Teachers to be better equipped to handle student allergies

May 14, 2015

Non-medical school personnel at the junior high and high school will now be able to administer an EpiPen on field trips if students go into anaphylactic shock.

On Wednesday night, the Old Rochester Regional School Committee approved the “School Health Unit Application,” part of the procedure to register the school with the Department of Public Health.

Junior high interim nurse Linda Deveau and high school nurse Kim Corazzini will train teachers on how to use the EpiPens for students who have been diagnosed by a doctor with a life-threatening allergy.

Until now, Corazzini said she had to find a registered nurse to go on trips with a student who carries an EpiPen.

Going forward, training for staff will take place twice a year.

One committee member asked if students could just administer the EpiPen themselves.

Corazzini said yes, but sometimes they aren’t able to or want to downplay the situation.

“You have a very short period of time between when the allergen is presented to the body and when anaphylaxis occurs,” she said.

Christine Marcolini also asked if bus drivers are trained to use the shot.

Superintendent Mike Devoll said the administration would contact the bus company to find out.