Implementing Compassion Fatigue Prevention for Lay Employees Conducting Naloxone Training: An Example from Rural Arizona

As the opioid epidemic sweeps the nation, an increasing number of agencies are beginning to provide naloxone kits to the public. A rural county health department in Arizona that distributes naloxone kits realized the hidden consequences associated with distributing naloxone kits. For lay personnel who train lay people on how to administer naloxone kits, there are potential risks of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and burnout. Listening to the often trauma-laden stories of about loved ones misuse of opioids can evoke negative emotional feelings. Thus training on self-care to minimize secondary trauma is crucial and should be incorporated into naloxone distribution programs.