Villanova Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Students Collaborate with Local Agencies to Enhance Opioid-related Safety in Community

Volunteers from Villanova Nursing's Nurse Anesthesia program and Sara Senkow from Delaware County Emergency Services (2nd from left) with the supply of Narcan that was distributed to community members.

Sara Senkow, Homeland Security Liaison for DCES, connected with FCN’s Katlyn Schieler DNP, CRNA, Clinical Assistant Professor and Carlene McLaughlin PhD, CRNA, CHSE, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of DNP Projects and Nurse Anesthesia Simulation, to organize student participation. With nearly 20 years’ experience, Senkow is also the Public Information Officer and manages the county school active shooter alert system. For over five years, she has managed the county’s Narcan distribution program. Narcan is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose and can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of that overdose.

Dr. McLaughlin, along with colleague Dr. Schieler, led 19 students in this service opportunity, to celebrate recovery and where Narcan supplies were distributed for individuals to have on hand to rescue themselves or others. While engaged in this outreach effort, students also expanded their knowledge of opioid education.