No EpiPen, No Field Trip?

Published

What are your policies for middle school/high school students who forget their EpiPen on field trip days? Our school has been allowing emails from parents saying its OK for them to go without the EpiPen (always in city areas with <5 min EMS time). I don't love it, but our administrators don't like to exclude. They've also tried to take my stock EpiPens but since I've got little kids and big ones I only have 2 EpiPens, 2 EpiPen Jrs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

Whelp....

After documenting the pants off of "The district is liable regardless of what the parent says in his/her email";

And short of getting legal to look at an affidavit that must be notarized which the parent would sign and return prior to field trip;

Is there anything else you can do?

I have zero comfort with a kid who's anaphylactically allergic to something I cannot control going on a field trip without Epi.

However - I am now the proud possessor of an AuviQ because my allergist MAKES me carry one due to my allergy shots. I mean - I suppose I COULD anaphylax in the car on the way home from a shot (but it's more likely I will have the reaction in the office). Just like I COULD walk out into the parking lot and be hit by a car. Fair enough. I have Epi. Will I renew the stupid device? Probably not. And therein is the situation where a lot of parents find themselves.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

@ruby_jane I get some families who don't fill the prescription but still turn in the allergy paperwork every year stating the child needs an EpiPen. Then when field trip day rolls around they don't understand why their kid needs an EpiPen to go on the field trip. It doesn't make sense to me.

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in kids.
14 hours ago, BiscuitRN said:

@ruby_jane I get some families who don't fill the prescription but still turn in the allergy paperwork every year stating the child needs an EpiPen. Then when field trip day rolls around they don't understand why their kid needs an EpiPen to go on the field trip. It doesn't make sense to me.

So many things don't make sense to me either...?‍♀️

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.

Legally the students can't be excluded from a field trip for forgetting their epi-pens. Our school division attorney said that this would violate the student's rights under the ADA, with parental permission the student must be allowed to go. The teachers should have cell phones and would be able to call 911 in the event of an emergency. While it's concerning, I can't control it either.

7
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in pediatrics, school nursing.

Do you get double packs of your stock epipens? I would (just to cover my butt) send one of each with instructions for who on the field trip would get which one. And assuming your school is within 15-20 minutes of EMS response, then you have one to give at school and hopefully EMS would arrive to you within that time frame and be able to take over, re-admin en route to the ED...

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
17 minutes ago, k1p1ssk said:

Do you get double packs of your stock epipens? I would (just to cover my butt) send one of each with instructions for who on the field trip would get which one. And assuming your school is within 15-20 minutes of EMS response, then you have one to give at school and hopefully EMS would arrive to you within that time frame and be able to take over, re-admin en route to the ED...

We only get one pack of each so total of 2 EpiPens, 2 EpiPen Jrs. The problem is our school has an outrageous number of trips so yesterday we had 4 trips going out for middle school/high school. I put Benadryl in each of the first aid packs I send. I honestly don't trust even our teachers with my EpiPens. They've taken them home before.

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm thinking what I'll do is send out a message to all parents of kids who don't have an extra EpiPen in my office and let them know that the kid should have Epi on them at all times & needs it for field trips. Day of we will continue to accept "permission" from parents to go without, but I'm telling parents we're calling 9-1-1 if an allergic reaction (even minor) occurs and hopefully that'll get some more EpiPens into my office. I'm not sure if this is more of a problem this year or if I scared the teachers more in my allergies presentation & now they're checking to make sure the older kids have their EpiPens.

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
3 hours ago, beachynurse said:

Legally the students can't be excluded from a field trip for forgetting their epi-pens. Our school division attorney said that this would violate the student's rights under the ADA, with parental permission the student must be allowed to go. The teachers should have cell phones and would be able to call 911 in the event of an emergency. While it's concerning, I can't control it either.

That is so interesting to me. I am not understanding the aspect of a field trip as it applies to FAPE, I think. Then I was on the right track with getting legal to develop an affidavit that the parent would sign, thereby sort of countermanding their medical form that says sweet baby needs the EpiPen.

1 hour ago, BiscuitRN said:

I'm thinking what I'll do is send out a message to all parents of kids who don't have an extra EpiPen in my office and let them know that the kid should have Epi on them at all times & needs it for field trips. Day of we will continue to accept "permission" from parents to go without, but I'm telling parents we're calling 9-1-1 if an allergic reaction (even minor) occurs and hopefully that'll get some more EpiPens into my office. I'm not sure if this is more of a problem this year or if I scared the teachers more in my allergies presentation & now they're checking to make sure the older kids have their EpiPens.

I would demand that the parent put it in writing that s/he is ok with not sending the EpiPen for the field trip. I would accept an email. Only because it's a deviation from an "order" signed by the parent and I have limited trust in a parent not turning on me in this particular instance....

Let us know how this works out. I am interested now!

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
49 minutes ago, ruby_jane said:

I would demand that the parent put it in writing that s/he is ok with not sending the EpiPen for the field trip. I would accept an email. Only because it's a deviation from an "order" signed by the parent and I have limited trust in a parent not turning on me in this particular instance....

Let us know how this works out. I am interested now!

Oh yes we only accept emails or a written signed note (if the parent is at school). We phone the parent and ask for an email to be sent to me prior to the student boarding the bus.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
2 hours ago, BiscuitRN said:

Oh yes we only accept emails or a written signed note (if the parent is at school). We phone the parent and ask for an email to be sent to me prior to the student boarding the bus.

You're a smart cookie. Or maybe you're a smart Biscuit!! ?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School nursing.
21 hours ago, beachynurse said:

Legally the students can't be excluded from a field trip for forgetting their epi-pens. Our school division attorney said that this would violate the student's rights under the ADA, with parental permission the student must be allowed to go. The teachers should have cell phones and would be able to call 911 in the event of an emergency. While it's concerning, I can't control it either.

Yep, this.

And I can't send my stock epi out per my state guidelines. I only have two pens as well and I just KNOW a teacher would take it home; it has happened before with student's assigned epi-pens (that is UGH, but because of my back up stock epi I don't freak out and it has been returned the following day. Still UGH.)

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment