Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 21, 2025

A Standardized Procedure of Dressing Management for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
Published on: March 14, 2025
Management of Toxicological Emergencies in the School Setting: An Overview for School Nurses Part 2
Amy L Deitche1, Anthony M Burda2
1Certified Specialist in Poison Information, Illinois Poison Center (Illinois Health and Hospital Association), Chicago, IL.
Abstract:
School nurses may encounter a variety of poisoning and overdose scenarios in the school setting. Youth have an increased risk for harm due to factors associated with substance use, self-harm, and exposure to more toxic ingestants. Poison Control Centers are uniquely qualified to assist the public and health professionals, including school nurses, with poisoning and overdose incidents and are available 24 hours per day. This article is Part 2 of a series of three articles and focuses on poisonings related to substances of abuse and addiction or as a result of social media challenges. Information includes expected clinical effects, potential for serious injury, and a reasonable approach to manage these exposures for the following substances of potential harm: alcohol, caffeine, dextromethorphan, inhalants, marijuana, tobacco, and nicotine replacement therapy. Part 3 of the series will discuss potential environmental hazards specific to the school setting.
Related Concept Videos
Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison
Toxic Reactions: Overview
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Antidotes
Specific antidotes operate by inhibiting the enzymes that control biochemical pathways, reducing the production of harmful metabolites.
An example of an antidote is atropine, which counteracts the detrimental effects of cholinesterase inhibitors. It achieves this by deactivating muscarinic receptors,...
Enhanced Elimination of Poison
Antidotes serve a crucial role in counteracting the effects of poison by inhibiting enzymes responsible for producing harmful drug metabolites. In some cases, these toxic metabolites can be neutralized by endogenous cosubstrates, which are maintained at specific concentrations to prevent interaction with cellular macromolecules and subsequent cell death.
Renal excretion is the...
Ethical Dilemmas I
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...

