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Hacks for Overdose, Overamp, & Medical Emergencies

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In addition to the necessity for policies for service and supply management, community agreements, grievance, and misconduct processes, another essential set of policies harm reduction leaders consistently recommended were protocols for dealing with potential overdose, overamp, and medical emergencies such as heart attack or stroke.

These are rare events, but as community health workers, many harm reduction leaders feel it’s necessary for harm reduction workers to be ready to respond to these kinds of emergencies.

For further guidance on OD and medical emergency protocols please see the section on De-Escalation In the Moment.

Featured Hacks

These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive. 

Universal Precautions: Gloves

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Medical gloves should be worn whenever handling exposed or used supplies, especially those that might be used to prepare or use injection drugs such as syringes, cottons, cookers, tourniquets, and ascorbic acid. Gloves should be changed often, especially between activities or participants.
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Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Hacks

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Though largely unsupported by scientific evidence, the dangers of needle stick injury loom large in the popular imagination. As a result, the emotional response to needle stick injury can be intense even if, statistically, the risks are quite low. For this reason, if no other, it’s essential that harm reduction organizations be prepared for how they might deal with such an eventuality.
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