ENA issues Action Alert in support of Tyler's Law
Fentanyl continues to be a major issue across the country and the effects of overdoses are often seen in emergency departments.
In 2022, 73,659 Americans died from overdoses of synthetic opioids, most of which were related to fentanyl. Yet, current standard hospital drug screens for patients do not include fentanyl. Adding fentanyl to routine drug screenings in hospitals could prevent many fentanyl-related deaths, which increased by over 1,000 percent from 1999 to 2022.
Tyler’s Law (H.R. 2004/S. 921) would require the Department of Health and Human Services to study the feasibility of regularly testing overdose patients for fentanyl, and issue guidance for hospitals on the matter.
Use the ENA Action Center to contact your representatives and senators and urge them to support H.R. 2004/S. 921 to support appropriate guidance related to fentanyl testing.
The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With nearly 45,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines and guides emergency health care public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.