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Emergency Medication Administration:

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Epinephrine and Rescue inhaler

Date

Nurse

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Few things before we begin

Welcome and thanks for being here…

  • You will need the knowledge base every 4 years and the skills based at least once/ academic year
  • Today, we will do both for EpiPen and Rescue Inhaler/Albuterol
  • These are just in case skills (field trips or emergency settings)
  • At the end of the session, please complete this google form so you will get credit. You will need to take the quizzes at the end of our time together and upload the screenshot (is a 1 minute tutorial on how to use the snipping tool to do this)

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Epinephrine: EpiPen

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Epinephrine: EpiPen

Why use Epinephrine? Severe Allergic Reaction/ Anaphylaxis

Signs and Symptoms include

  • Obstructive swelling of the lips, tongue, throat
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Shortness of breath or wheezing
  • Turning blue, feeling faint, confused, weak
  • Passing out and losing consciousness
  • Chest pain
  • Weak pulse
  • Sense of impending doom

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EpiPens at Your School

Things to note:

Can be stressful. Call for assistance.

The EpiPens are in the file cabinet in the health office labeled Emergency Medicine. There are general pens and pens for specific students.

If you think someone is having a severe allergic reaction, use the EpiPen

Don’t be afraid to push firm…you get one shot - middle or outer thigh through clothes

There is a 0.3mg and a 0.15mg (child weighing less than 66 pounds)

Must call 911 after use of EpiPen

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What to do for an allergic reaction (EpiPen)

  1. Identify symptoms
  2. Call for assistance, 911, parent
  3. Gather supplies
  4. Evaluate situation and student
  5. Privacy
  6. Review medication form and consent
  7. Review 5 rights:
    1. Right child
    2. Right medication
    3. Right dose
    4. Right time
    5. Right route

8. Check expiration date

9. Wash hands (if you can)

10. Put on gloves

11. Review 5 rights again

12. Remove pen, blue safety guard, firmly press into outer thigh until click and hold 3 seconds

13. Massage 10 seconds

14. Call 911, parents

15. Monitor student, give the EpiPen and time administered to EMS

16. Remove gloves and wash hands

17. Debrief

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Epinephrine Video

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Practice with EpiPens

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Epinephrine/EpiPen:

Quiz that all of us will have to do for credit and upload in the exit survey

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Rescue Inhaler

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Rescue Inhaler: Albuterol

Why use a rescue inhaler/ albuterol?

Relieves symptoms of asthma or an exacerbation of asthma to open up the airway

Signs and Symptoms:

  • Wheezing
  • Trouble breathing and breathing hard and fast
  • Chest tightness
  • Not feeling well
  • uncontrolled cough
  • student unable to complete a full sentence without taking multiple breaths

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Rescue Inhaler/ Albuterol at

Your School

Things to note

Can be stressful. Call for assistance.

Use with a spacer if available.

Use only with a child with an asthma plan

Go ahead and prime/ waste 2 puffs

Shake 10 seconds before use

If a student says they need an inhaler, they need an inhaler

The inhaler needs to be cleaned every 1 to 2 weeks

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What to do with administering Albuterol

  1. Gather supplies
  2. Privacy
  3. Check for authorization form
  4. Check 5 rights
    1. Right child
    2. Right medication
    3. Right dose
    4. Right time
    5. Right route
  5. Check expiration date
  6. Make sure inhaler free of foreign objects

7. Shake inhaler 10 seconds

8. Remove cap from mouthpiece

9. Prime/ waste if indicated

10. Check 5 rights again

Administer 1 of 2 ways: with spacer or without

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Administer with a spacer

  1. Place in inhaler mouthpiece onto the end of spacer
  2. Hold between index finger and thumb
  3. Student deep breath in and out
  4. Place spacer between teeth and lips around it
  5. Press on inhaler once
  6. Breath slowly until full breath 3 to 5 seconds
  7. Instruct to hold breath 5 to 10 seconds

8. Hold breath 5 to 10 seconds

9. Breathe slowly through mouth

10. Wait 1 minute if need a second puff

11. Rinse out mouth with water

12. Wash hands

13. Document administration - what time, signs/symptoms

14. Follow up as needed.

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Spacers

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Without Spacer

  1. Hold inhaler between index finger and thumb
  2. Student take deep breath in and out
  3. Put inhaler in mouth between teeth and close lips around inhaler
  4. Press down on inhaler as student breathes in slowly for a deep breath
  5. Hold breath 5 to 10 seconds
  6. Breath out slowly

7. Wait 1 minute if need a second puff

8. Rinse out mouth with water

9. Wash hands

10. Document administration - what time, signs/symptoms

11. Follow up as needed.

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No Spacer

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Rescue Inhaler/ Albuterol Video

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Practice Rescue Inhaler/ Albuterol and Time to Take Quiz (on your own)

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Albuterol/ Rescue Inhaler:

Quiz that all of us will have to do for credit and upload in the exit survey

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Thank you for making sure our students are safe

Questions?

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To earn credit, please complete the following Google Form

Tutorial for snipping tool to upload quiz (on google form)

If you are unable to upload your quizzes, please email

them to me at your email

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References

Medication Training for knowledge and skills

https://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/pupil-services/school-nurse/training/medication

Quiz for Epinephrine/ EpiPen: https://media.dpi.wi.gov/sspw/av/assessment-emergency-epinephrine-auto-injectors-administration/story.html

Quiz for Rescue Inhaler/ Albuterol: https://media.dpi.wi.gov/sspw/av/assessment-rescue-inhaler-medication-administration/story.html

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