SB 744 – Appropriations Act of 2014, Section 8.23: Supply of Emergency
Epinephrine Auto-Injectors on School Property
Summary
In accordance with the EpiPen law, the principal must designate one or more school personnel
to receive initial training and annual retraining from a school nurse or qualified representative
of the local health department regarding the storage and emergency use of epinephrine autoinjectors. The principal and appropriate school personnel are required to develop an action plan
for the use of epinephrine auto-injectors in an emergency. This plan must include the following
components:
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Standards and procedures for the storage and emergency use of epinephrine autoinjectors by trained school personnel.
Techniques for recognizing symptoms of anaphylaxis.
Emergency follow-up procedures, including calling emergency services and contacting a
student’s parent and physician.
Instruction and certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
A Public Hearing will be held on November 18, 2014 by the NC Board of Pharmacy as part of
their rulemaking process to allow adding epinephrine auto-injectors to the formulary of
medications that can be dispensed by a Public Health Nurse in a health department.
Step 1
On November 1, 2014, this epinephrine auto-injector law goes into effect. Schools must obtain
prescriptions at the local health department. However, the EpiPens will not be stocked at the
health department until the Board of Pharmacy Rules are in place. The Board of Pharmacy has
60 days from the effective date of the law to develop and put rules in place. Until the Board of
Pharmacy Rules are in place, the prescriptions may be filled at any pharmacy or mailed to the
EpiPens4schools program.
Step 2
Filling the Prescription. There are three ways that a school can fill the prescriptions:
1. At the local Health Department where they obtained the prescription (following the
establishment of the Board of Pharmacy Rules).
2. At a pharmacy, after they have obtained the prescription at the local Health Department
on or after the effective date for the law (November 1, 2014).
3. Send the prescription to the EpiPen4schools program to receive the epinephrine autoinjectors at no cost. The website is: http://epipen4schools.com/
Training
School Nurses have been training school personnel on the storage and emergency use of
epinephrine auto-injectors historically in relation to individual students with such a need. The
process for a general epinephrine auto-injector is essentially the same. Newly hired school
NC Department of Public Instruction, September 12, 2014
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nurses are likewise trained. Some discussion is being conducted that would facilitate creation of
instructional webinars on the storage and administration of the epinephrine auto-injectors.
These webinars could be archived, as the training is statutorily required to be completed
annually.
Charter Schools are also required to comply with this law. Charter school principals and their
designated personnel are free to arrange necessary instruction with local school nurses or the
health department. A charter school’s board of directors is required to supply the school with its
epinephrine auto-injectors.
Future Communication
When the Board of Pharmacy has confirmed the proposed rule changes pertinent to the EpiPens
for schools, another written communication will be sent.
NC Department of Public Instruction, September 12, 2014
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