Bee stings

[Karol]

I'm not confused at all, because of these two sections:

Didn't say you were. This form caters for a multitude of readers.

As I mentioned before, in cases of anaphylaxis, paramedics will authorise the use of a pen if available.

Which they can because they are health care professionals.

Having spoken to a paediatrician, there is a push to have pens in all schools as standard for staff ("nutters") to use in an emergency.

Why are you calling teaching staff nutters?

Teaching staff are still only permitted to administer adrenaline auto-injectors to pupils who have had prescriptions issued to them. The difficulty in schools is pupils not carrying their pens in every eventuality so having spares means the autoinjectors can be located promptly in the event of an emergency.

 

[Karol]

A couple more thoughts.

If you acquire adrenaline injectors through internet pharmacies please be mindful that they may be bogus fronts for organised crime selling counterfeits. The last thing you want is to be injecting with something that may not even be adrenaline in a life threatening emergency. Far better to go through your GP and a legitimate high street pharmacy.

If you store 'spare' adrenaline autoinjectors you will have responsibility for storing them correctly at the right temperature and protected from light. Adrenaline is not particularly stable and again you wouldn't want to be injecting something that won't work because it has gone off.

 

[bingevader]

Why are you calling teaching staff nutters?

This:

Let's hope the proud holder of the EpiPen has more than a clue of what they're going to do with it,
i.e. is a trained paramedic or doctor and not some nutter with a clandestine prescription Drug?

If I'm not a paramedic or a doctor, I'm a nutter.

A couple more thoughts.

If you acquire adrenaline injectors through internet pharmacies please be mindful that they may be bogus fronts for organised crime selling counterfeits. The last thing you want is to be injecting with something that may not even be adrenaline in a life threatening emergency. Far better to go through your GP and a legitimate high street pharmacy.

If you store 'spare' adrenaline autoinjectors you will have responsibility for storing them correctly at the right temperature and protected from light. Adrenaline is not particularly stable and again you wouldn't want to be injecting something that won't work because it has gone off.

We've been looking after them for years, I think we'll be alright.

 

[B+.]

Teaching staff are still only permitted to administer adrenaline auto-injectors to pupils who have had prescriptions issued to them. The difficulty in schools is pupils not carrying their pens in every eventuality so having spares means the autoinjectors can be located promptly in the event of an emergency.

A teacher may see a LOT of students in a day. It isn't fair to ask them to know the medical history of every child. However, things like this are usually highlighted. It doesn't mean that the teacher, or even the child, will have access to their epi-pen (or similar device) though because schools can be a bit anal about sharp objects. It's not their fault. They have all sorts of additional responsibilities (duty of care) heaped onto an already overwhelmed workforce. I see both sides of the argument though. It is not an easy thing to answer.
I know my wife keeps her epi-pens in her top drawer in the classroom and any staff who use her room are told where it is.

I know people will come back with arguments about using medicines that have been prescribed for you on someone else (they usually do whenever this topic arises) but, having been unable to help once, neither of us would/could stand back and let it happen again.

 

[Karol]

<snip>

I know people will come back with arguments about using medicines that have been prescribed for you on someone else (they usually do whenever this topic arises) but, having been unable to help once, neither of us would/could stand back and let it happen again.

Of course not and no one is suggesting that you should stand back BUT there is a correct process to be adopted, i.e. phone for an ambulance and whilst the ambulance is on route talk to a paramedic and get them to sanction the administration of the auto injector.

With advances in technology there are I believe smart phone apps that you could research which link into paramedics which would provide another level of assurance.

Taking matters into your own hands (which is something entirely different) is not the way to go (unless absolutely every other endeavour has failed). Healthcare professionals are trained to be calm and collected so that they remain objective in their actions. In a highly stressed situation the temptation may be there to use adrenaline autoinjectors when they are not merited which of itself could, worst case, precipitate a fatal reaction.

 

[For want of a better word]

Good opportunity for me to ask without a new thread: Where do you folks get your Epipens?

Generally we don't need to have them.

This thread should have been stopped and closed at this juncture with a statement that Eppipens and similar" auto injection of adrenalin" devices are prescribed by a medical practitioner for the use by the person that they have been prescribed to.

Adrenaline raises blood pressure... rapid drop in blood pressure is called shock.

Anaphylaxis caused by (bee) stings and shock are two different conditions.

 

[B+.]

Of course not and no one is suggesting that you should stand back BUT there is a correct process to be adopted, i.e. phone for an ambulance and whilst the ambulance is on route talk to a paramedic and get them to sanction the administration of the auto injector.

With advances in technology there are I believe smart phone apps that you could research which link into paramedics which would provide another level of assurance.

Taking matters into your own hands (which is something entirely different) is not the way to go (unless absolutely every other endeavour has failed). Healthcare professionals are trained to be calm and collected so that they remain objective in their actions. In a highly stressed situation the temptation may be there to use adrenaline autoinjectors when they are not merited which of itself could, worst case, precipitate a fatal reaction.

I understand what you are saying and that goes without saying. However, a teacher won't have time to seek authorization out on a sports field or in a playground (or a beekeeper at an out-apiary with no signal). There just isn't enough time. Not acting in an emergency situation is a recipe for disaster. I think we agree on that
This is a situation where everyone will have to decide what they would do themselves. The main point of this thread was about access to the medication in the first place.
Dr Dua told me that she had written a piece for the BBKA about allergies a few months ago. Perhaps someone has access to the article and can post it here?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think perhaps it’s time to call it a day here