
September 29, 2000
Social Issues: School and Daycare
Question from Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA:
I am a school nurse and would like guidance about how to implement a protocol for the use of glucagon in diabetes emergencies in a large public high school. I am the only nurse for several buildings and will have to train several people to be prepared to use the glucagon. Do you know of a sample glucagon protocol that might already be written for use in school? We already make accommodations for extra trips to the bathroom/drinking fountain, snacks on the bus or wherever, blood glucose monitoring in the classroom, etc. I am not resistant, but I just want to do this very well.
Answer:
I sincerely applaud your efforts! I wish more schools had nurses like you. I believe that the hypoglycemia protocol on this website should help you. However, I, personally, have never been an advocate of having glucagon at school. It is extremely expensive, some insurance companies will not pay for it, and it is likely to expire before it is ever used.
SS