Kentucky Department for Public Health

Kentucky Department for Public Health

Epinephrine Auto Injector Curriculum Minimum Requirements

December, 2015

The Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 311.645 – 311.647 provide for authorized entities to store, manage and appropriately administer supplies of epinephrine via auto injector to persons who exhibit signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis. Those persons who desire to provide these functions on behalf of an authorized entity must receive a certificate that they have completed an epinephrine auto injector training that has been approved by the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH). The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), Department for Public Health has been given the statutory authority to review and approve epinephrine auto injector education courses. DPH does not retroactively review courses that applicants have already completed.

This document outlines the minimum requirements that must be included in any training in order for the training to meet DPH’s standards. Organizations providing DPH-approved training are responsible for issuing certificates to those who complete their course.

The following five content areas must be included in an epinephrine auto injector training to receive DPH approval:

1. An overview of KRS 311.645 – 647

2. Epinephrine Auto Injector Guidelines to include the following topics:

• When to Use the Epinephrine Auto Injector;

• How to Administer the Epinephrine Auto Injector;

• Epinephrine Auto Injector Side Effects;

• Safety Information; and

·  Warnings and Precautions

·  Drug Interactions

·  Use in Specific Populations

• Storage and Handling Requirements

3.) Recognition of Anaphylaxis

·  Definition of anaphylaxis

·  Causes of anaphylaxis

·  Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis

4.) Roles and Responsibilities of the certified individual:

·  Individual may receive a prescription for epinephrine auto injectors from a healthcare practitioner;

·  Individual may possess prescribed epinephrine auto injectors

·  Individual may act in emergency situations to administer epinephrine via auto injector when a physician is not immediately available.

• Individual who administers the epinephrine auto injector to a person who is experiencing a severe allergic reaction shall call 911 as soon as possible;

5.) Roles and Responsibilities of the authorized entity that stocks a supply of epinephrine auto injectors:

·  Designate the monitoring of the storage, maintenance and general oversight of the epinephrine auto injectors; and

·  Report the epinephrine auto injector supply to local emergency medical services and the local emergency dispatch center.

For a list of currently approved epinephrine auto injector courses, please visit the Department for Public Health’s website at http://chfs.ky.gov/dph/info/lhd/ewdb.htm or on TRAIN at https://ky.train.org.