A few years ago, the formerly ALS skill pushed to the masses was the Epi-Pen. Now, it’s Narcan. What’s different? Simple. Narcan is going to be needed less in the field but will probably be used more. What would work is teaching people how to properly ventilate with a BVM. It fixes the real problem (depressed respiration) and has more uses than just an opiate overdose. But why should we teach BVM skills? After all, it’s barely taught properly to EMS types.
And let the heresy accusations begin. At least I didn’t bring up backboards. Yet.
Wait til friends, family and poiice get the “Why the fuck did you give that shit? I just wasted $(insert figure here)!” Not to mention the vomiting and combativeness. I think the issue will be revisited.
Great point. Unfortunatley a BVM isn’t nearly as sexy as an injection. You’ll have people lining up to train for the syringe answer, because it’s kind of ‘doctorly’, but there would be nothing but empty chairs for the BVM course despite the latter being more valuable than the former.
As often happens there will be a ton of people wanting to give an injection while claiming, “I do it for the good of my community” yet wanting none of the study that comes with really doing good..
I too believe that this will soon be revisited…