<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Given that ours is a greying profession and after having someone close to me die at work from a heart attack, I would vouch in favor of keeping the meds available. Is the fear of being sued worth not having on hand something that could help save a life?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> oplinlist-bounces@lists.oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces@lists.oplin.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Chad Neeper<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, November 16, 2012 12:06 PM<br><b>To:</b> Oplinlist (oplinlist@oplin.org)<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [OPLINLIST] Over the counter medications in the library-suggestions for employers<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>I wonder if the person having an unexpected heart attack would appreciate a bottle of aspirin being in a well-known location like the medical kit. I wonder which is more likely: a person having a heart attack at work and being saved by quick thinking, 911, and 325mg of aspirin...or a person with a headache choking on the pill they chose to swallow and filing suit against the library (or other organization).<br><br><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br clear=all>______________________________<br><b>Chad Neeper</b><br><span style='font-size:7.5pt'>Senior Systems Engineer</span><br><br><b>Level 9 Networks</b><br><span style='font-size:7.5pt'>740-548-8070 (voice)<br>866-214-6607 (fax)</span><br><br><i><span style='font-size:7.5pt'>Full LAN/WAN consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and schools</span></i><br><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Fri, Nov 16, 2012 at 11:12 AM, Nancy Levin <<a href="mailto:nlevin@heightslibrary.org" target="_blank">nlevin@heightslibrary.org</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>HI all, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>A number of you have asked me what information I have uncovered about providing over the counter medications for library staff. I will summarize what I know:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>A number of libraries have pulled all medications out of their first aid kits and do not have a community bottle of Tylenol or Tums because they have been told that it is a liability. I have not found a law, but I have found a number of prudent bits of advice that I will share. Our insurance broker was here today and said that we should not <u>provide</u> any medications for staff or anyone else and suggested the following policy in the HR manual:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>“Employees may only have in their possession prescription drugs made out to them or over the counter medicines for their personal use. Medicines should be in their original containers or thusly labeled. ”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Here is some other information you may wish to learn: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>From a legal website sponsored by TMF Attorneys-link below. Since I am not an attorney, I suggest you check with your own counsel.: </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width=889 style='width:666.75pt;background:white'><tr style='min-height:12.0pt'><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;min-height:12.0pt'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width=889 style='width:666.75pt;background:white;margin-left:6.75pt;margin-right:6.75pt'><tr style='min-height:12.0pt'><td width="99%" style='width:99.56%;padding:0in 1.5pt 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=right style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:right;line-height:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.tmfattorneys.com/index.php?view=article&catid=3&id=36:providing-over-the-counter-medications-at-work&tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=&option=com_content&Itemid=39" target="_blank" title=""Print" "><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#0055A2;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=16 height=16 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01CDC3FC.95054D60" alt=Print></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:103.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>The use of over-the-counter medications, such as pain relievers and cold medications, may allow an employee to remain at work despite a nagging headache or a dripping nose. Given the benefit of keeping an employee working productively, should an employer provide over-the-counter medications to employees suffering from minor ailments at work? </span><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>We believe the answer is no for several reasons:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:103.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin-left:121.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>1.</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>The medication may result in an unintended consequence, triggering lawsuits against the employer. The employee could sustain an allergic reaction to the medication. The medication could cause drowsiness, resulting in a workplace accident or an accident while traveling after work. The employee could take the wrong dose or choke while attempting to swallow the pills.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin-left:121.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>2.</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>The employee may feel pressured by the manager or supervisor into taking the medication, even if the employee does not want to take that particular type or dose of medicine being offered. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin-left:121.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>3.</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Providing medicine may open the employer to charges that the employer knew the employee was disabled. For example, if an employer regularly gave an employee pain medication at work, then subsequently terminated the employee, the employee may have a claim of disability discrimination, arguing that the employer knew of the disabling condition by virtue of regularly supplying pain medication to the employee.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:103.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>A recent article by an employment consultant counseled against providing over-the-counter medications to employees, but recommended that employers adopt a policy requiring employees to notify their supervisor if they are taking medications, including over-the-counter medications, that may impair their ability to perform their work or cause drowsiness. </span><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>We advise against advising all employees to divulge the medications they are taking.</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Generally, an employer may not ask all employees what prescription or over-the counter medications they are taking, because such information is confidential. Asking all employees about their use of medications is not job-related and consistent with business necessity. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:103.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>In limited circumstances, certain employers may be able to demonstrate that it is job-related and consistent with business necessity to require employees in positions of public safety to report when they are taking medication that may affect their ability to perform the essential functions of their job. Under those limited circumstances, however, an employer must be able to demonstrate that an employee’s inability or </span><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>impaired ability to perform the essential functions will result in a direct threat.</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>It is only in those limited circumstances that an employer should require an employee to provide a list of the medications being taken that present a direct threat. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:103.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>That same article also suggested adding one or two basic over-the-counter medications to the company’s first aid kit that employees may access. </span><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>This still has the taint of being employer supplied medications, and again we would recommend against doing so.</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:103.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>We recommend that employees be responsible for maintaining and controlling their own pain and cold medications. That way the employee is the one controlling when and what is taken. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:103.5pt;line-height:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Feel free to contact any of the TMF attorneys to discuss this or any other legal matter.</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.tmfattorneys.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36:providing-over-the-counter-medications-at-work&catid=3&Itemid=39" target="_blank">www.tmfattorneys.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36:providing-over-the-counter-medications-at-work&catid=3&Itemid=39</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p align=center style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:15.0pt;background:white'><strong><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>FDA LOWERS THE ACETAMINOPHEN DOSAGE LIMIT</span></strong><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>& PROPOSES BLACK BOX WARNING</span></strong></span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>On January 13, 2011 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lowered the limit of acetaminophen allowed to be included in prescription drugs to only 325 milligrams per dose. The FDA also mandated an update to labels of all prescription combination acetaminophen products to warn of the potential risk for severe liver injury. There is a wide array of both prescription and over the counter drugs that include acetaminophen (see list of drugs at the bottom of this page) and prior to this new limit, many of the prescription medications had up to 750 milligrams of acetaminophen per dose.<b> <strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The FDA also now proposes inclusion of their most severe “Black Box” warning on all prescription products that contain acetaminophen.</span></strong></b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:15.0pt;background:white'><strong><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>TAKING MORE ACETAMINOPHEN THAN YOU KNOW. WHAT IS APAP?</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>“APAP” is an abbreviation for acetaminophen that many drug-makers use as shorthand in the list of ingredients on their drug packaging. <strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Even if the prior dosage of acetaminophen had been an appropriate amount, it is not uncommon for users to accidentally exceed recommended dosage limits by taking more than one medication that includes acetaminophen at a time without realizing it because they do not recognize that “APAP” is, in fact, also acetaminophen!</span></strong><b> </b>Some of the most popular drugs that use the abbreviation “APAP” are Percocet, Vicodin, and Tylenol with Codeine, among others.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:15.0pt;background:white'><strong><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>WHAT IS</span></strong><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ACETAMINOPHEN?</span></strong></span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Acetaminophen was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1951. Acetaminophen, known as Paracetamol internationally, is a pain reliever and fever reducer. Acetaminophen is most commonly sold under the brand Tylenol, but it is an ingredient in hundreds of brands both prescription and over the counter (OTC). It is frequently found in cold and flu medications. Acetaminophen has been linked to liver damage and failure.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Nancy S. Levin</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Director</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>2345 Lee Road</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Cleveland Heights Ohio 44118</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="tel:216-932-3600%20ext%20240" target="_blank">216-932-3600 ext 240</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:nlevin@heightslibrary.org" target="_blank"><span style='color:#1F497D'>nlevin@heightslibrary.org</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>"Opening Doors, Opening Minds"</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><br>_______________________________________________<br>OPLINLIST mailing list -- <a href="mailto:OPLINLIST@lists.oplin.org">OPLINLIST@lists.oplin.org</a><br><a href="http://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplinlist" target="_blank">http://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplinlist</a><br><br><a href="http://aboutbooks.info" target="_blank">http://aboutbooks.info</a> -- Search for author, title, subject... anything about books.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>