Handling of Cadet Medications (draft CAPR 160-2)

[Eclipse]

Ever heard of an ice chest?

BTW - its not "discrimination" if reasonable accommodation is not possible.

1 refrigerator per wing for Encampments and MAJOR Cadet activities would cost very little overall.

At $100 each we're talking about $10K worth of appliances.  Please make you check out to CAP, Inc.

Most wings already have these, or can go out getting free one's from local communities.

Um, what?  Do you have some angel corp in your area handing out random refrigerators?  I sure don't.

[arajca]

Maybe all that is needed is the following; "Members will self medicate, and if cold storage of medication is needed, the member will need to coordinate that with the Activity Commander who will secure a refrigeration device from the Wing Headquarters with a key that will be assigned ONLY to the person whose medication is being stored".

OK. Three cadets and one senior need their medications refrigerated. Who gets the key? or do have four separate fridges?

[Eclipse]

Maybe all that is needed is the following; "Members will self medicate, and if cold storage of medication is needed, the member will need to coordinate that with the Activity Commander who will secure a refrigeration device from the Wing Headquarters with a key that will be assigned ONLY to the person whose medication is being stored".

OK. Three cadets and one senior need their medications refrigerated. Who gets the key? or do have four separate fridges?

Yep, it gets pretty geometrically ridiculous from there.

[PA Guy]

Since insulin is probably the most commonly encountered medication that sometimes requires special storage check out the following link: www.dhs.wi.gov/rl_dsl/Publications/GudStrgInsulin.pdf hopefully it will ans. some questions and relieve some anxiety, but then again maybe not.

[Eclipse]

Situations like that need to be handled as 1-off exceptions with flexibility on all sides, not as part of the policy discussions.

[JC004]

I'm glad that they are finally addressing this important issue.  This is the sort of thing that raises questions in the field and NHQ SHOULD be addressing, instead of some of they crap they pay attention to now.

:clap:

[Eclipse]

Just as an FYI - 160-2 may be a new draft, but the policy(s) it details are already in effect, having been
approved as such in Sept 2009, with an effective date of Jan 2010.

See KB 2121 for a quote of the respective minutes.

[sarmed1]

HMRS has been working supplement/policies covering the same issue: the opinion seems to be use your existing poilcy that meets the letter of the NB decision until the draft reg is formally approved. 
The biggest issue I have found in discussion is the concern that even if a Tac officer volunteers to take the responsability to remind a cadet to take the medicine they doent have to actually witness them taking it.  Is CAP going to be liable for an after the fact determination that little Johnny wasnt mature enough to take his medicine (ie had a seizure and drowned because he stopped talking his Dilantin) or was the reminder a reasonable enough effort on CAP's part to keep him safe in the absence of his parents.....?

At HMRS there is a fridge in the medical building; students that require daily insulin keep it in there; it is not secured but the building is. Its not "confiscated" just stored there; when they need to take their dose they come down and get it out of the fridge and take it...then put it back.  For the field problem its brought out to them in a cooler ( commercia/reusablel ice packs will maintain the same temp as a fridge for about 11 hours or so)

The way understand OTC meds is that CAP can provide them to cadets as long as they have written permssion, in absence of written permission, telphone permission is (and has been if I am not mistaken) an ok alternative
I disagree with listing the specific OTC meds that you are going to use at an activity as it limits your options (one wing form I saw listed them by brand name...ie Motrin 200 mg rather than the generic ibuprofen.)  The form I developed for PA wing had an area for parental comments; specifically to list if there are common OTC medicines you DO NOT want your child given

The use of meds to overdose may be urban legend; but could it be the fact that it hasnt been documented as happening because up until this point everyone has been so over restrictive on their control of meds that the oppurtunity hasnt been there to happen..... we'll have to see if that changes now.  I have been to more than I care to count suicide attempts by teen age girls by taking tylenol or "sleeping pills" (tylenol with benadryl); and little Suzy can show up with a whole 500 count bottle now.

mk

[Spike]

^ This issue is directly related to an incident in which Hawk Mountain Rangers were involved.  I suggest you talk to your Ranger Buds and find out the specifics, as it is a SAD and personal story. 

[sarmed1]

You have mentioned two medical incidents in previous ranger threads....ashtma attack and staff infection; neither of which sounds familiar.  Is this a school realted incident or something that happend outside of HMRS (ie encampment)
Having been to numerous other activities (primarily encampments) I have seen or discussed with CAP members many questionable practices when it comes to "medical"; and can say with a good amount of certanity that there are far worse offenders than HMRS that are more than likey key driving factors behind such a regulation.
so do tell.......

mk