Kennesaw State University researchers are using a $1.2 million grant to train nurses in addressing opioid use disorders. The project, titled 'Nurses Learning About Opioid Use Disorder' (Nurses LOUD), aims to equip future nurses with the skills and knowledge necessary to assist patients struggling with substance use disorders. The grant was awarded by the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust (GOCAT) and is part of a larger effort to combat the opioid epidemic in the state.
As Georgia grapples with a widespread opioid addiction crisis, researchers at Kennesaw State University's Wellstar School of Nursing (WSON) are utilizing a $1.2 million grant to equip future nurses with the skills necessary to address substance use disorders. This two-year project, titled 'Nurses Learning About Opioid Use Disorder' (Nurses LOUD), was spearheaded by Katherine Barnett, Susan Beidler, Ashley Barber, and Lisa Reyes-Walsh.
The grant, awarded by the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust (GOCAT), stems from a $636 million settlement reached with three pharmaceutical companies for their role in fueling the opioid abuse epidemic. In May 2023, Governor Brian Kemp established the Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, an eight-member panel tasked with guiding GOCAT on the allocation of these funds. The initial round of grantees, including two KSU projects, was announced in December 2024. Katherine Barnett has developed a comprehensive four-pronged plan to train nurses from both the bachelor's and master's programs at KSU. This plan will focus on equipping them to effectively assist patients struggling with substance use disorders. Barnett and Beidler previously received a $729,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration in 2022 to train graduate students in helping patients overcome increasingly deadly opioid addictions. The groundwork laid by this federal grant contributed significantly to WSON securing the latest award from the state. 'This grant is incredibly exciting for the nursing program,' expressed Barnett. 'With these funds dedicated to our four priorities, we have a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of Georgians impacted by the opioid crisis.' In addition to the four nursing researchers, Associate Professor of Sociology Evelina Sterling received $240,000 from GOCAT to develop a community-driven project aimed at mitigating the effects of opioid addiction. While Nurses LOUD falls under the 'training' category of grantees, Sterling's project, 'Creating a Campus-Wide, Community-Led Ecosystem to Address the Opioid Epidemic in Georgia,' is categorized as 'prevention.' 'The Wellstar College of Health and Human Services continues to be at the forefront of improving public health in the region, and this grant further strengthens our efforts,' remarked Monica Swahn, Dean of the Wellstar College. 'Our student nurses will enter their profession with the skills and empathy essential to alleviate the impact of the opioid epidemic.
OPIOID USE DISORDER NURSING EDUCATION GEORGIA OPIOID CRISIS GOCAT KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
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