Dataset Information

Nut allergy in schoolchildren: a survey of schools in the Severn NHS Trust.

ABSTRACT: AIMS:To assess the extent of the problem of nut allergy in schoolchildren within the Severn NHS Trust. To determine how well informed schools are about the condition, their policies and attitudes, and the action that would be taken in the event of an acute reaction. METHODS:A questionnaire addressed to the head teacher was sent to 100 randomly selected mainstream schools in the Severn NHS Trust. RESULTS:Response rate was 83%. There were a total of 21 868 pupils in the schools. Forty five (54%) schools had at least one child currently known to be allergic. The total in all the schools was 87 (0.4%). Only 31 (36%) children had medication available in school. Of these, 18 (58%) had EpiPen alone. Twenty schools (44%) with an allergic child either had no staff trained to administer medication or did not respond to the question. Two (4%) schools with an allergic child had a support assistant for the pupils. Only 19 (43%) schools with a nut allergic child gave information to all teachers about nut allergy and only 21 (47%) gave information to dinner supervisors and other assistants. In only 23 (51%) schools with an allergic child were the cook and catering staff aware of all the children with a nut allergy. Ten (22%) schools with an allergic child served only "nut free dinners". Fourteen (31%) schools with a nut allergic child could not name a single sign of a mild acute allergic reaction (compared to 34 (89%) schools without an allergic child). Fifteen (33%) schools with an allergic child could not state a single sign of a severe acute allergic reaction (compared with 33 (87%) schools without a nut allergic child). CONCLUSION:Schools are not sufficiently well informed about nut allergy and management of acute allergic reactions. Policies and attitudes vary. We have revised the information given to schools regarding nut allergy and prepared a new information pack.

SUBMITTER: Watura JC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1719143 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Nut allergy in schoolchildren: a survey of schools in the Severn NHS Trust.

Watura J C JC

Archives of disease in childhood 20020401 4

<h4>Aims</h4>To assess the extent of the problem of nut allergy in schoolchildren within the Severn NHS Trust. To determine how well informed schools are about the condition, their policies and attitudes, and the action that would be taken in the event of an acute reaction.<h4>Methods</h4>A questionnaire addressed to the head teacher was sent to 100 randomly selected mainstream schools in the Severn NHS Trust.<h4>Results</h4>Response rate was 83%. There were a total of 21 868 pupils in the schoo ...[more]

PMID: 11919094

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Project description:Medicines reconciliation is integral to patient safety, symptom control and reducing patient anxiety. During a 3-month period on the respiratory ward at St. Peter's Hospital, 54% of drug charts were not reconciled with pre-admission medicines at the point of discharge for admissions up to 17 days. Only 18% were reconciled within 24 hours of admission. 50% of drug charts were missing 0-2 pre-admission medicines and 50% were missing 3-5 pre-admission medicines. The most common medicines that were not reconciled included topical applications which included eye, ear, nasal and skin applications (14%); vitamins i.e. vitamin B12 and thiamine, analgesia, PRN inhalers (11% individually); antidepressants and lipid regulators (6% individually); amongst a range of other medications including antiplatelets, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors and diuretics. Two interventions were carried out to improve the rate of medicines reconciliation onto hospital drug charts with pre-admission medicines. These were: 1) a green sticker placed in the medical notes by the pharmacist when drug charts were incomplete, which required a date and signature from the doctor when the drug chart had been reconciled 2) the placing of the loose medicines reconciliation record (a list of pre-admission medicines retrieved from a reliable source usually by the pharmacist) to the front of the drug chart. These measures were designed to alert the doctors that the drug chart was incomplete. After 2 PDSA cycles, the results showed positive outcomes. In 75% of the cases where the interventions were used, medicines reconciliation was complete at the point of discharge with 34% of drug charts reconciled within 24 hours of admission. Of the 25% of drug charts that were not reconciled despite the use of the interventions, 100% of them were missing 0-2 medicines however 0% were missing 3-5 medicines. This highlights that the interventions were effective in improving the rates of medicines reconciliation.

Dataset Information

Nut allergy in schoolchildren: a survey of schools in the Severn NHS Trust.

Publications

Nut allergy in schoolchildren: a survey of schools in the Severn NHS Trust.

Similar Datasets

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