Meet Rachel Costis and the School Nursing Team from Public Health Nursing 4 Slough

A significant number of our healthcare professional members work in education settings. In celebration of #WorldAllergyWeek, and as the NHS celebrates its 70th Birthday #NHS70, Rachel Costis from Public Health Nursing 4 Slough explains how training from the Anaphylaxis Campaign helped give staff the confidence to deliver sessions to schools.

Anaphylaxis prevention sits well within the School Nurses role. As experts in public health, and having access to schools, children, young people and their families, we are ideally placed to deliver health promotion including anaphylaxis prevention training. As part of our role, the School Nurse team deliver evidence-based training to all the local schools in Slough to ensure that staff are aware of best practice and what to do in an emergency.

The School Nurses also work with families whose children have allergies by signposting them to the relevant member of the multi-agency team, offering advice and supporting them as required.

Service quality is of the highest importance to us at Public Health Nursing 4 Slough so ensuring our staff have the best training available and the confidence to deliver sessions to schools is vital. When Public Health Nursing 4 Slough took over the 0-19 contract in October 2017, the legislation had changed regarding the use of spare Adrenaline Auto-Injectors in schools. Staff who had transferred to our service felt that they needed an update to enable the safe delivery of the anaphylaxis prevention training.

We approached multiple providers but felt that the Anaphylaxis Campaign offered the most relevant and highest quality training.

Delip Dhillon, an experienced School Nurse who transferred over to Public Health Nursing 4 Slough said:

“The training I received was informative and of a high standard. It has influenced how I deliver sessions to schools and promote the importance of anaphylaxis prevention”.

Rachel Costis, Public Health Nursing Manager reports:

“Since we started working with The Anaphylaxis Campaign, the feedback from schools has been extremely positive. The staff who have attended our training report an increase in confidence using a whole school approach to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis. Public Health Nursing 4 Slough are proud of our School Nursing team, the professionalism they demonstrate at all times and passion to improve health outcomes for children is commendable. It is an honour manage such a fantastic team.”

Get wised up about allergy with AllergyWise

The Anaphylaxis Campaign’s free and accredited online AllergyWise e-learning courses are the perfect way to learn how to manage living with allergies in day-to-day life, recognise the signs and symptoms of a severe allergic reaction and know what to do in an emergency. 

The simple to follow online modules feature quick tests, interactive diagrams and graphics to make learning about allergies and anaphylaxis easier than ever, no matter who you are or what you do.

Register online at www.allergywise.org.uk today and learn conveniently from your home or workplace, wherever and whenever it suits you. You can work through at your own pace and take a break at any time.

AllergyWise for Schools

• Learn about common allergens and common causes of severe allergic reactions in children.
• Get tips on managing the allergies of children in your care in the long term, including managing school trips and developing healthcare plans.
• Learn about allergen avoidance management and how to reduce cross-contamination risks.
• Learn how to recognise the signs and symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, know what to do in an emergency and how to use all the adrenaline auto-injectors currently licensed in the UK.

Allergywise for Healthcare Professionals

• Learn about common allergens and common causes of severe allergic reactions.
• Enhance your knowledge about allergen avoidance management and how to reduce cross-contamination risks.
• Get tips on managing the allergies of children and young people in the long term.
• Learn how to recognise the signs and symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, know what to do in an emergency and how to use all the adrenaline auto-injectors currently licensed in the UK.
• Receive a free pack of adrenaline auto-injector training devices.
• Run your own anaphylaxis training session in confidence in your school, nursery or other care setting with our resources including lesson plans, presentations and speaker notes and a step-by-step guide.