Anaphylaxis Policy

Anaphylaxis Policy

Original Adopted Date: 12/16/2015  |  Last Revised Date: 07/27/2026

Background: On April 3, 2014, the Legislature of the State of Alabama enacted Act Number 2014-402 now set forth at Title 16-1-48, Code of Alabama, 1975 (the “law”), which required the State of Alabama Department of Education to develop an anaphylaxis preparedness program (the “guidelines”) to be adopted by each local board of education and implemented in each K-12 public school commencing with the 2015-2016 scholastic year. 

A copy of Title 16-1-48, Code of Alabama, 1975, and the Anaphylaxis Preparedness Guidelines prepared by the Alabama State Department of Education are attached hereto, marked as Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2 and are incorporated into this policy by reference as though set out fully herein. 

The Vestavia Hills City School System recognizes the growing concern with severe life-threatening allergic reactions, especially with regard to food items. Other common causes of anaphylaxis include allergies to latex, medications, and insect stings. 

Pathophysiology and treatment: 

Anaphylaxis can affect almost any part of the body and cause various symptoms. 

The most dangerous symptoms include breathing difficulties and a drop in blood pressure or shock, which are potentially fatal. 

Medications

o Epinephrine

 o Antihistamines

Treatment of anaphylaxis is centered on treating the rapidly progressing effects of the histamine release in the body with epinephrine. The allergen should also be removed immediately.

Creating an Allergen-Safe School Environment:

The Vestavia Hills City School System supports the three levels of prevention through its methods of creating an allergen-safe environment. 

Primary prevention – promotes health and protects against threats before problems occur with food allergy and anaphylaxis awareness and training. 

Secondary prevention – detects and treats problems early, as in a first –time reaction at school with staff or students. Early treatment of anaphylaxis saves lives. 

Tertiary prevention - 

o Protecting a student from exposure to offending allergens is the most important way to prevent life-threatening anaphylaxis. 

o Avoidance of exposure to allergens is the key to preventing a reaction. 

o The risk of exposure to allergens for a student is reduced when the school personnel, medical provider and parent/guardian work together to develop a management plan for the student. 

o Educating the entire school community about life-threatening allergies is important in keeping students with life-threatening allergies safe.

Identifying the School Team

School District administration – school administrators will support the Anaphylaxis Preparedness Program by helping to monitor the medication supply for availability by keeping it in a secure but accessible location. It is recommended to be stored inside the alarmed wall cabinets in each school. These cabinets are clearly marked and are the location where the AEDs are stored. Support will also be provided to assure school staff are trained and retrained as deemed necessary. 

School Nurse – school nurses will be the Anaphylaxis Preparedness site coordinator for each campus. Each school nurse will work with the principal to ensure staff are trained and retrained as deemed necessary. The school nurses will also monitor the safety and security of the medication by checking the expiration date and inspecting the medication to see if any tampering has occurred. The school nurse will respond to emergencies when possible and continue to function in the role as school nurse with other duties. 

School Medical Director – Dr. Keith Stansell has agreed to serve as the medical director providing authorization for this program. He will assist with program oversight and strive to meet practices offered through research on the topic of anaphylaxis, offering his guidance for the nursing protocols and prescriptive authority. 

Teachers-will be provided information each year on the school program, the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and the location of the medication. Teachers will be offered training each year to recognize and respond to anaphylactic emergencies. 

Food Service Personnel – will be provided information each year on the school program, the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and the location of the medication. The food service personnel will be offered training each year to recognize and respond to anaphylactic emergencies. 

Coaches, clerical and support personnel-will be provided information each year on the school program, the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and the location of the medication. These individuals will be offered training each year to recognize and respond to anaphylactic emergencies as deemed appropriate.

Action Steps for Anaphylaxis Management

Providing necessary precautions and general training for staff in classrooms, the cafeteria, or the gymnasium;

Training by licensed registered professional nurses for all adults in a supervisory role in the recognition and emergency management of a specific medical condition for specific students;

Creating Individual Health Care Plans (IHP), Emergency Care Plans (ECP), 504 Plans, or Individualized Educational Plans (IEP) as indicated;

Having standing emergency medical protocols for nursing staff;

Maintaining stock supplies of life saving emergency medications in all health rooms for use in first time emergencies; 

Following specific legal documents duly executed in accordance with the regulations and laws with medical orders regarding the care of specific students with severe life-threatening conditions; 

Allowing self-directed students as assessed by the school nurse to carry life-saving medication with prior approval by the medical provider, and according to health practice and procedures, as long as duplicate life-saving medication is also maintained in the health office in the event the self-carrying student misplaces their medicines; and 

Assuring appropriate and reasonable building accommodations are in place within a reasonable degree of medical certainty

Medication Safety

Epinephrine auto-injectors delivery systems will be maintained by the school system to include resupplying as necessary. (Required forms in appendix A - D) 

It is the policy of Vestavia Hills City Schools to provide epinephrine delivery systems (hereinafter called “stock epinephrine”) in each school, to be administered by a school nurse or unlicensed school personnel who have completed an anaphylaxis training program to any student or employee believed to be having an anaphylactic reaction on school premises during the school day. 

The school nurse for each school will determine the number of doses and strength of stock epinephrine to obtain based on school population. Further, the school nurse will determine the best locations for stock epinephrine, based on the logistics in each building. 

Parents of students with known life-threatening allergies and/or anaphylaxis should provide the school with written instructions from the students’ healthcare provider for handling anaphylaxis and all necessary medications for implementing the student-specific order on an annual basis. This anaphylaxis policy is not intended to replace student-specific orders or parent –provided individual medications. This policy does not extend to activities off school grounds or outside of the academic day. In the event that such emergencies occur in other settings, organizers should utilize Emergency Medical Services (911). 

(State Regulations and Forms are included in VHCS Procedures Manual.)