BSN Students Make Positive Impact on Opioid Crisis

By Pat Woods, Nursing Instructor

Last year, 2020, was British Columbia's deadliest in relation to drug overdoses, with 1,716 people dying due to illicit drug use -- a 74 percent increase over the 2019 number of deaths. To raise awareness and provide training and resources, third-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students Riley Kirkpatrick, Therese Pirie and Hanni Zhao planned and delivered opioid overdose and naloxone training sessions to 61 VIU students in March 2021 including to 12 VIU student residence advisors and 49 first-year BSN students. Session participants raised their awareness of opioid use and overdose deaths in BC and learned how to recognize and respond in suspected overdose situations, including how to save lives by administering naloxone.

Each participant now has their own naloxone kit to treat overdose, which are available for free at most pharmacies. The BSN students also advocated for the inclusion of naloxone training in the BSN program and shared how the training has already been valuable as one student was able to recognize the situation and act quickly when she was driving by and saw a person on the street who had overdosed. 

Find information about how to recognize and act in a situation of suspected opioid overdose.  

If you would like more information, contact Nursing Instructor Pat Woods.