| Action Plans for Allergic Reactions - FAQ |
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There are three types of ACTION PLANS (and three versions for two out of the three types of ACTION PLANS) available from www.allergy.org.au the website of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA). These plans were last revised in June 2011. The following ASCIA Action Plans (personal) now include text fields for doctors to type in patient details:
The following ASCIA Action Plans (general) can be used as posters or in first aid kits:Important information:1. ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis can be used for individuals with food and insect allergies (ASCIA Action Plans specific for Insect Allergy were discontinued in March 2011). 2. ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis include instructions on how to use an adrenaline autoinjector and should therefore always be stored with the autoinjector. 3. Adrenaline autoinjectors contain a single, premeasured dose of adrenaline and are designed to be used by anyone (medical training is not required), including friends, teacher, childcare worker, parents or patients (if they are not too unwell). The following are the most frequently asked questions and answers (FAQ) regarding the ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis and Allergic Reactions. Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: How many types of ASCIA Action Plans are there?A: There are two types of ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis (General and Personal) and three versions for each of these, specific to the adrenaline autoinjector brand. The General versions (orange) do not contain any personal information and can be used as a poster. The Personal versions (red) include personal information for the individual with prescribed adrenaline autoinjector/s, such as medically confirmed severe allergies. There is also an ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions (green) which includes personal information of the individual with medically confirmed mild or moderate allergies, who needs to avoid certain allergens, but does not have an adrenaline autoinjector. ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis and Allergic Reactions were last revised in June 2011 and now have fields that can be directly typed into. They can then be printed directly from the Anaphylaxis Resources section of the ASCIA website http://www.allergy.org.au/ Alternatively hard copies can be ordered by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Q: How have the revised ASCIA Action Plans (2011) changed from the previous (2009) versions?A: The following amendments have been made to the 2009 versions:
Q: Can the older versions (2008, 2009) of ASCIA Action Plans still be used?A: Yes. The previous versions of ASCIA Action Plans will be gradually phased out over the next two years. ASCIA Action Plans should be renewed when patients are reassessed by their doctor, and each time they obtain a new adrenaline autoinjector prescription. If the patient is a child, the photo should be updated at least every two years, so they can be easily identified. Q: Can schools or parents complete an ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (personal) or ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions for their students or children?A: No. ASCIA Action Plans have been developed as medical documents and must be completed, signed and dated by the patient's medical doctor. If copies are required then the original signed copy should be photocopied. Q: Is it possible to obtain an electronic copy of the ASCIA Action Plans so that a student's photo and information can be inserted by school staff?A: Yes. Whilst ASCIA Action Plans have been developed in a PDF format to ensure the documents are concise, consistent and easily understood, they now have fields that can be directly typed into. They can then be printed directly from the Anaphylaxis Resources section of the ASCIA website http://www.allergy.org.au/. Q: How often does an ASCIA Action Plan need to be updated?A: ASCIA Action Plans should be reviewed when patients are reassessed by their doctor, and each time they obtain a new adrenaline autoinjector prescription. If there are no changes in diagnosis or management the medical information on the ASCIA Action Plan may not need to be updated. If the patient is a child, the photo should be updated at least every two years, so they can be easily identified. Q: The ASCIA Action Plans on the ASCIA website www.allergy.org.au are copyrighted. Can we still print them out and make copies?A: Yes. ASCIA Action Plans can be printed off the website and/or photocopied without infringement of the copyright. ASCIA recommends that the Action Plans are printed in colour, if possible, as they are colour coded. Q: Who has the ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis been designed for?A: ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis have been designed for first aid treatment of anaphylaxis, to be delivered by people without any special medical training nor equipment apart from access to an adrenaline autoinjector. Q: Why doesn't the ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis include CPR?A: Adrenaline is life-saving and must be used promptly. Withholding or delaying the giving of adrenaline can result in deterioration and death of the patient. This is why giving the adrenaline autoinjector is a priority on the ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis, to prevent delays. If CPR is given before this step there is a possibility that adrenaline is delayed or not given. It is important to note that Oxygen will be administered to the patient by paramedics in the ambulance. Q: Can an organisation obtain an adrenaline autoinjector for general use (not prescribed for an individual) and do they require an Action Plan for Anaphylaxis?A: Adrenaline autoinjectors for general use can be purchased without a prescription from pharmacies. More information is available in the ASCIA document “Adrenaline Autoinjectors for General Use” which is available from the Anaphylaxis Resources section on the ASCIA website. The ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (general) has been developed for use as a poster or as an instruction guide to include with an adrenaline autoinjector for general use. Q: Where can we go to obtain further resources?A: Patient information is available from the following websites:
ASCIA is the peak professional body for allergy and clinical immunology in Australia and New Zealand.
Anaphylaxis Australia and Allergy New Zealand are national patient support groups for Australia and New Zealand. Content Updated 30 June 2011 |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 23 September 2011 ) | |||||||||
ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (personal) for use with new-look EpiPen
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