I see the cost part, but on managing the devices it would either require:
- centralising all the devices in one point and have one or two trained professionals do the injections, which means a significant delay in case of emergency
- or training every professor to do injections, which isn't hard in theory, but time and cost consuming, puts more burden and restrictions on the staff (how do you deal with a 60yo math teacher who just wants to teach and not manage health emergencies ?)
And we're not going into the kids and the school staff properly communicating to get the person in charge to shoot the pen when the kid feel they need it.
Schools already have to solve exactly these problems. Kids with known anaphylactic reactions have an epinephrine autoinjector and possibly a little pack of antihistamines in a baggie, with the kid’s name on it, in the school nurse’s office. And there’s a piece of paper (generally a standard-ish form that may or may not be comprehensible) with specific instructions for that kid. This being America, the kid’s doctor absolutely does not take the time to write clear instructions for that kid.
The only thing that I’m suggesting should change is to have a pile of epinephrine auto injectors (or nose sprays) supplied by the school, so the parents would instead just supply the instructions.
We've seen these kind of settings, but some schools will refuse a kid with "special needs" and punt it to bigger/more prepared schools, while others won't go the full length.
We were in one that couldn't provide meals (kid comes with it's own lunch, and they can't touch anything else) and individual medication was on a special cabinet in the classroom, but accessed by the kids.
TBH it felt more reassuring to us, as we only had to care about our kid properly reacting, and not about a whole chain of events we have no idea how well a generic school prepares for.
how do you deal with a 60yo math teacher who just wants to teach and not manage health emergencies
Is that an option? If you're an adult supervising kids over long enough time you will have an emergency. I remember at least 3 decent ones from primary school.
The moment you put a system in place where the teacher isn't acting on its own as a human being in an unforeseen situation, but as the guardian of the cabinet where all the EpiPen are stored, you're required to codify who and under which circumstances gets access, who shoots, etc. Basically the organization gets involved as it sets the rules, and it's where the finger will be pointed when it all goes for the worse.
This is the primary reason it's the kid and the parents who are in charge, that's the discussion we had with the school staff.
Comments
I see the cost part, but on managing the devices it would either require:
- centralising all the devices in one point and have one or two trained professionals do the injections, which means a significant delay in case of emergency
- or training every professor to do injections, which isn't hard in theory, but time and cost consuming, puts more burden and restrictions on the staff (how do you deal with a 60yo math teacher who just wants to teach and not manage health emergencies ?)
And we're not going into the kids and the school staff properly communicating to get the person in charge to shoot the pen when the kid feel they need it.
Schools already have to solve exactly these problems. Kids with known anaphylactic reactions have an epinephrine autoinjector and possibly a little pack of antihistamines in a baggie, with the kid’s name on it, in the school nurse’s office. And there’s a piece of paper (generally a standard-ish form that may or may not be comprehensible) with specific instructions for that kid. This being America, the kid’s doctor absolutely does not take the time to write clear instructions for that kid.
The only thing that I’m suggesting should change is to have a pile of epinephrine auto injectors (or nose sprays) supplied by the school, so the parents would instead just supply the instructions.
We've seen these kind of settings, but some schools will refuse a kid with "special needs" and punt it to bigger/more prepared schools, while others won't go the full length.
We were in one that couldn't provide meals (kid comes with it's own lunch, and they can't touch anything else) and individual medication was on a special cabinet in the classroom, but accessed by the kids.
TBH it felt more reassuring to us, as we only had to care about our kid properly reacting, and not about a whole chain of events we have no idea how well a generic school prepares for.
Is that an option? If you're an adult supervising kids over long enough time you will have an emergency. I remember at least 3 decent ones from primary school.
Isn't there a limitation on what teacher are allowed to do in most countries ?
I'd assume a teacher usually doesn't have the right to give medication to a kid, at least that's the rule we had when discussion with the school.
Obviously, yes.
We're talking here about emergencies and epipens. That's a bit beyond the "right to give medication" and in the good Samaritan laws territory.
The moment you put a system in place where the teacher isn't acting on its own as a human being in an unforeseen situation, but as the guardian of the cabinet where all the EpiPen are stored, you're required to codify who and under which circumstances gets access, who shoots, etc. Basically the organization gets involved as it sets the rules, and it's where the finger will be pointed when it all goes for the worse.
This is the primary reason it's the kid and the parents who are in charge, that's the discussion we had with the school staff.