Good morning.
In the past, EMS has had some encounters with school nurses and school med techs after Epinephrine has been given (sometimes questionably) to a student with a presumed allergic reaction. I wanted to provide you with some (hopefully insighted and helpful) information from the head of the School Nursing Program that is employed through Meritus. Attached are the protocols they utilize when determining whether or not a student meets the criteria for EPI administrations.
A few of things to keep in mind:
-Their symptom list differs from ours in terms of severity. -They have to take the student’s word about symptoms. -Nurses have a little more leeway with administration (especially in terms of withholding based on severity of symptoms and assessment) than the med techs do. -Children do not have to have their own prescription or a known history to be administered epinephrine if an allergic reaction is suspected.
Please review the attached document when you have a few minutes. Also attached is their Narcan protocol. Continue to assess and treat these children just like you would any other. Epinephrine administration is not without risk and complication so they should be monitored and transported.
If you have any questions, please let me know! Please forward to your BLS clinicians.
Melanie Higgins, BS, NRP Captain – EMS Quality Assurance Division of Emergency Services 16232 Elliott Parkway Williamsport, MD 21795 (cell) 301-491-2454 (office) 240-313-4376 (fax) 240-313-4375
In the past, EMS has had some encounters with school nurses and school med techs after Epinephrine has been given (sometimes questionably) to a student with a presumed allergic reaction. I wanted to provide you with some (hopefully insighted and helpful) information from the head of the School Nursing Program that is employed through Meritus. Attached are the protocols they utilize when determining whether or not a student meets the criteria for EPI administrations.
A few of things to keep in mind:
-Their symptom list differs from ours in terms of severity. -They have to take the student’s word about symptoms. -Nurses have a little more leeway with administration (especially in terms of withholding based on severity of symptoms and assessment) than the med techs do. -Children do not have to have their own prescription or a known history to be administered epinephrine if an allergic reaction is suspected.
Please review the attached document when you have a few minutes. Also attached is their Narcan protocol. Continue to assess and treat these children just like you would any other. Epinephrine administration is not without risk and complication so they should be monitored and transported.
If you have any questions, please let me know! Please forward to your BLS clinicians.
Melanie Higgins, BS, NRP Captain – EMS Quality Assurance Division of Emergency Services 16232 Elliott Parkway Williamsport, MD 21795 (cell) 301-491-2454 (office) 240-313-4376 (fax) 240-313-4375
Protocol-for-the-Administration-of-Stock-EAI-7-13-22ame.docx