From: Mary Ellen Starodub <mestarodub**At_Symbol_Here**COGECO.CA>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] epinephrine
Date: February 28, 2013 4:12:56 PM EST
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: <CAK9FruKWS=3w2=G+S7ZDQE25-m99W8vCsoncT1HhOO-zg9Ha4w**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com>


All Epipens have an expiry date , typically is it about 1 year.

A good practical training exercise for parents, kids and families, teachers and those not familiar with how to use the Epipen is to have a practice session using an expired Epipen.

 

Practice giving an injection to an orange with an expired Epipen.

Follow  the label directions for use of the device, taking necessary safety measures to ensure you do it correctly and don’t accidently inject yourself. The Epipen is spring loaded and the injection is swift.

 

My son initiated practical training in our family. He has a life-threatening allergy to wasps and came up with this idea when he was a young boy. The first time he tried it he used an apple – it exploded –he was pretty impressed J- then he tried the orange which is more like a thigh in consistency. The practical experience gave him confidence he will be able to administer an injection to himself if needed. Since then we occasionally practice giving injections to oranges with expired epipens (which must be replace yearly).  

 

In Ontario public schools, parents are required to provide an Epipen to the school for each child who has a prescription for Epipen for a life-threatening allergy. Also my son carries one with him.

 

 

Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Starodub

 

 

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Joan Geary
Sent: February-28-13 7:04 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] epinephrine

 

Folks, I'm a Red Cross CPR/AED/First Aid instructor in Pennsylvania.  As far as I know, an Epi-pen requires a prescription.  I suggest talking to your local ARC chapter, your local ambulance service, EMT instructor or whoever is your medical advisor for your emergency response program. 
Good luck. Using the Epi-pen is very simple.  I'm glad you're adding it to your emergency procedures.

Joan Geary, NREMT-B ARC instructor

On Feb 23, 2013 1:54 PM, "NEAL LANGERMAN" <neal**At_Symbol_Here**chemical-safety.com> wrote:

Looked at it. I have grandson who needs EpiPens around. Thus the follow up.

Sent from my RAZR Max HD.
Standard client confidentiality terms apply.

On Feb 23, 2013 7:03 AM, "Alan Hall" <ahalltoxic**At_Symbol_Here**msn.com> wrote:

Neal,
 
Thanks for looking that up.  Their website has a short video that shows how to use the Auvi-Q device.
 
Alan
Alan H. Hall, M.D.
ahalltoxic**At_Symbol_Here**msn.com
 


Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:29:16 -0800
From: neal**At_Symbol_Here**CHEMICAL-SAFETY.COM
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] epinephrine
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU

Here is a NYT article on the new device –

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/02/business/auvi-q-challenges-epipen-with-a-new-shape-and-size.html?_r=0

 

Here is the website for the Auvi-Q.

http://www.auvi-q.com/

 

By the way, there is – of course – a YouTube clip on how to use an EpiPen

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Standard confidentiality terms apply

 

NEAL LANGERMAN, Ph.D.

ADVANCED CHEMICAL SAFETY, Inc.

PO Box 152329

SAN DIEGO CA 92195

011(619) 990-4908 (phone, 24/7)

www.chemical-safety.com

 

 

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Alan Hall
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 2:05 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] epinephrine

 

Wayne,
 
If we're talking about the Epi-Pen(R) autoinjector, we even taught how to use it in the American Red Cross Babysitting course to teen-aged girls when I was a volunteer with our local office in Laramie, WY.
 
Pretty simple.  Take the cap off the end where the needle is (it is clearly marked), hold it like a pen (do NOT put your thumb over the end just in case you have it backwards in which case it will inject the epinephrine into your thumb which can cause some serious contriction of blood vessels and potential serious injury to the thumb that might require some significant treatment).
 
Once holding it properly, jab it firmly into the outside of the thigh (this avoids the potential for injecting epinephrine near major blood vessels or nerves).  Hold it in place for about five to 10 seconds.  Dispose of it as you would any other sharps that may have contacted body fluids.  Best to wear simple protective gloves just for the "universal precautions" against transmission of blood-borne pathogens (you can buy them at essentially any pharmacy; the purple or blue ones seem to be most readily available and do not contain latex which is good for folks with a latex allergy).  They are not very expensive.
 
Neal's suggestion about contacting a local ER to see if one of the docs or nurses would give you a run through is a good one.  You might also contact your local office of the American Red Cross and see if they can help you out with this.
 
You will also find fairly detailed instructions in the package insert that comes with the Epi-Pen(R).  There is a newer device I just heard about yeaterday that actually has a chip in it that talks you through the procedure.  Can't remember the name at the moment, but that one would be worth looking into.  Probably quite a bit more expensive than the Epi-Pen(R), though.  This isn't either neurosurgery or rocket science.  Patients with serious allergies to foods or bee stings, etc. can be easily taught to administer it themselves.  However, if they go into anaphylactic shock with low blood pressure, serious wheezing and airway compromise, etc., someone else may have to administer the Epi-Pen(R) or other device because they may be too incapacitated to do it themselves.
 
Alan
Alan H. Hall, M.D.
Medical Toxicologist
ahalltoxic**At_Symbol_Here**msn.com
 


Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:44:16 -0800
From: neal**At_Symbol_Here**CHEMICAL-SAFETY.COM
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] epinephrine
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU

I suggest you contact your local E/R and see if you can get a nurse or PA to do some training for you

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Standard confidentiality terms apply

 

NEAL LANGERMAN, Ph.D.

ADVANCED CHEMICAL SAFETY, Inc.

PO Box 152329

SAN DIEGO CA 92195

011(619) 990-4908 (phone, 24/7)

www.chemical-safety.com

 

 

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Wayne Phan
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 9:09 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] epinephrine

 

Does anyone know of an agency or company that can offer a training and certification in administration of epinephrine only, as a stand-alone workshop?

 

Thanks,

 

Wayne

 
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