Evaluation of an Opioid Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Practicum Using Experiential Learning

Opioid overdose, an urgent public health (PH) crisis, can be countered through harm reduction strategies such as community education and naloxone distribution. Embedding opioid education and naloxone distribution (OEND) into a graduate PH practicum allowed students to experience firsthand the impact of expanding community access to life-saving interventions. This report evaluated an OEND practicum within a Master of Public Health program using Kolb's experiential learning cycle as an organizing structure. A quantitative evaluation was conducted, examining the feasibility of program enrollment and volunteer participation over multiple semesters, and the ability of practicum students to recruit, schedule, and complete OEND events. Quantitative analysis of pre-post surveys collected during student-led OEND events were collected and assessed and opportunities for structured student reflection were tallied. Practicum students applied harm reduction concepts to practice and reflected on the challenges and successes of this initiative. Participants in the OEND events demonstrated improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy for recognizing and responding to opioid overdoses, while opportunities for structured reflection among practicum students expanded over time. This evaluation adds to the literature by illustrating how harm reduction education can be integrated into graduate training through experiential learning, reporting benefits for both student development and community awareness and preparedness to address opioid overdose. Additional implications include utilizing the experiential learning cycle to strengthen future PH practicums that develop OEND events in diverse community settings or other harm reduction initiatives.