Dying to Get an Education

Public policy and public health efforts are underway to help assure that people can be healthy where they live, work, and play.  As part of providing education, schools are supposed to protect the health and safety of students.   Various government and non-government organizations (NGOs) offer resources, toolkits and evidence-based resources to help school districts, schools, and school personnel deal with health emergencies, such as life threatening conditions like asthma.  Guidelines indicate that schools should have:  a policy or rule that allows students to carry and use their own asthma medicines; written emergency plan(s) for teachers and staff to follow to take care of a student who has an asthma attack; and standing orders and quick-relief medicines for students’ use.[1] [2]
In the last few days, I read with admiration about middle and high school students setting aside any personal trepidation and potential disciplinary action to help fellow classmates who were having asthma attacks.  In fact, it appears these heroic teens actually saved their classmates’ lives.  In one instance, two students were disciplined for sharing their asthma medications (inhaler); in the other case, the student was disciplined because he took his friend to the school nurse’s office while the teacher emailed the school nurse.   In both cases, the students in need were unable to breathe.   Imagine my disbelief, when disciplinary actions (suspensions) were taken by their school...

Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - January 27, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: dw at disruptivewomen.net Tags: Children Patients' Rights Policy Source Type: blogs