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From Northern New England Poison Center

More is not always better: Safe acetaminophen use

Acetaminophen is an over-the-counter pain reliever best known by the brand name Tylenol. While acetaminophen is safe when used in the right way, taking too much can harm your liver. In cases of severe overdose, this can even be fatal. There are usually no obvious signs that you have acetaminophen poisoning.

Common causes of acetaminophen poisoning include:

• • Taking more than the recommended dose in hopes of greater pain relief

  • Unknowingly taking more than one medication that contains acetaminophen, such as taking Tylenol pills as well as a multiple-symptom cold medication

The best way to avoid acetaminophen poisoning is to read and carefully follow the directions on the label of your medication bottles each time you use them. Take only the recommended dose, and check the active ingredients to make sure you are not doubling up on acetaminophen or another ingredient.

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FALL ALLERGIES  and COVID-19   

 The symptoms of spring allergies: congestion, cough, headache, eye redness overlap with symptoms of COVID19.

• If your student uses a daily nasal spray or allergy medication in the spring, it may be helpful to have them start the medication(s) a week or two before symptoms appear.

•  Similar to the fall  allergy season, we will be recommending contact with the student's healthcare provider  for symptoms that overlap with COVID19.

• School nurses cannot administer allergy medications or decongestants without parent and healthcare provider authorization.  (Medication permission form linked at bottom of page)

• The only medications students may self carry are asthma rescue inhalers and epinephrine auto injectors.

• Please be sure your student takes any daily allergy medication at home each day.

• If your student has asthma, please be sure they have a current inhaler as prescribed. If they need to bring it to school, there should be a current asthma plan on file with the nurse. (Signed by the parent and the health provider). (Asthma Plan linked at bottom of page)

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• • All About Allergies: Be Ready for Spring and Fall

Just a reminder, any student who needs to carry an epinephrine pen or asthma inhaler for any reason needs to have the appropriate form filled out by primary medical provider and parent or guardian. The Asthma and Allergy plans can be downloaded from the "Forms" page. 

All other medications during the school day need to administered by the school nurse.  The medication permission form may also be found on the "Forms" page as well.

I am happy to fax any of the forms to the student's medical office after it is filled out and signed by the parent or guardian.

Pat Endsley MSN, RN NCSN

641-6967

pendsley@wocsd.org

Epinephrine Auto-Injector Options

School nurses advocate for equity in access to care for all students. As the new school year unfolds, students and families want to know how to access lifesaving medication in the event of anaphylaxis. NASN requested information for school nurses to provide to families. The information below is current as of September 20, 2017

Options for Access to Epinephrine Auto-Injectors

• Generic/Branded Epinephrine Auto-injector -  Adrenaclick

• EpiPen Products: My Epi Pen Savings card 

•                                Paying for Epi Pen

•  Auvi- Q: Auvi Q epinephrine device is back (It had been recalled a couple years ago.) It delivers the same dose as the Epi-Pen but has voice prompts much like                 an AED to guide the person through the administration. Auvi-Q Affordibility

• Good Rx:  Plug in your medication  and zip code to shop around.  Prices vary widely by pharmacy!  (Check out the Adrenaclick)