NC School Health Program Manual: Coordinated School Health Program

Epinephrine Auto-injector for the Undiagnosed Person

• RSS Policy:  Epinephrine Auto-injector for the Undiagnosed Person
• RSS Procedure:  Emergency Epinephrine Procedure   

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Guidelines

Updated: 10/18/21

Background

• An AED is a device that analyzes the heart’s electrical rhythm and, if necessary, prompts you to deliver a shock to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)
• This shock, called defibrillation, may help the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.
• Delivering an electrical shock with an AED disrupts abnormal electrical activity long enough to allow the heart to develop an effective rhythm on its own.
• The sooner a shockable rhythm is identified and the defibrillation shock is administered, the greater the likelihood the victim will survive.
• Defibrillation is not intended to restart a heart without any electrical activity. It treats the specific abnormal electrical rhythm, V-Fib.
• Although current defibrillation equipment was designed for adults, it has been viewed by the scientific community as able to deliver the needed amount of electricity and accurately identify the rhythms in children 8 years and older.

Key points when using an AED

• Do not touch the victim while the AED is analyzing. Touching or moving the person may affect the analysis.
• Do not touch the victim while the device is defibrillating. You or others could be shocked.
• Prior to shocking a person with an AED make sure that no one is touching or in contact with the person or the resuscitation equipment.
• Do not use alcohol to wipe the victim’s chest dry. Alcohol is flammable.
• Do not defibrillate someone when around flammable materials, such as gasoline or free-flowing oxygen.
• Do not use an AED in a moving vehicle. Movement may affect the analysis.
• Do not use an AED on a person who is in contact with water. Move victims away from puddles of water or swimming pools, or out of the rain, before defibrillating.
• Do not use an AED on a victim wearing a nitroglycerin patch or other patch on the chest. With a gloved hand, remove any patches from the chest before attaching the device. Wipe off any medication left on the chest.
• Do not use a mobile phone or radio within 6 feet of the AED. This may interrupt analysis.

AED REGULATIONS

• Goal: To ensure an organized, efficient, and effective response to life-threatening emergencies requiring the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED)
• Any AED to be purchased for a school in the Rowan Salisbury School System must receive prior approval by the Chief of Student Services & Compliance or designee to assure continuity of brand and to facilitate training of staff.
• Any AED purchased for and installed at a school must comply with the Rowan-Salisbury Schools written policy regarding the installation and use of the AED on school property.
• Each school that plans to purchase an AED will have a written Emergency Response Plan. This plan will be developed in collaboration with the school nurse. The plan is to be reviewed at the beginning of each school year and periodically throughout the year.
• Each school will be offered yearly in-service for all staff by the school nurse. At this time staff will:
  • Have a brief training about the AED
  • Will be told the location of the AED and how to get it out of the cabinet
  • Will review the AED Emergency Response Plan
  • Will meet the AED Emergency Response Team members
• Each school will have an AED Emergency Response Team. The AED Emergency Response Team will be made up of the following staff.
  • School Administrator
  • A minimum of 4 staff members currently certified in CPR/AED by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
• The AED Emergency Response team will begin each year with:
  • A review of the AED Emergency Response Plan
  • Each member must provide proof of current CPR/AED certification
• All AED Incident Forms will be stored and maintained as follows:
  • Student-related forms are to be stored and maintained with confidential health information and accident reports.
  • Employee-related forms are to be stored and maintained with the employee’s personnel file or with risk management and a copy with accident reports.
  • Visitor-related forms are to be stored and maintained with accident reports.
• Monthly maintenance checks will be done. The school administrator will decide who is responsible for maintenance and paperwork relating to this.
• All monthly check forms will be maintained for a minimum of three years at the school site in a safe location.
• After an AED emergency response, someone from the school will take the AED to Student Services Office. The AED will be connected to a computer to print a copy of the AED’s activity during the emergency. This will be stored with the AED incident forms.
• After each AED emergency response, the team will meet to evaluate the emergency situation and make changes in the Emergency Response Plan if indicated.

Audio Metric Hearing Screenings

Hearing screenings are performed by the school nurses on an “as needed” basis.

Vision Screenings

The school nurses perform vision screenings in grades 1, 3, & 5 and for those students who are referred by their teacher, parent, or self-referral for possible vision problems. The parent/guardian is notified of issues that warrant further evaluation by a healthcare provider.

In certain circumstances, school staff can be trained by the school nurses to perform initial vision screenings.

Dental Screenings

The school system in conjunction with state dental health hygienist, may also provide dental screenings throughout the school year.