Vanderbilt adds epinephrine pens in dining halls
This semester, Vanderbilt University became the first college or university in the state of Tennessee to stock emergency epinephrine pens in dining halls across campus, for those suffering from life-threatening allergic reactions.
This initiative was originally inspired by Chelsea Janda, a Vanderbilt alum who suffers from severe food allergies. Tasked with writing a memo in her Public Policy class, Janda chose to research and present the idea of offering emergency epinepherine auto-injector to then Campus Dietitian, Emily Suttle.
“In K-12, many schools have undesignated EpiPen if you need them, but they don’t do that in post-secondary settings,” Janda said. “I did some research and discovered that there are schools that do have undesignated stock-epinephrine pens available on campus, and I thought Vanderbilt should do that, too. We would be the first University in the state of Tennessee, let alone one of the few in the country to offer this as an option. We have a great allergen program already, and adding EpiPens is a great enhancement.”
In close collaboration with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) clinical staff, Suttle and Janda successfully coordinated the procurement and installation of six EpiPen units mounted in visible emergency boxes in residential dining halls and began staff training for Campus Dining employees. The project was completed by current dietitian Emily Svennevik during the spring 2023 semester.
In the event of an unintended allergic reaction, a student or staff member will be able to call a helpline that directly connects to a VUMC medical professional, who will provide immediate instructions on how to administer the epinephrine while also dispatching a medical team to the scene for follow-up assistance.
EpiPen auto-injectors are available at Commons Dining Center, The Kitchen at Kissam, Rand Dining Center, and E. Bronson Ingram, Rothschild, and Zeppos Dining Halls.
Recognized by Allertrain as the “2021 Best Overall Food Allergy Champion for Universities,” Vanderbilt University Campus Dining believes all students should have access to safe and nutritious food, regardless of any allergy or dietary restriction. For assistance with nutrition or other dietary needs, students are encouraged to email Registered Dietitian Emily Svennevik at dietitian@vanderbilt.edu. For more information about Campus Dining’s commitment to dietary assistance, visit http://vanderbi.lt/allergendining.