Hi Lynda,

I work with a summer program at a school and there are 2 kids in my class with epi pens. Both keep one on them at all times and they also have pens with the school nurse. When I go on field trips, I have to carry the pens with me along with the medical forms.

Basically, if the kid is carrying an epipen, they can use it themselves. They're pretty much foolproof these days. Take the cap off, jab the kid in the thigh, hold for 10 seconds, and then rub the area. Call 9-11. The needle retracts so you never are at risk to touch it or jab yourself unless you jab it upsidedown. 

If kids are too young to administer the epipen, the pens need to be kept in a central location like a camp office or with the counselor. You need to know where it is at all times or it needs to be moved with the kid from counselor to counselor. 

A school nurse or other pediatric nurse should be able to come in and train everyone with trainer pens in like 10 minutes. We all had training. If you are working with kids, you should have first aid trained staff anyway and they should have epipen training as well. 

Parents should tell you that their kid has the epipen, what their child's allergery(ies) are and any other medical conditions as part of their medical form and release. 

You can probably get these forms and procedures from another camp or school and base your own procedures off of it. 

Good luck!

Deb Fuller

On Wed, Aug 2, 2017 at 11:39 AM, Lynda Kennedy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hi All-

 

At the Intrepid Museum we run several camps.  

Where it used to be rare, we have begun seeing multiple children in each week that have an epi pen with them for allergy associated emergencies. In that light, we want to re-examine our procedures for how we store/have access to individual children’s’ epi-pens.

 

If you run a camp or other out of school time program, I would love to get your input on the following questions:

  • Does your policy require a child to be able to administer their own epi pen? If so, can you share the language you use to communicate that to parents?
  • Does anyone have a staff member trained to administer an epi-pen who is not a nurse or EMT? If so, where is that training available and do you use release forms for parents to give permission to administer?
  • Do your children store their own epi-pens (in their own bags or lunch boxes) or do you require that the parents hand them off to a staff member?
  • If parents are required to hand off the epi pen to a staff member:
    • Which staff member holds onto the epi-pens for the children in your care? Program coordinator/manager? Counselor?
    • Does the person who is “holding onto” the epi pen keep it on their person at all times or do they store it in a cabinet of some sort that any camp staff member can access if needed?
    • Do you have requirements as to how parents identify their own child’s epi pen for you?
  • Is there an age requirement in which you allow a minor to store their own epi-pen? If so, how what is that age requirement?

 

Thanks so much for your input!

Lynda

 

 

 

Lynda Kennedy, MS Ed, PhD

Vice President, Education & Evaluation

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

646-381-5160

 

 

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