Another nurse story

Does this school have an [i]appropriately trained, full time school nurse[/i] [b]on the premises[/b]? A position specifically dedicated to the school?
Who was responsible for [i]evaluating and treating[/i] your child in the situation you described? Do you feel this/these person(s) is/are qualified to do such? Is there a standard used to examine and determine such? Has anyone voiced concern that they do not feel confident in their [i]evaluation skills?[/i] How would one deem them adequate regardless of whether they voice a concern or not.
I ask these questions since it maybe both sides may be dissatisfied with the outcome of the event you described. I could be wrong.

I think the nurse was wrong not to follow your written and verbal instructions for treating your son. [i]However[/i], I think she is correct that Benedryl will not prevent an anaphylactic reaction. There have been discussions of this on the board and that has pretty much been the conclusion.
Do you think that it actually was a reaction to peanuts? Does your son normally have nausea as his first reaction? Does he think it was an allergic reaction?
Good luck. It is so very frusturating when you feel you cannot trust the school staff. I'm glad you found us here.
Take care, Miriam

Quote:Originally posted by California Mom:
[b]I think the nurse was wrong not to follow your written and verbal instructions for treating your son. [/b]
[i]was there even a nurse present in the initial situation described?[/i] ie: physically there? was there a conversation per phone during the initial situation?
CM,
had to take a second look at your comment regarding following instructions. As I have related before.......... One may be surprised as to what a licensed professional is [i]required[/i] (compelled?) to do/not do. "Orders" or no orders. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img]
I personally feel that while this [i]may[/i] provide protection for the professional, ultimately, I personally feel the intention of such is to protect those the professional serves.
Disclaimer: I am not offering advice in any manner or form.

Last year, I had a reaction to Zithromax. My throat and tongue started to swell. I downed 50 mg of benadryl and drove three miles to my doc's office. He gave me a 25 mg. shot of Benadryl at his office and sent me to the emergency room. After I had been there for 15 minutes, I felt my throat open up. I was given a steroid there and a script for steroids to take at home.
There have been other times, I have used Benadryl and it has worked.
So, basically...I think it is hard to make a blanket statement that Benadryl doesn't work.
But at the same time, just because it works for me doesn't mean it will work for someone else.
I didn't want to take an epi at the time due to a heart med I was on. It was a contradiction to take an epi. I have been taken off of it now so I can take an epi.

Quote:Originally posted by Thesearentthedroids:
[b]There wasn't a nurse present, our school doesn't have a full-time nurse. I don't know for sure if this was peanuts, but 1/2 an hour after the benedryl, he wanted pizza. Nausea and vomiting has almost always been present with his reactions. I don't feel confident with the office staff's ability to treat my son, and I wrote a letter asking for retraining. I guess the issue is that they didn't treat the symptoms as the emergency plan laid them out. I downloaded the Spokane School district's food allergy plan, since we are in the same state, and it made reference to the fact that any nausea must be treated. We are having a meeting today, but I am afraid it's going to be another shuffling around the issue, blame it on anyone not associated with the school sort of thing. Regardless of what benadryl can do, the plan wasn't followed. I don't want to waste time on that, I just want these people to follow directions. Thanks for listening, I hope all goes well today. [/b]
Sounds familiar. Too familiar. Too close to home. edit to add: not on all details, but on enough.
Have you requested to tape the meeting? Is this a 504 meeting?
[This message has been edited by MommaBear (edited November 17, 2003).]

also asking: Are you bringing an Advocate of sorts?

First I'd like to say that I'm glad your son is okay. I can't believe the nurse would not follow your verbal order over the phone. Benadryl may not prevent an anaphylactic reaction but it will help the allergic reaction. An Epipen can be used along with benadryl for the immediate symptoms of anaphylaxis and the Benadryl will take a little longer to make a difference.

Quote:Originally posted by wendyh:
[b]I can't believe the nurse would not follow your verbal order over the phone. [/b]
You may be surprised at some of the POLICIES institutions like hospitals may have regarding "verbal orders", particularly involving those taken or not by nurses, over the phone. Just mentioning. As it may behoove one to understand such may be out there.
Of course, in the absence of such orders, hospitals, yea emergency systems, may most likely have policies, procedures, protocol, and Standard of Care/Operating Proceedures to deal with untoward events, and similiar crisis, in absence of someone who can give "orders". Certain individuals within such systems may possibly be bound by such PPP and Standard of Care/Operating Proceedures to act accordingly.
Of course, I understand you are speaking of a school system and not a hospital. Just wondering if there is anything to be gleaned.
[img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/cool.gif[/img]

thesearentthedroids,
(BTW I love that name)
Another of my mantras is:
[b]Most kids die because some adult has decided to "wait and see" and held off treatment until it was too late.[/b]
And the nurse is not qualified to make a judgement like Benadryl does not stop anaphylaxis. Things go bad in children very quickly.
That's why cathlina could be managed on Benadryl but watch out for the next time cathlina, it will be faster and much worse.
You will never again take Zithromax but kids will be accidentally exposed to peanut again and again and again raising their chances for a bigger and faster anaphylaxis.
They need some serious education at your child's school. You might have to be the person to do it.
Peggy