work. Narcan Spray is sprayed into the nose and the medicine is absorbed there (by the nasal mucosa). It does not need to be inhaled (breathed in by the lungs) for the medicine to work.
Narcan will not harm somebody if given by accident. It is safe for children and pregnant women.
Yes, though Narcan is not used for alcohol overdoses or poisoning. Narcan is used for opioid overdose, which can occur when mixing opioids with other substances or medications, including alcohol.
Naloxone allergies are extremely rare. Most adverse events experienced are secondary to opiate withdrawal, not an allergic reaction. If an opioid overdose is a concern, you should not hesitate to administer naloxone.
No, Narcan is not a self-administered medicine. Individuals should wait 3-5 minutes after the first naloxone dose before administering a second dose. This reinforces the importance of notifying Campus Safety (315-859-4000) if/when you administer naloxone to someone on campus.
After calling Campus Safety at 315-859-4000, Campus community members can notify Community Health Promotion if a cabinet needs to be restocked by completing the Naloxone Refill Form.
Contact
Contact Name
Katelyn Cowen, MPH, CHAS
Director, Community Health Promotion
