The College has received an increased number of inquiries about the administration of Naloxone. The most frequently asked questions are addressed below to offer guidance on this topic and support registrants who may need to provide life-saving care by administering Naloxone to their clients or the public.
Can I administer Naloxone?
As a social worker or social service worker, you are permitted to administer Naloxone. During a life-threatening emergency due to an opioid overdose, any individual can administer Naloxone.
If the administration of Naloxone is an expected part of your professional role, the College expects that you will have a formal delegation from a regulated health professional (e.g. a physician, nurse, pharmacist) in place before administering Naloxone. A formal delegation protects the public by ensuring that they receive Naloxone treatment from a competent and authorized professional.
You should ensure that you are up to date with the information and guidance around the administration of Naloxone and consult the Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices which includes an appendix on the administration of Naloxone.
The following College practice resources may also assist you in practising ethically and professionally:
Can I distribute Naloxone kits?
As a social worker or social service worker, you are permitted to distribute Naloxone kits, also known as Narcan kits.
The College requires you to be aware of your level of competence and your professional scope of practice, as described in the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice before carrying out any task related to the distribution of medications.
You should also ensure that you have reviewed the information and guidance around the administration of Naloxone included in the Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices which includes an appendix on the administration of Naloxone.
The following College practice resources may also assist you in practising ethically and professionally:
What is a formal delegation for administering Naloxone?
If the administration of Naloxone is an expected part of your professional role, the College expects that you will have a formal delegation from a regulated health professional (e.g. a physician, nurse, pharmacist) in place before administering Naloxone. A formal delegation protects the public by ensuring that they receive Naloxone treatment from a competent and authorized professional.
A formal delegation can be a direct order or a medical directive created by any regulated health professional. You can find more information on formal delegations and how to establish them in the College’s Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices which includes an appendix on the administration of Naloxone.
The following College practice resources may also assist you in practising ethically and professionally:
I’m required to administer Naloxone at my workplace. How can I advocate to get a formal delegation in place?
College registrants may find themselves in situations where they are required to administer Naloxone in their workplace as part of their role (e.g. a supervised injection site). In these situations, the College expects that you will have a formal delegation from a regulated health professional (e.g. a physician, nurse, pharmacist) in place before administering Naloxone.
A formal delegation protects the public by ensuring that they receive Naloxone treatment from a competent and authorized professional. You can take steps to establish a formal delegation process with your employer by seeking input or consultation from your supervisor and taking into consideration the following:
- Do I have a role that would bring me into frequent contact with clients who may be experiencing an opioid overdose?
- Have I been provided with a Naloxone/Narcan kit by my organization?
- Have I received sufficient training on how to administer Naloxone and manage the outcome from my workplace?
- Am I competent to administer Naloxone?
You can find more information on formal delegations and how to establish them in the College’s Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices which includes an appendix on the administration of Naloxone.
The following College practice resources may also assist you in practising ethically and professionally: