Howto: Administer an Epinephrine Shot

Understudy · August 25, 2008, 09:41:05 PM

http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Administer_an_Epinephrine_Shot

You may find this helpful if you need to deal with someone who is allergic to bee venom.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

tlynn · August 25, 2008, 10:03:07 PM

When I was in college I studied with a professor who worked with social insects, mostly ants, some bees. He had a couple of hives on the roof of the biology dept. One of his grad students went up to help him one day and she got stung. Her scalp started to tingle and she began to get short of breath quickly. Immediately he grabbed her and they rushed downstairs. Fortunately the hospital was 5 minutes away. By the time he got her the car, she started to black out. They got there in time and she recovered fine. Back then there were no epi pens.

annette · August 25, 2008, 10:39:11 PM

I have 2 on hand, but I would still be very frightened to actually have to use this on anyone. I guess given the alternative, I would have to. Thanks for the info. Always good to read up again and again.

Annette

JP · August 25, 2008, 11:33:25 PM

Brendhan, you did the site an important service with this post, great job and kudos!

...JP

thomashton · August 26, 2008, 06:44:25 PM

Good info.

Anyone who's been in the military and gone through chemical warfare training should know this too. The difference is that we are trained to self administer and to give as many as three doses.

qa33010 · August 27, 2008, 01:14:33 AM

Quote from: thomashton on August 26, 2008, 06:44:25 PM
Good info.

Anyone who's been in the military and gone through chemical warfare training should know this too. The difference is that we are trained to self administer and to give as many as three doses.

It's nice to know that some knowledge is still good though.

Nelly · August 29, 2008, 10:00:12 AM

Great info! I was reading through the info that comes with an Epi Pen and they specifically state that you DO NOT STAB the needle into the muscle, it can go too deep and actually enter the bone. I've administered other shots to myself for medical reasons and it's similar to pushing the shot into an orange with a tough skin. Since I my kids participate in beekeeping, I carry an Epi Pen with me.

Nelly

1of6 · September 03, 2008, 04:27:13 PM

What is required to get an epipen? No one in my family is allergic, but I'd feel better having one around in case someone in the neighborhood does have an allergic reaction.

annette · September 04, 2008, 04:33:25 PM

You have to get a prescription from the dr and it costs some money. I had to pay 35.00 for a package of two and they are only good for one year and then they expire.

Romahawk · September 04, 2008, 07:11:26 PM

Quote from: 1of6 on September 03, 2008, 04:27:13 PM
What is required to get an epipen? No one in my family is allergic, but I'd feel better having one around in case someone in the neighborhood does have an allergic reaction.

You might want to check and see what the liability might be if you administered a shot to someone other than yourself. That might come under the heading of practicing medicine without a license.

1of6 · September 05, 2008, 12:40:05 AM

It's like life insurance - no one wants to have to use it. I understand your thought though.

If they want to sue me, I'll gladly have it. I'll even have them over for dinner the following week if they're alive to eat with me. :) I'd feel worse doing nothing. Neglect is a terrible thing.

Nelly · September 06, 2008, 03:25:48 PM

I got the pen because my kids do beekeeping with me, and I just want to be prepared. I got the rx from my doctor, taking my kid's weights into consideration for the proper dosage.

Susan

DennisD · September 25, 2008, 07:10:50 PM

Quote from: Romahawk on September 04, 2008, 07:11:26 PM
Quote from: 1of6 on September 03, 2008, 04:27:13 PM
What is required to get an epipen? No one in my family is allergic, but I'd feel better having one around in case someone in the neighborhood does have an allergic reaction.

You might want to check and see what the liability might be if you administered a shot to someone other than yourself. That might come under the heading of practicing medicine without a license.

You are allowed to ASSIST someone administer their OWN Epi injection. If you use YOUR Epi-pen and can articulate it's use to save LIFE, you are covered under a broad spectrum of the "Good Samaritan Act". Now, this is "within reason" and must meet the criteria where "another person of similar understanding and means would have acted the same", this is a way of saying "Just because someone is having a heart attack, does not provide you with the legal freedom to perform open heart surgery. Although a person with a good grasp of an emergency tracheotomy would fall under the same legal protection of the Good Samaritan Act where an ill or injured person's airway was closed at the epiglottis and this technique was performed by a "lay person" that had a "reasonable understanding" of this form of "intervention" to save a life.

Caveat for MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS: Check with your state's protocols concerning the GOOD SAMARITAN ACT and your SCOPE OF PRACTICE -v- negligence (In acting above and beyond scope of practice or a reasonable person with the same training -v- would they have acted similarly) as some states have different policies regarding medical professionals as the Good Sam act is primarily designed to protect "lay persons" from legal consequences in attempt to save a life where lay persons once were hesitant to intervene with an acutely injured/ill person due to legal peril this increasing the survivability of victims of illness or injury in absence of EMS/Medical personnel. A good first aid/first responders course for your area of legal jurisdiction can explain further your areas of limitations in respect to lay person medical intervention to save lives. Generally and within "general reasoning", medical intervention to persons in immediate peril of dying carried broad relief for the lay person administering such interventions. Again, consult your local laws concerning the Good Samaritan Act.

Note: I am not a LAWYER nor do I play one on TV.... It is up to you to use what you know and have to SAVE A LIFE, unlike an off duty EMT, EMT-P, RT, RN, DO or MD that STOPS at the scene, you have NO LEGAL DUTY TO ACT, only measure your own MORAL DUTY to act against what you know, have available versus unreasonable, scene safety, etc. Further examples of an unreasonable act in addition to gross unreasonable intervention is to place you are a rescuer in harms way to effect a rescue where you become a second victim, i.e. running through traffic on a freeway to assist the injured, thus causing you to be struck by another vehicle and injuring the occupants, you have no legal relief to prevent that other car's occupants from suing you, or if one of the occupants die, you may very well face negligent manslaughter criminal charges as a "reasonable person would have not done so".

Sorry for the book, but there is NO cut and dry answer without explaining further. Again, knowledge is POWER, check your local laws concerning the Good Samaritan Act and have a reasonable head on your shoulders. I've done as best as I can to explain this to the very best of my understanding. I would hate to think someone here would die from allergic reaction to a bee sting where would be rescuers failed to act due to fear of law yet law is in place to legally protect the would be rescuer from legal peril due to acting to save life. Thus this long winded post.

On my part, INFORMED CONSENT directive, if you see ME down, and I have severe anaphylaxis and you have an Epi-Pen, STICK ME! I'll be glad you did, so will my kids.

Cindi · September 27, 2008, 12:09:54 PM

Dennis, excellent, I liked your "book", hee, hee. You spent alot of time to respond to that post, and oh yep, yep, that is a good thing. Have the most wonderful and awesome of these days, Cindi

Davepeg · November 04, 2008, 07:41:36 PM

Thank you for posting this important information. It should be a "must read" for all beekeepers!

BjornBee · November 11, 2008, 09:29:37 AM

For those who do not have an epi-pen, or have bees on someone else's property, an alternative, and perhaps even a safer one would be a bottle of benedryl.

It will not save your life, but will buy you an extra 20-30 minutes to get to a hospital, that you would not of otherwise had.

I have an epi-pen at the house. I originally got it to keep in the truck, but it is temperature sensitive.

I have bees on farms with children. And strongly suggest that every family have a bottle on hand.

And you don't take a teaspoon or two. If you are experiencing the beginnings tightening of the chest, difficulty breathing, etc.....you drink the WHOLE bottle. You may throw up, but it will buy you time.

tlozo · November 11, 2008, 11:17:57 AM

Is the Benadryl the children's liquid strength? I can't find Benadryl for adults in liquid form. Or is it the same?

UtahBees · November 22, 2008, 02:14:27 AM

My epi-pens on-hand saved my life this year.

Lesson learned #1: Don't wear un-tied tennis shoes while moving your beehives.

I was stung 7 times, 4 and 3, in each ankle. I thought I'm a man and can handle it. Besides I had been stung a few times and hadn't had a reaction.

7 times all at once crossed the line for my body. Breathing got more difficult, head, armpits, and other areas severely itchy. I understood that I was having a reaction. I went inside, whipped out the epi-pen, and asked my wife to stab me because I was a wuss.

(Side note: mine came with practice device. It trains you how to administer the shot. Very cool idea)

Within 1 minute things got easier, esp. breathing. Five minutes and I was doing much better. The hives took the night to go away.

So, what's really the first rule I learned this year? Have an epi-pen handy. Just in case :)

Have a great weekend!

annette · November 22, 2008, 04:13:29 PM

Quote from: tlozo on November 11, 2008, 11:17:57 AM
Is the Benadryl the children's liquid strength? I can't find Benadryl for adults in liquid form. Or is it the same?

I have the liquid but do not remember if adult or child. I will have to go up to the storage shack and take a look later today. Will get back to you and let you know.

Zane · March 09, 2009, 12:04:27 PM

GREAT info. Thanks.
I did have a problem getting a "script" since "I" wasnt allergic, but my ex is and she drops off stuff once in a great while. Mostly I was wanting one or 2 as a "just in case" reason. Anyone know of the right thing to tell the Dr to get them to losen up?