ACHS Asst. Prof. Marleigh Noska Leads Evaluation of Opioid Overdose Training Program

ACHS faculty member Marleigh Noska supports Bellevue School District's naloxone training, emphasizing proactive measures for overdose prevention and safety.

PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) is proud to share the recent program evaluation conducted by ACHS Associate Professor Marleigh Noska, DNP, MA, BSN, RN, which assesses the effectiveness and implementation of the opioid overdose training program for unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in the Bellevue School District (BSD), Washington. This critical work comes at a time of rising opioid-related emergencies among youth and growing legislative mandates requiring naloxone accessibility in public schools.

The evaluation—Program Evaluation: Assessing the Opioid Overdose Training Program for Staff in the Bellevue School District—was the first formal review since the program’s inception in 2020. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) public health program evaluation framework, Professor Noska’s research sought to determine how well BSD staff are being trained to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses with naloxone.

“Naloxone training by laypersons in the community—and especially in our schools—is a critical part of a comprehensive harm reduction strategy to fight the opioid epidemic,” shares Noska. “We need to raise awareness and reduce stigma around the use of this medication by community members.”

Key findings from the evaluation reveal:
-Nurses are well-informed about naloxone administration, but unclear on their exact responsibilities in training others.
-There is a lack of standardization in training methods across the district.
-Unlicensed assistive personnel reported moderate satisfaction with the training, but just over half felt confident to respond in an emergency.
-Areas needing improvement include increased hands-on practice, the use of training logs, and more frequent training sessions.

Based on these findings, Noska recommends implementing two tiers of training, assigning specific personnel to manage ongoing staff education, and adopting the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) model policy. Her work provides a roadmap for districts across the state navigating compliance with updated legislation and striving to ensure student and staff safety. It also brings attention to the stigma surrounding naloxone use and highlights the broader need for community education around opioid overdose response. The ACHS community commends Professor Noska for this timely and impactful contribution to public health, school safety, and holistic education.

Tracey Abell
American College of Healthcare Sciences
+1 971-703-5070
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