How to Use Narcan Safely, Step by Step
When someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, giving them the lifesaving medication naloxone (Narcan) can quickly reverse it. Naloxone is available over the counter, and many areas distribute it for free through local health clinics. There are also online resources for obtaining naloxone. It is important to carry naloxone if you use drugs or are around people who do. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Naloxone won’t harm someone who is overdosing on drugs other than opioids, so it’s best to use it if you think someone is overdosing.” You can use naloxone even if a person is not breathing.
In this video, Dr. Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer at The Jed Foundation (JED), shares instructions for how to use naloxone safely, step by step.
First, call 911 right away.
Then, follow these steps to administer naloxone nasal spray:
- When handling the naloxone nasal spray, don’t test it — the spray is effective immediately.
- Hold the back of the person’s neck, tilt their head back, and put the nozzle in their nostril as far as it will go. It doesn’t matter which nostril you use.
- When spraying, press the plunger firmly to give the full dose. If they don’t respond to the drug in two minutes, use the other dose that typically comes in a two-dose package. You can keep doing this every 90 seconds.
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