Posted By Tracey C
Hi All
I need some help with the following concern.

We manage student accommodation and have students come to us will all sorts of problems the latest being a student who has a severe allergy to nuts and sesame seeds who carries an EPIPEN. She has asked that in the event of an emergency that our staff administer the adrenaline from the EPIPEN. Our staff are a bit reluctant and asked my advice, and as none of the staff have been trained in this area other than basic first aid i also am a bit reluctant. I feel as though i am caught between the devil and the deep blue sea as if we don't administer the adrenaline the consequecnes could be dire but if we do something could still go wrong if staff don't complete this correctly. I would like to say that in the event of an emergency you would do anything to help save a life but people tend to back off because of the blame culture.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
T

Posted By Dave Merchant
Legally there's no issue of an untrained person giving an emergency adrenalin injection, as the contents are exempted from the POM administration restrictions under S7 of the Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Order 1997.

Epipen say their products are designed to be used by anyone, with minimal or no training, as there are clear instructions on the outer carrier tube. However it is common for them to be included in first aid training as part of the standard syllabus, and they appear in the tripartite manual. If you want guidance on training, I suggest you talk to Epipen themselves (epipen.co.uk) as they have extensive free material available for use by trainers and users.

Posted By 247hero
I sympathise Tracey.

I have just sat a "first person on scene course" We were instructed that it is NOT good to actually use the pen, or a syringe, but that you should use the persons hand and aid them to inject themselves. I admit I was surprised at this, but the instructor was a trained paramedic so I wasn't going to sit there and argue, though I did think it was ridiculous and totally unrealistic. What if they're in and out of conciousness?

Posted By Chris Packham
May I suggest that there is a difference between using an epipen on someone who is a stranger and someone who is known to you and has already requested that in the event of an anaphylactic shock you should do so?

For your own peace of mind perhaps you might ask that she provides a written request to that effect.

Chris

Posted By Della Pearlman
I would look at this from the allergic person's side - speaking as a parent of a daughter at University, who has severe allergies and carries an Epipen.

My daughter has shown close friends/sharers how to use the pen, and when in student halls, the wardens on call. There did not seem to be any concern with this. Fortunately her reaction comes on relatively slowly so she could use her own Epipen, but some anaphylactic shock can happen very quickly and an Epipen is life saving - followed by an immediate 999 call for an ambulence.

Using an Epipen - which is an adrenline shot, is not life-endangering - not using it, means allowing a severe reaction which could kill, to proceed - which would you prefer?

Posted By Fornhelper
Hi Tracey

Have had to deal with a similar situation in the past in relation to an employee who had this condition.

Ultimately we felt we couldn't 'require' fellow employees to administer the EPIPEN but asked that the person affected explain the situation to those she was working with.

Also had implications with regard to lone working as this employee worked a great deal of the time in the community visiting clients but (and I'll probably get shot down for this!!) to a certain degree I felt that this 'condition' could be regarded as a risk 'associated with everyday life' and not a particular issue associated with work and that our 'standard' lone working arrangements were suffice.

As previously mentioned confidentiality is also involved so difficult to address.

I think there is a difference in what the employer can do with regard to reducing the risk of an employee suffering such a reaction (eg avoid preparing food / advise employee to check all labelling if preparing food etc) as opposed to what 'controls' an employer could put in if such a reaction occurred.

Obviously if dealing with children this is a different issue but I don't think it is reasonably practicable for any employer to be expected to have arrangements in place that will ensure an EPIPEN is administered when required.

Regards
FH