Individual Plans (IPs)
Principals are required to develop individual plans (IPs) for students with anaphylactic allergies. The
IP must inform employees who are in direct contact with the student of the type of allergy, monitoring,
avoidance strategies, and appropriate treatment.
The IP must also include readily accessible emergency procedures and storage for autoinjectors.
What Members Should Know About Autoinjectors
Members should be informed of:
O their school board’s and principal’s policies on anaphylaxis;
O which students in the school are susceptible to an anaphylactic reaction, and which
allergies are known for each student; and
O anyone pre-authorized to administer the autoinjector.
Members should also know that:
O the autoinjector is easy to administer;
O the autoinjector does not pose a health risk to students, even if it is administered
unnecessarily;
O the autoinjector can be self-administered, but it should generally be done by, or with
the assistance of, an adult because the onset of anaphylaxis can be debilitating; and
that
O Sabrina’s Law provides immunity from lawsuits for any act done in good faith in
response to an anaphylactic reaction.
Members’ Legal Obligations with Regard to
Administering Epinephrine Autoinjectors
E
Members have a common law duty of care to take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of
students. Failure to do so could result in a charge of negligence.
E
A member might be the subject of a criminal investigation if the failure or refusal to administer
an epinephrine autoinjector was considered criminally negligent or a failure to provide the
necessities of life.
E
Section 20(g) (Duties of Teachers) of Regulation 298 under the Education Act requires teachers to
ensure that all reasonable safety procedures are carried out in courses and activities for which
the teacher is responsible. These include positive steps that a reasonable parent would take to
safeguard the health and safety of students.
E
Collective agreements may have provisions limiting a member’s responsibility for performing
medical procedures of any sort, but in an emergency situation the member may have to
administer the epinephrine autoinjector because of the life threatening nature of anaphylaxis.
Human Rights Code
If the student is identified as having a disability under the Human Rights Code, the school board must
accommodate a student’s susceptibility to anaphylaxis. Not to do so would be considered discriminatory.
For more information on epinephrine autoinjectors including videos on how to administer, go to:
www.epipen.ca;
or www.twinject.ca
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