Have you talked to your kids about peanut allergy (legal, milk, baby)
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I really should check on this but I don't think most schools have RN actually at the school. I think it is a volunteer position staffed by non medical people. And I know EMT at every school would be next to impossible.
At the risk of sounding ignorant, are epi pens like bandaids, as in one size fits all. ?
I assumed, that an epi pen was designed to be used on the perscribed patient as in it had the antidote that patients allergies, no?
That is a good question. Epi-Pen is epinephrine which does nothing to the actual allergen, it merely counters the physiological effects. In other words the allergen results in the body having a reaction, the Epi-Pen stops the body from reacting. If there is still food in the mouth (the allergen), it should be removed. Most people will throw up if having a severe reaction thus clearing the stomach contents.
A couple of things about Epi-Pen, the side-effects are SIGNIFICANT. Very high heart rate, and usually a huge headache. And you must call 911 or go directly to an emergency room when you have given it.
Last edited by Zimbochick; 01-05-2012 at 02:19 PM..
At my dd's preschool, they won't even put sunscreen or topical, over the counter cortisone cream on a kid without filling out a ton of paperwork. However, there was a list of kids and their food allergies taped up in each classroom, and, I would assume, a plan in place to take care of the situation if it arose.
In this case in Virginia, it is difficult to know right now what really happened. The mom said the school wouldn't take the epi pen and failed to give the benadryl that they had authorization to give. The school is claiming ignorance. It looks to me that the school is the one that dropped the ball here, since they had to have known that the child had a severe allergy. So she not only came into contact with peanuts somehow, but they also failed to do what it took to save her life. I can understand not administering prescription drugs to children, but is a benadryl really going to harm a child going into cardiac arrest, a child who you know is having an allergic reaction?
It seems to me all the terror over lawsuits only leads to more. If they had given the child benadryl or whatever, and saved her life, the worst they'd have to worry about is the mom being upset. Now they have a dead child on their hands. Was it really worth it?
I just looked up school nurses in NC. and I'm happy to say they must be certified, are paid and have an active association, In the olden days- my grown kids are 30 and 28- and in Georgia, I'm pretty sure they were not professionals and had little training and probably were volunteers. I'm glad to become a bit more informed.
And I know EMT at every school would be next to impossible.
It would be easier than an RN in every school. EMT is less education, like 3 to 6 months. There are even more accelerated training programs too. There's lots of EMTs out there. I know young people with EMT certification that are working minimum wage retail jobs. Mind you, when I say EMT, I am not saying paramedic, but even paramedic is less education than RN.
The problem is you can't have random strangers administering medication, regardless of how good their intentions are.
Even as described in your OP article, the school nurses do not have the authority to administer medications unless all the protocols have been followed. That is the law. The medication must be prescribed by a physician, authorized and supplied by the parent. It is very standard procedure.
My son has a severe food allergy. At the beginning of the school year we have to fill out a gazillion forms, and purchase about 6 Epi-Pens. One goes to the school nurse, he keeps one, I keep one, one stays at home, one goes to the Scout den leader, and one is for spare. At $180 each, that is a lot of money for something that we never use, and expires after a year. Many, many, many people do not keep even one Epi-Pen on hand due to the cost.
I had no idea they were so expensive and expire every year!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zimbochick
This has been debated for a long time now. Most school nurses are not RN's. Many schools do not even have school nurses. Someone is going to have to make the decision to give the Epi-Pen, and if there is no nurse, then who? It would be a logistical (and sadly litigious) nightmare to have people working in school dispensing drugs without prescriptions.
I just looked and our school has a "health assistant/office clerk." From what I'm reading, it sounds like a clerk who is trained by a nurse. If I had a severely allergic child I don't think I'd be satisfied with that.
That is a good question. Epi-Pen is epinephrine which does nothing to the actual allergen, it merely counters the physiological effects. In other words the allergen results in the body having a reaction, the Epi-Pen stops the body from reacting.
And it only blocks the reaction for a limited amount of time. That's why you have to go to the ER when you've used it, and why the allergist will tell you to keep a couple of doses on hand if you live somewhere where it might take a while for EMS to get to you.
Ultimately it's the schools responsibility to meet a certain minimum standard of prevention without going too crazy over it. I feel at the end of the day the parents are the ones responsible for educating their child about their issues and how to deal with it. If the child is allergic to the point that simple basic precautions can't protect them, then they shouldn't be in public schools. I also think that it is ridiculous to require the school to provide something like epipens or any medication.
I was speaking from my heart and not my brain. And I doubt I would have the nerve to use one on a stranger.
While this isn't really a stranger, my sister's husband (way before they were married) administered the epi-pen in my mother's hip, when she had an allergic reaction while we were on a cruise - she's allergic to nightshade plants, and apparently the pumpkin soup had some hidden spices. My mother said that's when she knew he was a good man for her daughter, as he didn't even hesitate to "shoot" her!
So sad for the family of this little girl, and hopefully the authorities will straighten out the story & take appropriate action... can't say much more without knowing the true details.
And yes, the epi-pen is very expensive, expires yearly, and cannot be obtained without a prescription... so while it's a nice idea for everyone to carry one, that would be logistically impossible. My mother ALWAYS has one in her purse, another in the car, her desk at work & bedroom nightstand. Her allergy is life-threatening, so she knows the importance of having one available 24/7. Also as mentioned above, it's true that an ER visit is still recommended, depending on the severity of the attack. My mom doesn't always do that, basically just when her breathing doesn't improve within like 15-20 minutes after the dose.
P.S. Another interesting tidbit, my mother always has to bring a doctor's note when she flies, as the epi-pen MUST stay on her person the whole time... and the airlines don't allow any needles on board, unless you have medical clearance. She has to mention it at security and show the note, or they'd confiscate it and put her life at risk.
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