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Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department Health Promotion & Outreach School Health News - Spring 2001 |
The pens are for use in breathing emergencies, as may occur for children with asthma or very severe and often very sudden allergic reactions. Epinephrine can be life saving in such situations. Epinephrine can save a life in the three to five minutes spent waiting for the ambulance to arrive at school.
Epi-pens for persons weighing over 60 lbs. and Epi-pen juniors for children 60 lbs. or less will be stocked in each instructional site where there is a Health Services staff person trained in CPR, first aid, medication administration, and Health Services procedures in the schools.
The epinephrine at Lincoln Public Schools will be given by Epi-pen, a patented, pre-filled, auto-injector device. Epinephrine is a substance naturally produced in the human body, and use during an emergency is generally considered to be of a very low risk with very high real or potential benefit. It helps in an emergency by counteracting the inflammatory process and reaction that results in the airways filling with fluid and becoming constricted or even completely blocked. The district already has seventy-three epi-pens in the schools ordered for individual students, signifying there is a potential need for emergency planning at school for this type of event. Of related concern are the students who have not experienced their first severe allergic or asthmatic response, for which the epi-pen protocol may provide needed relief.
For the district’s nurses, this is another landmark along a greater road to improve
our emergency preparedness and response in school. The Epinephrine protocol marks the
convergence of revised medication administration guidelines; significant planning of the
district’s emergency medical responses including effectiveness in interfacing with
emergency medical response services in the community; study and planning for management of
food allergies and other known risks for anaphylaxis in certain students; revision and
updating of asthma management approaches. Work on the epi-pen protocol has involved an
eight-member Nursing Practice Committee, and the district’s medical advisory committee as
well as district administrators and Board of Education. The medical advisory will continue
to provide medical oversite for the protocol. Licensed as well as unlicensed staff have
reviewed and received orientation on the protocol.
For more information contact:
Kathy Karsting, RN, Health Services Coordinator
Lincoln Public Schools
(402) 436 1612
 InterLinc
City of Lincoln
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