Difficulties perceived by nurses at day-care centers during the response to food allergy-induced anaphylaxis

Abstract

 This study aimed to reveal difficulties perceived by nurses at day-care centers during the response to anaphylactic shock in children with a food allergy. It also aimed to investigate the support necessary for accommodating children who are prescribed an adrenalin auto-injector by establishing an emergency system within day-care centers. Nine day-care nurses, who had consented to participate in this study, were interviewed in accordance with an interview guide, and data were qualitatively analyzed using an inductive approach. The following four categories were extracted: worries about the ability of the day-care center as a whole (including all staff) to deal with emergency events; feeling a heavy burden of responsibility in the event of an emergency; an insufficient system for responding to emergency events; differences in action policies among parents/guardians, doctors, and day-care centers. Concrete measures such as stipulation of posting of a nurse at every day-care center in a relevant law or guidelines, and financial support by the government for those expenses are required. A training system and a support system (e.g., legal authority protection) should be established so that all day-care nurses can confidently play an educational role toward staff at day-care centers.