Medical needs with no nursing/medical background

[FionMcCool]

I am currently a teaching assistant at a local primary school, have worked in my current role since 2017. Job role is literally a general teaching assistant, nothing extra. A new child has started at the school and has diabetes. She needs to pin prick her finger daily and has injections. She is also SEN so cannot do so independently, an adult has to administer the needles, take the blood etc. I have been 'told' - not asked, I am to be her 1:1 and tend to her medical needs. I have had no nursing experience, and am extremely uncomfortable with this. Firstly, I wasn't actually asked if I am confident and at ease with this, was just told blasé I would get training and get on with it. Simple fact is, no, I'm not going to do it. I'll take it all the way with meetings etc I don't care, I am uneasy, anxious and upset and will not be forced in to doing so. AIBU?

If you are really uncomfortable with it then refuse. Somebody will need to do it for this little girl and it's best that it's someone who will be happy to do it. If you are uncomfortable or anxious then she will pick up on it.

Tbh, it doesn't need a medical background, just specific training, ideally from a diabetic nurse. It's not a particularly unusual circumstance and schools don't have school nurses who can do this.

I'm writing as a teacher who used to change the stoma bag for a little girl in my class so do have experience of needing to step up to support a child's medical/care needs.

If you work as a TA with SEN children you should be able to do minor nursing like this with proper training. Or that was the expectation at my children's primary school.

Ask for the training to ve able to do the job.

I’m a T1 diabetic so understand fully what is needed. As a child without the ability to manage her condition this pupil should have access to all the latest tech, ie a CGM and insulin pump. I’d want to speak to the parents to find out why it’s not being used. There is also a safeguarding issue as you would need to access parts of the body usually covered with clothing to administer a dose of insulin, I’d assume someone else would need to be with you at all times. Will they also provide you with full PPE if you’re coming into contact with blood and needles?