Epi-Pen Auto Injector

[mwboswell]

Would like to know who is starting to use the epi-pen autoinjector for your allergic reactions in the ED.

Apparently some places have considered doing this as there is less chance for medication error as you don't have to draw it up out of that small little epi ampule any more. Of course this means they are going IM instead of SQ.

Any comments appreciated.

-MB

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Would like to know who is starting to use the epi-pen autoinjector for your allergic reactions in the ED.

Apparently some places have considered doing this as there is less chance for medication error as you don't have to draw it up out of that small little epi ampule any more. Of course this means they are going IM instead of SQ.

Any comments appreciated.

-MB

We use them and we have a Jr. one for kids. Wonderful thing. Until the other day I had to pull one and they pyxsis had the adult one loaded and when we called Pharmacy they said manufacture was doing away with the Jr. ones or something like that and had the adult ones. Ummmmmmm problem with that is I can't use the adult one and there is no way to only pull out the dose needed. They sent us an "old school" ampule instead to keep on hand in the mean time.

Thank goodness the kiddo wasn't critical enough to warrant it that minute and the IV benadryl worked but yea what a mess had it been emergent.

At least on my unit the Auto Injector peds for the Kids are very beneficial in a situation where every second counts.

[mwboswell]

It also makes it way more expensive. The auto-injector is intended for emergency use by non-medical people. It seems overkill to use it in an inpatient setting where staff should be capable of safely drawing up and administering medication from a vial.

Agreed that the price is more than the traditional methods (ampule, draw up, administer), however I think from the aspect of safety (IE: less chance to give a wrong dose, less chance to hurt self on glass ampule, speed of availability etc)...AND...in the bigger scope of things, considering the full price of a routine ER visit I don't know that $100 for an epi pen (with the aforementioned safety/benefits) really makes a difference. I'm just saying.

-Mark Boswell

MSN FNP-BC CEN CFRN CTRN CPEN NREMT-P

"Support CEN Certification and Your Local ENA"