This study adds to others in showing that law enforcement personnel are receptive to naloxone training and that the OOAS is able to capture these attitudes. This study advances this literature by examining pre-post changes across multiple locations. As the distribution of naloxone continues to proliferate, this study and the OOAS may be valuable towards the development of an evidence-based training model for law enforcement.

Prescription drug abuse has become a top public health concern in the United States in recent years. Changes in prescribing practices and the way in which health providers manage pain resulted from national quality improvement efforts in the 1990s. The majority of efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with the prescription drug abuse epidemic occur through policy initiatives at the state level. In 2011, Indiana ranked 17 th in the U.S. and had only implemented a few intervention and prevention strategies. However, through a coordinated effort within the state, Indiana has expanded Good Samaritan laws and adopted rescue drug policies. Furthermore, the nursing workforce in Indiana has played a critical role in the successful implementation of these new policies. Nurses across the state have provided education and training to first responders and lay persons. They have also consulted with law enforcement agencies and other organizations looking to fully leverage the potential of these new state policies. As a result of their versatility and clinical expertise the nursing workforce has and will continue to play a critical role in the successful implementation of state policy initiatives aimed at fighting the prescription drug abuse epidemic.