Proposed policy allows emergency injectors for allergic reactions
By Ed Nadolski
Editor in Chief
Local public school staff will likely have another tool to use in the event of medical emergencies this coming school year.
The Burlington Area School District’s Policy Committee on Monday recommended approval of revisions to district policy that would allow staff members to administer epinephrine in response to severe allergic reactions suffered by students.
Superintendent Peter Smet explained the change is proposed to allow the district to take advantage of recent changes in state law.
Under the law public school staff members who have been trained to administer the drug using an auto-injector – commonly called by its brand name, EpiPen – can inject students believed to be suffering anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction that may become life threatening due swelling of the throat and chest tightness, which restrict breathing, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Such reactions can be triggered by severe allergies to certain foods such as peanuts or shellfish, or by a bee or other insect sting, among others.
In the past, district policy allowed students who were susceptible to severe allergic reactions to carry their own auto-injectors. The revised state law enables district staff to store and administer the same drugs without an individual prescription, Smet said.
“We have a standing order for emergency use,” he said.
That order will be provided by the district’s medical advisor – a role currently held by local physician Michelle Wagner, according to Smet.
The standing order will include separate auto-injector doses for children and adults, according to the policy.
In all cases, whether epinephrine is administered by staff or a student, the school is required to call 911 and have the student further treated by rescue personnel, Smet said.
If the School Board approves the policy change on Aug. 10, the district’s Health Services Director Rosemary Dolatowski will be responsible for training the district’s health care staff to properly use the auto-injectors. The policy calls for annual training.
Designated health care personnel at each of the districts schools and buildings are also trained in first aid, CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators.
Training on the defibrillators is new to the policy.
Also new to the policy is a line allowing the use of medication that is administered through a continuous pump, as is the case for some diabetics using insulin.
The policy currently requires all medications – whether prescribed or over-the-counter – to be stored and administered by health personnel under the direction of the student nurse. Insulin pumps have been added to the proposed exceptions to that rule, which also includes asthma inhalers and EpiPens, as the only medications students are allowed to administer themselves.
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