Ammonia Inhalant

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Quick question. My school is mounting first aid kits in every room and was wondering if ammonia inhalants are allowed in NYS schools. My boss, the health and safety personnel in my school has no clue of anything.

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Specializes in School nursing.
Quick question. My school is mounting first aid kits in every room and was wondering if ammonia inhalants are allowed in NYS schools. My boss, the health and safety personnel in my school has no clue of anything.

I can't answer if NYS allows them, so I'll leave to the NY school nurses here, but I will say this.

The previous nurse put them in every first kit at my school. I immediately yanked them from every first aid kit. A kid/staff member passes out, I need to be called. I was not comfortable with staff using them, leaving them a kit anyone could access (kids huff anything these days, sigh). Someone passes out or feels faint, call me and teachers follow the emergency plan based on the other details surrounding the situation.

Plus, I have a ton of students with asthma. I wouldn't put an ammonia tablet near 'em and aside from me, most staff would not know/remember if a student has asthma in the moment.

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I have them. I don't think they are allowed, and I've never used them here. But I have them. Shhh. :blink:

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Specializes in kids.
I have them. I don't think they are allowed, and I've never used them here. But I have them. Shhh. :blink:

Kind of like that mercury thermometer I still have......

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Specializes in school nurse.
Kind of like that mercury thermometer I still have......

Heck, I still keep leeches.

Just in case...

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i keep a box stashed - just in case

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Tell them they can have their ammonia inhalers when they stop ostracizing kids from school for a single nit.

You'll need them for the increased incidence of fainting :)

Honestly, I've never used one. Do they really work?

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Tell them they can have their ammonia inhalers when they stop ostracizing kids from school for a single nit.

You'll need them for the increased incidence of fainting :)

Honestly, I've never used one. Do they really work?

They do. They are magic.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

They're like inhaling jalapeno flavored horse radish up each nostril. If you're at the edge of consciousness it will yank you back to being fully awake.

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They're like inhaling jalapeno flavored horse radish up each nostril

Well don't you paint a pretty word picture...?

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Well don't you paint a pretty word picture...?

A whole box of them used to come with first aid kits. As kids we'd raid the kits of the ammonia inhalants, break open one, sneak up behind a friend, stick it under their nose and watch the party. I think that's partially why I stopped mental development at the elementary level.

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A whole box of them used to come with first aid kits. As kids we'd raid the kits of the ammonia inhalants, break open one, sneak up behind a friend, stick it under their nose and watch the party. I think that's partially why I stopped mental development at the elementary level.

I would say Middle School, but I wasn't there.

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