Kelsey Rook’s experience demonstrates how University of Iowa students are gaining practical skills they can use to make a difference in communities across the state.

Story: UI College of Pharmacy
Photography: courtesy of Kelsey Rook
Published: Sept. 21, 2026
 

When Kelsey Rook decided to become trained in the use of naloxone – the drug used to reverse an opioid overdose – the third-year student at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy did not imagine that within a year she’d find herself in a situation where she could help save someone’s life. 

But that’s exactly what happened.

Rook was working at a pharmacy when someone came in asking for help with a nonresponsive person outside. Initially, her mind went to cardiac arrest, but when naloxone was requested, she grabbed a box and headed out. 

Rook gave the patient a dose but didn’t see an immediate response. She explained this to police who arrived on the scene, then an ambulance crew arrived and took over. 

Later that night, officers called her manager: the naloxone Rook administered kept the man alive.

“My IA-NEXT training helped me recognize the signs and symptoms of a potential opioid overdose and taught me how to properly administer naloxone. It gave me the confidence to step up and take action in a high-pressure situation without hesitation,” says Rook, who is from Bloomfield, Iowa. “At first, I was in complete shock and disbelief that I saved a life. The experience was both humbling and reassuring because it reinforced that my training prepared me to act when needed.”

IA-NEXT stands for Iowa Naloxone Expansion and Training project. The initiative sees support from a 2024 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant received by UI College of Pharmacy clinical associate professors Ben Miskle and Laura Knockel and clinical pharmacy specialist Heidi Wood. It has enabled implementation of innovative strategies and partnerships to train student pharmacists, pharmacists, nurses, and other health care professionals throughout the state of Iowa on identifying an overdose and naloxone education.

Through a Training of Trainers Program, UI College of Pharmacy students learn how to go into communities and provide instruction to schools and other organizations. To date, IA-NEXT has trained 2,529 people on overdose awareness and naloxone administration, and nearly 1,000 naloxone kits have been handed out.

“Our vision is for overdose prevention and naloxone education to become as commonplace as CPR or first aid training,” says Miskle, who is the grant’s principal investigator. “We hope to continue expanding IA-NEXT’s reach. Schools, health care professionals, and students are champions for this work.”

Rook says she chose to participate because she comes from an area that has been affected by opioid misuse. 

“I wanted to be part of the solution and gain the knowledge and skills to make a positive difference in my community,” she says. 

Rook has staffed public events that distribute free naloxone kits and emphasize the importance of carrying the kit and spotting a potential overdose.

“Kelsey’s actions demonstrate that these trainings do more than provide information,” Miskle says. “They empower people to intervene and make a lifesaving impact where they live and work.”

Rook urges her peers to invest time in the training. 

“I strongly encourage any student considering IA-NEXT to get involved. You may think you'll never need to use what you learn, but emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time,” she says. “The training gives you the knowledge and confidence to step in when someone’s life may depend on it.”