Management of Toxicological Emergencies in the School Setting: Part 1 An Overview for School Nurses

Abstract

School nurses may encounter a variety of poisoning and overdose scenarios in the school setting. Younger students are more likely to experience unintentional exposures that are usually lower in toxicity, with the risk for harm increasing with age for reasons including substance abuse, self-harm, and exposure to more toxic ingestants. Poison control centers (PCC) are uniquely qualified to assist the public and health professionals, including school nurses, with poisoning and overdose incidents and are available 24 hours per day. This article is Part 1 of a series of three articles and introduces the management of toxicological emergencies in the school setting. In addition, this article provides information including expected clinical effects, potential for serious injury, and a reasonable approach to manage exposures for the following objects and substances of potential harm: button batteries, emergency medications, first aid products, magnets, nontoxic (inedible) products, and therapeutic error. Parts 2 and 3 of the series will continue the discussion focusing on substances of abuse and addiction, social media challenges, and environmental hazards.